Chapter 2

005:018 On this account then the Jews were all the more eager to put Him to death--because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also spoke of God as being in a special sense His Father, thus putting Himself on a level with God.

005:019 "In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that the Son can do nothing of Himself--He can only do what He sees the Father doing; for whatever He does, that the Son does in like manner.

005:020 For the Father loves the Son and reveals to Him all that He Himself is doing. And greater deeds than these will He reveal to Him, in order that you may wonder.

005:021 For just as the Father awakens the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom He wills.

005:022 The Father indeed does not judge any one, but He has entrusted all judgement to the Son,

005:023 that all may honour the Son even as they honour the Father. The man who withholds honour from the Son withholds honour from the Father who sent Him.

005:024 "In most solemn truth I tell you that he who listens to my teaching and believes Him who sent me, has the Life of the Ages, and does not come under judgement, but has passed over out of death into Life.

005:025 "In most solemn truth I tell you that a time is coming-- nay, has already come--when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear it will live.

005:026 For just as the Father has life in Himself, so He has also given to the Son to have life in Himself.

005:027 And He has conferred on Him authority to act as Judge, because He is the Son of Man.

005:028 Wonder not at this. For a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and will come forth--

005:029 they who have done what is right to the resurrection of Life, and they whose actions have been evil to the resurrection of judgement.

005:030 "I can of my own self do nothing. As I am bidden, so I judge; and mine is a just judgement, because it is not my own will that guides me, but the will of Him who sent me.

005:031 "If I give testimony concerning myself, my testimony cannot be accepted.

005:032 There is Another who gives testimony concerning me, and I know that the testimony is true which He offers concerning me.

005:033 "You sent to John, and he both was and still is a witness to the truth.

005:034 But the testimony on my behalf which I accept is not from man; though I say all this in order that you may be saved.

005:035 He was the lamp that burned and shone, and for a time you were willing to be gladdened by his light.

005:036 "But the testimony which I have is weightier than that of John; for the work the Father has assigned to me for me to bring it to completion--the very work which I am doing-- affords testimony concerning me that the Father has sent me.

005:037 And the Father who sent me, *He* has given testimony concerning me. None of you have ever either heard His voice or seen what He is like.

005:038 Nor have you His word dwelling within you, for you refuse to believe Him whom *He* has sent.

005:039 "You search the Scriptures, because you suppose that in them you will find the Life of the Ages; and it is those Scriptures that yield testimony concerning me;

005:040 and yet you are unwilling to come to me that you may have Life.

005:041 "I do not accept glory from man,

005:042 but I know you well, and I know that in your hearts you do not really love God.

005:043 I have come as my Father's representative, and you do not receive me. If some one else comes representing only himself, him you will receive.

005:044 How is it possible for you to believe, while you receive glory from one another and have no desire for the glory that comes from the only God?

005:045 "Do not suppose that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, namely Moses, on whom your hope rests.

005:046 For if you believe Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me.

005:047 But if you disbelieve his writings, how are you to believe my words?"

006:001 After this Jesus went away across the Lake of Galilee (that is, the Lake of Tiberias).

006:002 A vast multitude followed Him, because they witnessed the miracles on the sick which He was constantly performing.

006:003 Then Jesus went up the hill, and sat there with His disciples.

006:004 The Jewish Festival, the Passover, was at hand.

006:005 And when He looked round and saw an immense crowd coming towards Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for all these people to eat?"

006:006 He said this to put Philip to the test, for He Himself knew what He was going to do.

006:007 "Seven pounds' worth of bread," replied Philip, "is not enough for them all to get even a scanty meal."

006:008 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,

006:009 "There is a boy here with five barley loaves and a couple of fish: but what is that among so many?"

006:010 "Make the people sit down," said Jesus. The ground was covered with thick grass; so they sat down, the adult men numbering about 5,000.

006:011 Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks He distributed them to those who were resting on the ground; and also the fish in like manner--as much as they desired.

006:012 When all were fully satisfied, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the broken portions that remain over, so that nothing be lost."

006:013 Accordingly they gathered them up; and with the fragments of the five barley loaves--the broken portions that remained over after they had done eating--they filled twelve baskets.

006:014 Thereupon the people, having seen the miracle He had performed, said, "This is indeed the Prophet who was to come into the world."

006:015 Perceiving, however, that they were about to come and carry Him off by force to make Him a king, Jesus withdrew again up the hill alone by Himself.

006:016 When evening came on, His disciples went down to the Lake.

006:017 There they got on board a boat, and pushed off to cross the Lake to Capernaum. By this time it had become dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.

006:018 The Lake also was getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing.

006:019 When, however, they had rowed three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the water and coming near the boat.

006:020 They were terrified; but He called to them. "It is I," He said, "do not be afraid."

006:021 Then they were willing to take Him on board; and in a moment the boat reached the shore at the point to which they were going.

006:022 Next morning the crowd who were still standing about on the other side of the Lake found that there had been but one small boat there, and they had seen that Jesus did not go on board with His disciples, but that His disciples went away without Him.

006:023 Yet a number of small boats came from Tiberias to the neighbourhood of the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

006:024 When however the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they themselves also took boats and came to Capernaum to look for Jesus.

006:025 So when they had crossed the Lake and had found Him, they asked Him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

006:026 "In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that you are searching for me not because you have seen miracles, but because you ate the loaves and had a hearty meal.

006:027 Bestow your pains not on the food which perishes, but on the food that remains unto the Life of the Ages-- that food which will be the Son of Man's gift to you; for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal."

006:028 "What are we to do," they asked, "in order to carry out the things that God requires?"

006:029 "This," replied Jesus, "is above all the thing that God requires-- that you should be believers in Him whom He has sent."

006:030 "What miracle then," they asked, "do you perform for us to see and become believers in you? What do you *do*?

006:031 Our forefathers ate the manna in the Desert, as it is written, `He gave them bread out of Heaven to eat'."

006:032 "In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that Moses did not give you the bread out of Heaven, but my Father is giving you the bread--the true bread--out of Heaven.

006:033 For God's bread is that which comes down out of Heaven and gives Life to the world."

006:034 "Sir," they said, "always give us that bread."

006:035 "I am the bread of Life," replied Jesus; "he who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never, never thirst.

006:036 But it is as I have said to you: you have seen me and yet you do not believe.

006:037 Every one whom the Father gives me will come to me, and him who comes to me I will never on any account drive away.

006:038 For I have left Heaven and have come down to earth not to seek my own pleasure, but to do the will of Him who sent me.

006:039 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that of all that He has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it to life on the last day.

006:040 For this is my Father's will, that every one who fixes his gaze on the Son of God and believes in Him should have the Life of the Ages, and I will raise him to life on the last day."

006:041 Now the Jews began to find fault about Him because of His claiming to be the bread which came down out of Heaven.

006:042 They kept asking, "Is not this man Joseph's son? Is he not Jesus, whose father and mother we know? What does he mean by now saying, `I have come down out of Heaven'?"

006:043 "Do not thus find fault among yourselves," replied Jesus;

006:044 "no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; then I will raise him to life on the last day.

006:045 It stands written in the Prophets, `And they shall all of them be taught by God'. Every one who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to me.

006:046 No one has ever seen the Father--except Him who is from God. He has seen the Father.

006:047 "In most solemn truth I tell you that he who believes has the Life of the Ages.

006:048 I am the bread of Life.

006:049 Your forefathers ate the manna in the Desert, and they died.

006:050 Here is the bread that comes down out of Heaven that a man may eat it and not die.

006:051 I am the living bread come down out of Heaven. If a man eats this bread, he shall live for ever. Moreover the bread which I will give is my flesh given for the life of the world."

006:052 This led to an angry debate among the Jews. "How can this man," they argued, "give us his flesh to eat?"

006:053 "In most solemn truth I tell you," said Jesus, "that unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no Life in you.

006:054 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has the Life of the Ages, and I will raise him up on the last day.

006:055 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.

006:056 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me, and I remain in union with him.

006:057 As the ever-living Father has sent me, and I live because of the Father, so also he who eats me will live because of me.

006:058 This is the bread which came down out of Heaven; it is unlike that which your forefathers ate--for they ate and yet died. He who eats this bread shall live for ever."

006:059 Jesus said all this in the synagogue while teaching at Capernaum.

006:060 Many therefore of His disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is hard to accept. Who can listen to such teaching?"

006:061 But, knowing in Himself that His disciples were dissatisfied about it, Jesus asked them,

006:062 "Does this seem incredible to you? What then if you were to see the Son of Man ascending again where He was before?

006:063 It is the spirit which gives Life. The flesh confers no benefit whatever. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and are Life.

006:064 But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.

006:065 So He added, "That is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it be granted him by the Father."

006:066 Thereupon many of His disciples left Him and went away, and no longer associated with Him.

006:067 Jesus therefore appealed to the Twelve. "Will you go also?" He asked.

006:068 "Master," replied Simon Peter, "to whom shall we go? Your teachings tell us of the Life of the Ages.

006:069 And we have come to believe and know that *you* are indeed the Holy One of God."

006:070 "Did not I choose you--the Twelve?" said Jesus, "and even of you one is a devil."

006:071 He alluded to Judas, the son of Simon the Iscariot. For he it was who, though one of the Twelve, was afterwards to betray Him.

007:001 After this Jesus moved from place to place in Galilee. He would not go about in Judaea, because the Jews were seeking an opportunity to kill Him.

007:002 But the Jewish Festival of the Tent-Pitching was approaching.

007:003 So His brothers said to Him, "Leave these parts and go into Judaea, that not only we but your disciples also may witness the miracles which you perform.

007:004 For no one acts in secret, desiring all the while to be himself known publicly. Since you are doing these things, show yourself openly to the world."

007:005 For even His brothers were not believers in Him.

007:006 "My time," replied Jesus, "has not yet come, but for you any time is suitable.

007:007 It is impossible for the world to hate you; but me it does hate, because I give testimony concerning it that its conduct is evil.

007:008 As for you, go up to the Festival. I do not now go up to this Festival, because my time is not yet fully come."

007:009 Such was His answer, and He remained in Galilee.

007:010 When however His brothers had gone up to the Festival, then He also went up, not openly, but as it were privately.

007:011 Meanwhile the Jews at the Festival were looking for Him and were inquiring, "Where is he?"

007:012 Among the mass of the people there was much muttered debate about Him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others said, "Not so: he is imposing on the people."

007:013 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke out boldly about Him.

007:014 But when the Festival was already half over, Jesus went up to the Temple and commenced teaching.

007:015 The Jews were astonished. "How does this man know anything of books," they said, "although he has never been at any of the schools?"

007:016 Jesus answered their question by saying, "My teaching does not belong to me, but comes from Him who sent me.

007:017 If any one is willing to do His will, he shall know about the teaching, whether it is from God or originates with me.

007:018 The man whose teaching originates with himself aims at his own glory. He who aims at the glory of Him who sent him teaches the truth, and there is no deception in him.

007:019 Did not Moses give you the Law? And yet not a man of you obeys the Law. Why do you want to kill me?"

007:020 "You are possessed by a demon," replied the crowd; "no one wants to kill you."

007:021 "One deed I have done," replied Jesus, "and you are all full of wonder.

007:022 Consider therefore. Moses gave you the rite of circumcision (not that it began with Moses, but with your earlier forefathers), and even on a Sabbath day you circumcise a child.

007:023 If a child is circumcised even on a Sabbath day, are you bitter against me because I have restored a man to perfect health on a Sabbath day?

007:024 Do not form superficial judgements, but form the judgements that are just."

007:025 Some however of the people of Jerusalem said, "Is not this the man they are wanting to kill?

007:026 But here he is, speaking openly and boldly, and they say nothing to him! Can the Rulers really have ascertained that this man is the Christ?

007:027 And yet we know this man, and we know where he is from; but as for the Christ, when He comes, no one can tell where He is from."

007:028 Jesus therefore, while teaching in the Temple, cried aloud, and said, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. And yet I have not come of my own accord; but there is One who has sent me, an Authority indeed, of whom you have no knowledge.

007:029 I know Him, because I came from Him, and He sent me."

007:030 On hearing this they wanted to arrest Him; yet not a hand was laid on Him, because His time had not yet come.

007:031 But from among the crowd a large number believed in Him. "When the Christ comes," they said, "will He perform more miracles than this teacher has performed?"

007:032 The Pharisees heard the people thus expressing their various doubts about Him, and the High Priests and the Pharisees sent some officers to apprehend Him.

007:033 So Jesus said, "Still for a short time I am with you, and then I go my way to Him who sent me.

007:034 You will look for me and will not find me, and where I am you cannot come."

007:035 The Jews therefore said to one another, "Where is he about to betake himself, so that we shall not find him? Will he betake himself to the Dispersion among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

007:036 What do those words of his mean, `You will look for me, but will not find me, and where I am you cannot come'?"

007:037 On the last day of the Festival--the great day--Jesus stood up and cried aloud. "Whoever is thirsty," He said, "let him come to me and drink.

007:038 He who believes in me, from within him--as the Scripture has said-- rivers of living water shall flow."

007:039 He referred to the Spirit which those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not bestowed as yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

007:040 After listening to these discourses, some of the crowd began to say, "This is beyond doubt the Prophet."

007:041 Others said, "He is the Christ." But others again, "Not so, for is the Christ to come from Galilee?

007:042 Has not the Scripture declared that the Christ is to come of the family of David and from Bethlehem, David's village?"

007:043 So there was a violent dissension among the people on His account.

007:044 Some of them wanted at once to arrest Him, but no one laid hands upon Him.

007:045 Meanwhile the officers returned to the High Priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why have you not brought him?"

007:046 "No mere man has ever spoken as this man speaks," said the officers.

007:047 "Are *you* deluded too?" replied the Pharisees;

007:048 "has any one of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?

007:049 But this rabble who understand nothing about the Law are accursed!"

007:050 Nicodemus interposed--he who had formerly gone to Jesus, being himself one of them.

007:051 "Does our Law," he asked, "judge a man without first hearing what he has to say and ascertaining what his conduct is?"

007:052 "Do you also come from Galilee?" they asked in reply. "Search and see for yourself that no Prophet is of Galilaean origin."

007:053 [So they went away to their several homes;

008:001 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

008:002 At break of day however He returned to the Temple, and there the people came to Him in crowds. He seated Himself;

008:003 and was teaching them when the Scribes and the Pharisees brought to Him a woman who had been found committing adultery. They made her stand in the centre of the court, and they put the case to Him.

008:004 "Rabbi," they said, "this woman has been found in the very act of committing adultery.

008:005 Now, in the Law, Moses has ordered us to stone such women to death. But what do you say?"

008:006 They asked this in order to put Him to the test, so that they might have some charge to bring against Him. But Jesus leant forward and began to write with His finger on the ground.

008:007 When however they persisted with their question, He raised His head and said to them, "Let the sinless man among you be the first to throw a stone at her."

008:008 Then He leant forward again, and again began to write on the ground.

008:009 They listened to Him, and then, beginning with the eldest, took their departure, one by one, till all were gone. And Jesus was left behind alone--and the woman in the centre of the court.

008:010 Then, raising His head, Jesus said to her, "Where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

008:011 "No one, Sir," she replied. "And *I* do not condemn you either," said Jesus; "go, and from this time do not sin any more."]

008:012 Once more Jesus addressed them. "I am the Light of the world," He said; "the man who follows me shall certainly not walk in the dark, but shall have the light of Life."

008:013 "You are giving testimony about yourself," said the Pharisees; "your testimony is not true."

008:014 "Even if I am giving testimony about myself," replied Jesus, "my testimony is true; for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you know neither of these two things.

008:015 You judge according to appearances: I am judging no one.

008:016 And even if I do judge, my judgement is just; for I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me.

008:017 In your own Law, too, it is written that the testimony of two men is true.

008:018 I am one giving testimony about myself, and the Father who sent me gives testimony about me."

008:019 "Where is your Father?" they asked. "You know my Father as little as you know me." He replied; "if you knew me, you would know my Father also."

008:020 These sayings He uttered in the Treasury, while teaching in the Temple; yet no one arrested Him, because His time had not yet come.

008:021 Again He said to them, "I am going away. Then you will try to find me, but you will die in your sins. Where I am going, it is impossible for you to come."

008:022 The Jews began to ask one another, "Is he going to kill himself, do you think, that he says, `Where I am going, it is impossible for you to come'?"

008:023 "You," He continued, "are from below, I am from above: you are of this present world, I am not of this present world.

008:024 That is why I told you that you will die in your sins; for, unless you believe that I am He, that is what will happen."