Chapter 53

There was a man of the pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler among the jewes. He to Iesus by night, and said unto him: Master, we know that thou art, a teacher which art come from God. For no man could do such miracles as thou doest, except God were with him: Iesus answered, and said unto him: Verily verily I say unto thee: except a man be born a new, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus said unto him: how can a man be born, when he is old? can he enter into his mother's body and be born again? Iesus answered: verily, verily I say unto thee: except that a man be born of water, and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh. And that which is born of the spirit, is spirit. Marvel not that I said to thee, ye must be born a new. The wind bloweth where he listeth, and thou hearest his sound: but canst not tell whence he cometh and whither he goeth. So is every man that is born of the spirit. And Nicodemus answered and said unto him: how can these things be? Iesus answered and said unto him: Art thou a master in Israhell, and knowest not these things? Verily verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we know, and testify that we have seen: And ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things and ye have not believe: How should ye believe if I shall tell you of heavenly things?

And no man ascendeth up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, that is to say, the son of man which is in heaven.

And as Moses lift up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lift up, that none which believeth in him perish: but have eternal life.

God so loved the world, that he gave his only son for the intent, that none that believe in him, should perish: But should have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world, to condemn the world: But that the world through him, might be saved. He that believeth on him shall not be condemned. But he that believeth not, is condemned all ready, because he believeth not in the name of the only son of God. And this is the condemnation: Light is come into the world, and the men have loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil. For every man that evil doeth, hateth the light: neither cometh to light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds might be known, how that they are wrought in God.

After that came Iesus and his disciples into the jewes land, and there abode with them and baptised, and Ihon also baptised in Enon besides Salim, because there was much water there, and they came, and were baptised. For Ihon was not yet cast into prison.

There arose a question between Ihon's disciples and the jewes about purifying. And they came unto Ihon, and said unto him: Master, behold he that was with thee beyond Iordan, to whom thou barest witness, baptiseth, and all men come to him. Ihon answered, and said: A man can receive nothing at all except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves are witnesses, how that I said: I am not Christ: but am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: But the friend of the bridegroom which standeth by and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this my joy is fulfilled. He must increase: and I must decrease.

He that cometh from on high is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from heaven, is above all: And testifieth that he hath seen, and heard: and his testimony no man receiveth. Whosoever receiveth his witness, the same hath sealed that God is true. For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God. For God giveth not the spirit by measure. The father loveth the son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the son, hath everlasting life. And he that beloveth not the son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

The .iiij. Chapter.

As soon as the lord had knowledge, how that it was come to the ears of the pharisees, that Iesus made and baptised more disciples then Ihon (though that Iesus himself baptised not: but his disciples) he left jewry, and departed again in to Galile. And it was so that he must needs go thorow Samaria. Then came he to a city of Samaria called Sichar besides the possession that Iacob gave to his son Ioseph, and there was Iacob's well. Iesus then wearied in his journey, sat thus on the well.

It was about the sixth hour: There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Iesus said unto her: Give me drink. (for his disciples were gone away unto the town to buy meat.) The woman of Samaria said unto him: how is it, that thou being a jewe askest drink of me, which am a Samaritan? (for the jewes meddle not with the Samaritans.) Iesus answered and said unto her: if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is, that sayeth to thee give me drink: thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee water of life. The woman said unto him: Sir thou hast no thing to draw it withall, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that water of life? Art thou greater than our father Iacob, which gave us the well, and he himself drank thereof and his children and his cattle?

Iesus answered and said unto her: whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again. But whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him, shall never be more a thirst: But the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman said unto him: Sir give me of that water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Iesus said unto her: Go and call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said to him: I have no husband. Iesus said to her: Thou hast well said, I have no husband. For thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast, is not thy husband. That saidst thou truly.

The woman said unto him: Sir I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain: and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to pray. Iesus said unto her: woman trust me, The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Ierusalem, worship the father. Ye worship ye wot nere what: we know what we worship. For salvation cometh of the jewes. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit, and in verity. For verily such the father requireth to worship him. God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must honour him, in spirit and verity.

The woman said unto him: I wot well Messias shall come, which is called Christ. When he is once come, he will tell us all things. Iesus said unto her: I that speak unto thee, am he. And even at that point, came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman. Yet no man said unto him: what meanest thou, or why talkest thou with her? The woman left her water pot behind her, and went her way into the city, and said to the men there: Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not he Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

In the meanwhile his disciples prayed him saying: Master eat. He said unto them: I have meat to eat, that ye know not of. Then said the disciples between themselves: hath any man brought him meat? Iesus said unto them: My meat is to fulfill the will of him that sent me. And to finish his work. Say not ye: There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the regions: For they are white already unto harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth reward, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: That both he that soweth, might rejoice also, and he that reapeth. And herein is the saying true, that one soweth, And another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor. Other men laboured, And ye are entered into their labors.

Many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him, For the woman's saying, which testified: He told me all things that ever I did. Then when the Samaritans were come unto him, They besought him, that he would tarry with them. And he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own words. And said unto the woman: Now we believe not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is even indeed Christ the saviour of the world.

After two days, he departed thence, and went away into Galile. And Iesus himself testified, that a prophet hath none honour in his own country. Then as soon as he was come into Galile, the Galileans received him which had seen all things, that he did at Ierusalem on the feast. For they went also unto the feast day. And Iesus came again into Cana of Galile, where he turned water into wine.

And there was a certain ruler, whose son was sick at Capernaum. As soon as the same heard that Iesus was come out of jewry into Galilee he went unto him, and besought him, that he would descend, and heal his son: For he was even ready to die. Then said Iesus unto him: Except ye see signs and wonders, ye believe not. The ruler said unto him: Sir come away or ever that my child die. Iesus said unto him go thy way, thy son liveth. And the man believed the words that Iesus had spoken unto him, and went his way. And anon as he went on his way, his servants met him, and told him, saying: thy child liveth, Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him: Yesterday the seventh hour, the fever left him. And the father knew that it was the same hour in which Iesus said unto him: Thy son liveth. And he believed, and all his household. This is again the second miracle, that Iesus did, after he was come out of jewry into Galilee.

The .v. Chapter.

After that there was a feast of the jewes, and Iesus went up to Ierusalem. There is at Ierusalem, by the slaughterhouse a pool called in the Hebrew tongue, bethesda, having five porches, in them lay a great multitude of sick folk, of blind, halt, and withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and stirred the water. Whosoever then first after the stirring of the water stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had been diseased xxxviij. years. When Iesus saw him lie, and knew that he now long time had been diseased, he said unto him, Wilt thou be whole? The sick answered him: Sir I have no man when the water is moved, to put me into the pool. But in the mean time, while I am about to come, another steppeth down before me.

Iesus said unto him: rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and went. And the same day was the saboth day. The jewes therefore said unto him that was made whole: It is the saboth day, it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them: he that made me whole, said unto me: Take up thy bed, and get thee hence. Then asked they him: what man is that which said unto thee, take up thy bed and walk? And he that was healed, wist not who it was. For Iesus had gotten himself away, because that there was press of people in the place.

After that, Iesus found him in the temple, and said unto him: Behold thou art made whole, see thou sin no more, lest a worse thing happen unto thee. The man departed, and told the jewes that it was Iesus, the which had made him whole. And therefore the jewes did persecute Iesus, and sought the means to slay him, because he had done these things on the saboth day. Iesus answered them: My father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the jewes sought the more to kill him, not only because he had broken the saboth: but said also that God was his father and made himself equal with God.

Then answered Iesus and said unto them: verily, verily, I say unto you: the son can do no thing of himself: but that he seeth the father do. For whatsoever he doeth, that doeth the son also. For the father loveth the son, and sheweth him all things, whatsoever he himself doeth. And he will shew him greater works than these, because ye should marvel. For likewise as the father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the son quickeneth whom he will. Neither judgeth the father any man: but hath committed all judgement unto the son, because that all men should honour the son, even as they honour the father. He that honoureth not the son, the same honoureth not the father which hath sent him. Verily verily I say unto you: He that heareth my words, And believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into damnation: but is scaped from death unto life.

Verily, verily I say unto you: the time shall come, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God. And they that hear, shall live. For as the father hath life in himself, so likewise hath he given to the son to have life in himself. And hath given him power also to judge in that he is the son of man. Marvel not at this, that the hour shall come, in the which all that are in the graves, shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life. And they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

I can of mine own self do nothing at all. As I hear I judge, and my judgement is just, because I seek not mine own will: But the will of the father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me. And I am sure that the witness which he beareth of me is true. Ye sent unto Ihon, and he bare witness unto the truth: but I receive no record of man. Nevertheless, these things I say, that ye might be safe. He was a burning, and a shining light, and ye would for a season have rejoiced in his light. But I have greater witness, than the witness of Ihon. For the works which my father hath given me to finish: the same works which I do, bear witness of me, that my father sent me. And my father himself, which hath sent me, beareth witness of me. Ye have not heard his voice at any time, Nor yet have seen his shape. And his words have ye not abiding in you: For ye believe not him whom he hath sent.

Search the scriptures, for in them, ye think ye have eternal life: And they are they which testify of me. And yet will ye not come to me that ye might have life. I receive not praise of men: But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my father's name, and ye receive me not. If another shall come in his own name, him will ye receive. How can ye believe, which receive praise one of another, and seek not the praise which cometh of God only?

Suppose not, that I will accuse you to my father. There is one that accuseth you, verily Moses in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: For he wrote of me. But when ye believe not his writing: how shall ye believe my words.

The .vj. Chapter.

After that went Iesus his way over the sea of Galile nigh to a city called Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they had seen his miracles that he did on them that were diseased. Iesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. (And ester a feast of the jewes, was nigh.) Then Iesus lift up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, and said unto Philip: whence shall we buy bread that these might eat: This he said to prove him. For he himself knew what he would do.

Philip answered him, two hundred pennyworth of bread are not sufficient for them, that every man have a little. Then said unto him, one of his disciples (Andrew Simon Peter's brother.) There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what is that among so many? Iesus said: Make the people to sit down. (There was much grass in the place.) And the men sat down, in number, about five thousand. Iesus took the bread, and gave thanks, and gave to his disciples, and his disciples, to them that were set down. And likewise of the fishes, as much as they would.

When they had eaten enough, he said unto his disciples: gather up the broken meat that remaineth: that nothing be lost. They gathered it together, and filled twelve baskets with the broken meat, of the five barley loaves, which broken meat remained unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Iesus did, said: This is of a truth the same prophet which shall come into the world. Iesus knew well enough, that they would come, and take him up, to make him king: and therefore departed he again, into a mountain, himself alone.

When even was come his disciples went unto the sea, and entered into a ship. And went over the sea unto Capernaum. And anon it was dark, and Iesus was not come to them. And the sea arose with a great wind. When they had rowed about a xxv. or a xxx. furlongs, they saw Iesus walk on the sea, and to draw nigh unto the ship, and they were afraid. And he said unto them: It is I, be not afraid. Then would they have received him into the ship, and the ship was by and by at the land whither they went.

The day following, the people which stood on the other side of the sea, saw that there was none other ship there save that one wherein his disciples were entered, and that Iesus went not in with his disciples into the ship: but that his disciples were gone away alone. (There came other ships from Tiberias nigh unto the place, where they ate bread, when the lord had blessed.) Then when the people saw that Iesus was not there neither his disciples, they also took shipping and came to Capernaum seeking for Iesus.

And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him: Master when camest thou hither? Iesus answered them and said: verily verily I say unto you: ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles: but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat that endureth unto everlasting life, which meat the son of man shall give unto you. For him hath God the father sealed.

Then said they unto him: what shall we do that we might work the works of God? Iesus answered and said unto them: This is the work of God, that ye believe on him, whom he hath sent. They said unto him: what sign shewest thou then? that we may see and believe thee? What dost thou work? our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Iesus said unto them: verily, verily I say unto you: Moses gave you not bread from heaven: but my father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For he is the bread of God, which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Then said they unto him: Master ever more give us this bread. And Iesus said unto them: I am that bread of life. He that cometh to me, shall not hunger: and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you: that ye have seen me, and yet believe ye not. All that my father giveth me, cometh to me: and him that cometh to me, cast I not out at the doors. For I came down from heaven: not to do mine own will: but his will which hath sent me. And this is my father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I shall loose no thing: but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me: That every man which seeth the son, And believeth on him, have everlasting life. And I will raise him up at the last day.

The jewes murmured at it, because he said: I am that bread which is come down from heaven. And they said: Is not this Iesus the son of Ioseph, whose father, and mother we know? How is it then that he sayeth, I came down from heaven? Iesus answered and said unto them. Murmur not between yourselves. No man can come to me except my father which hath sent me, draw him. And I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets: And they shall all be taught of God. Every man which hath heard, and learned of the father, cometh unto me, not that any man hath seen the father, save he which is of God. The same hath seen the father.

Verily verily I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead? This is that bread which cometh from heaven, that he which of it eateth, should also not die. I am that living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. And the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The jewes strove among themselves saying: How can this fellow give us his flesh to eat? Iesus said unto them: Verily, verily I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, ye shall not have life in you. Whosoever eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, the same hath eternal life: And I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. As my living father hath sent me, even so live I by my father: and he that eateth me, shall live by me. This is the bread which came from heaven: not as your fathers have eaten manna and are dead. He that eateth of this bread, shall live ever.

These things said he in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum. Many of his disciples, when they had heard this, said: this is an hard saying. Who can abide the hearing of it? Iesus knew in himself, that his disciples murmu red at it, and said unto them: Doth this offend you? what and if ye shall see the son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you are spirit and life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Iesus knew from the beginning, which they were that believed not. And who should betray him. And he said: Therefore said I unto you: that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my father.

From that time many of his disciples went away from him, and companied no more with him. Then said Iesus to the twelve: will ye also go away? Simon Peter answered him: Master to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, And we have believed, and known, that thou art Christ the son of the living God. Iesus answered them: Have not I chosen you twelve? And yet one of you is the devil? He spake it of Iudas Iscariot the son of Simon. For he it was that should betray him, and was one of the twelve.

The .vij. Chapter.

After that Iesus went about into Galile, and would not go about in jewry, for the jewes sought to kill him. The jewes' tabernacle feast was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him: Get thyself hence and go into jewry that thy disciples may see thy works that thou doest. There is no man that doeth any thing secretly, and he himself seeketh to be known. If thou do such things, shew thyself to the world. For as yet his brethren believed not in him.

Then Iesus said unto them: My time is not yet come, your time is alway ready. The world cannot hate you. Me it hateth: Because I testify of it, that the works of it are evil. Go ye up unto this feast, I will not go up yet unto this feast, for my time is not yet full come. These words he said unto them, and abode still in Galile. As soon as his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly: but as it were privily. Then sought him the jewes at the feast, and said: Where is he? And much murmuring was there of him among the people. Some said: He is good. Other said nay, but he deceiveth the people. No man spake openly of him, for fear of the jewes.