For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

IN THE BEGINNING  

WAS THE

WORD.

The Message of John.

It is amazing, profound, and has changed millions of lives all around the world.

The Gospel of John.

Chapter 1

 

1. In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God,

                         and the WORD was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God [as being One].

3 All things were made by him; and without him nothing was made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness did not perceive it or understand it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came to be a witness, to testify [to declare the truth] of the Light, so that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness [to tell others] of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lights up and gives life to every person that comes into the world.

10 He [the Light - the WORD] was in the world, and the world was made by him, but the world did not perceive or recognize him.

11 He came to his own people, and his own people did not receive or accept him.

12 But to anyone who received him, to them he gave the power [the authority and the right] to become the sons and daughters of God, even to those who believe on his name:

13 who were born [speaking of a spiritual birth], not of blood [not because of blood-line or natural descent], nor of the will of the flesh [not by good works or man’s efforts], nor by the will of man [not by man’s decision or choosing], but [by the will and purpose] of God.

14 And the WORD was made flesh [became a human being], and lived among us, (and we saw his glory [we saw his majesty, his goodness, his holiness, his love, the miracles and compassion he showed; and above all, we saw in him the perfect expression of God himself], such glory as could only belong to the only begotten [the One brought forth] of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

15 John carried the true report of him, and cried out, saying, This is him of who I spoke [when I said], He that comes after me existed before me: for he was before me.

16 And of his fulness [of his presence, power, goodness, and riches] we have all received, and grace for grace*.

* [We receive more and more of the undeserved goodness of God towards us because of the good works of God in us. God’s goodness works a good work in us, and then that good work qualifies us for further blessings – that is called ‘grace for grace’, or ‘grace on top of grace’.]

17 For the law [the fearful and terrifying law] was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son [the WORD], who is in the heart of the Father, he has declared [revealed and shown] him.

19 And this is the report of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites [men of learning] from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you?

20 And he openly spoke, and did not make out to be anything, but stated clearly, I am not the Christ [I am not the Anointed One, the Messiah].

21 And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you that prophet [the one we have been looking for]? And he answered, No.

22 Then they said to him, Who are you then? so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?

23 He said, I am the voice of one crying out [preaching, proclaiming] in the wilderness [the desert], Prepare the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said.

24 And those which were sent [to question him] were of the Pharisees.

25 And they asked him, and said to him, Why do you baptize then, if you are not that Christ [the Anointed One], nor Elijah, neither that prophet?

26 John answered them, and said, I baptize with water: but there is one who stands among you, who you do not know;

27 it is him, who coming after me existed before I ever came into being, whose shoe buckle I am not worthy to undo.

28 These things were done in Bethabara on the other side beyond the river Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John sees Jesus coming to him, and said, Behold [Look now!] the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. [The sacrificial Lamb who would give his life for our salvation]

30 This is him of who I said, After me comes a man who existed before me: for he was before I was ever born.

31 And I did not know him: but in order that he should be revealed to Israel, this is why I am come baptizing with water.

32 And John gave testimony, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it rested upon him.

33 And I did not know him: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said to me, On who you shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.

34 And I saw, and bare true witness that this is the Son of God.

35 Again the next day after John stood with two of his disciples;

36 and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold [Look!] the Lamb of God!

37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, What are you looking for? They said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where do you stay?

39 He said to them, Come and see. They came and saw where he stayed, and stayed with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour [late afternoon].

40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

41 He first of all finds his own brother Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ [the Anointed One].

42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus looked at him, he said, You are Simon the son of Jona: you shall be called Cephas, which means, A stone.

43 The next day Jesus wanted to go into Galilee, and found Philip, and said to him, Follow me.

44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

45 Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, We have found him, of who Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote about, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

46 And Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see.

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, Look here, an Israelite indeed, in who there is no deceit!

48 Nathanael said to him, How do you know me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.

49 Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.

50 Jesus answered and said to him, Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, you believe? You shall see greater things than these.

51 And he said to him, Truly, truly, I tell you, after this you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

 

Chapter 2

 

1 And the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2 and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they needed more wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine.

4 Jesus said to her, Woman, what have I to do with you? my time is not yet come.

5 His mother said to the servants, Whatever he says to you, just do it.

6 And there were six large water-pots standing there, made from stone, used in the practice of the purifying of the Jews, able to contain two or three firkins each [possibly up to twenty gallons each].

7 Jesus said to them, Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And he said to them, Take some of it now, and carry it to the governor of the feast. And they carried it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made into wine, and did not know from where it came: (but the servants who gave him the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 and said to him, Everyone at the beginning gives out good wine; and when men have drunk plenty, then they give that which is worse: but you have kept the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory [revealed himself to be who he truly was, and indeed is]; and his disciples believed on him.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brothers, and his disciples: and they stayed there some days.

13 And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14 and he found in the temple those that sold cattle and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there:

15 and when he had made a whip of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, along with the sheep, and the cattle; and tipped out the money changer's cash, and threw their tables over;

16 and said to them that sold doves, Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a place of business.

17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal, love, and passion of and for your house burns within me.

18 Then the Jews answered and said to him, What sign do you show to us, seeing that you do these things?

19 Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20 Then the Jews said, It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will you rebuild it in three days?

21 But he spoke of the temple of his body.

22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this to them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

24 But Jesus did not commit himself to them, because he knew [the hearts of] all men,

25 and needed no testimony [no recognition] from man: for he knew what was in man.

Chapter 3

 

1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 the same one came to Jesus at night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no one can do these miracles that you do, unless God is with him.

3 Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a person is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh [that which is born of natural birth is but flesh and blood]; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not marvel [do not be astonished] that I said to you, You must be born again.

8 The wind blows wherever it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you cannot tell from where it comes, and where it goes next: that is how it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said to him, Are you a master of Israel, and do not know these things?

11 Truly, truly, I tell you, We speak what we know, and speak of what we have seen; and you do not accept our testimony.

12 if I have told you earthly things, and you do not believe, how will you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man has ascended up to heaven, except he who came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven.

14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent [lifted the snake up on a pole] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up [crucified]:

15 so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only *begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

*[‘Begotten Son’ - not created, but his One and only unique Son proceeding from, and sent forth of himself, to save us.]

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 Whoever believes on him is not condemned: but he that does not believe is already condemned [to eternal loss, eternal hell], because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the judgment and the verdict, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because the practises and habits of their lives were evil.

20 For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, in case their practises and sinful habits are exposed and reproved.

21 But he that does truth comes to the light, so that the practises and habits of his life may be seen, that they are righteous in and through God.

22 After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judæa; and there he stayed with them, and baptized.

23 And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and people came, and were baptized.

24 For John [the Baptist] was not yet cast into prison.

25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying [the ritual of cleansing].

26 And they came to John, and said to him, Rabbi [teacher], he that was with you on the other side of Jordan, of who you bear witness [the one who you spoke of], see now, the same one baptizes, and all the people come to him.

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, unless it is given him from heaven.

28 You yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent ahead of him.

29 He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this is why my joy is complete.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 He that comes from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth: he that comes from heaven is above all.

32 And what he has seen and heard, that is what he speaks of; and nobody receives his testimony [nobody believes what he says].

33 He that has received his testimony [and believes] has signed, sealed, and settled it, that God is true.

34 For he who God has sent speaks the words of God: for God does not give the Spirit in limited measure to him.

35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

36 He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that does not believe on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God remains on him.

 

Chapter 4

1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

2 (though Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples did,)

3 he left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

4 And he had to go through Samaria.

5 Then he came to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey, sat on the well: and it was about the sixth hour [around midday].

7 A woman of Samaria came there to draw water: Jesus said to her, Give me to drink.

8 (For his disciples were gone off to the city to buy food.)

9 Then the woman of Samaria said to him, How is it that you, being a Jew, asks for a drink from me, who is a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have nothing to do with the Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked of him, and he would have given you living [life-giving] water.

11 The woman said to him, Sir, you have nothing to put water in, and the well is deep: from where then do you have that life-giving water?

12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his children, and his cattle?

13 Jesus answered and said to her, Whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again:

14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

15 The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water, so that I am not thirsty, neither have to come back here to get water from this well.

16 Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband, and come back.

17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, You spoke the truth when you said, I have no husband:

18 for you have had five husbands; and the one you are with now is not your husband: what you said is true.

19 The woman said to him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.

20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; but you say, that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

21 Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour is coming, when neither in this mountain, nor even at Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father.

22 You do not know what you worship: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the time comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks for such worshippers to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

25 The woman said to him, I know that Messiah is coming, who is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus said to her, I who speak to you am he.

27 And on this his disciples arrived back, and they were amazed that he talked with the woman: yet nobody said, What are you seeking? or, why are you talking with her?

28 The woman then left her water-pot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men,

29 Come, see a man, who told me everything that I have ever done: is not this the Christ?

30 Then they went out of the city, and came to him.

31 In the meantime his disciples urged him, saying, Master, eat something.

32 But he said to them, I have food to eat that you know nothing of.

33 Therefore the disciples said one to another, Has anyone brought him anything to eat?

34 Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish [to complete] his work.

35 Do you not say, It will be four months, and then comes harvest time? But look now, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are already ripe and ready for harvesting.

36 And he that works to bring in the harvest receives wages, and gathers fruit to eternal life: so that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together.

37 And in this is that saying true, One sows, and another reaps.

38 I sent you to reap that which you did not work for: other men worked, and you are entered into their labours.

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, who told them, He told me all that I ever did.

40 So when the Samaritans were come to him, they urged him that he would stay some time with them: and he stayed there two days.

41 And many more believed because of hearing the word from his mouth;

42 and they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of your words: for we have heard him for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

43 Now after two days he departed from there, and went into Galilee.

44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet has no honour in his own country.

45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went to the feast.

46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he turned the water into wine. And there was a certain man of high standing, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went to him, and begged him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

48 Then Jesus said to him, Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.

49 The man of high standing said to him, Sir, come down, before my child dies.

50 Jesus said to him, Go your way; your son lives. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken to him, and he went his way.

51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Your son lives.

52 Then he asked them the hour when he began to get better. And they said to him, Yesterday at the seventh hour [around one o’clock in the afternoon] the fever left him.

53 So the father knew that it was at the same time, in which Jesus said to him, Your son lives: and he himself believed, along with everyone in his house.

54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

 

Chapter 5

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew language Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these places lay a great multitude of sick folk, of blind, lame, and crippled, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whoever then was first to step in after the troubling of the water, was made completely whole of whatever disease they had.

5 And a certain man was there, who had an affliction for thirty eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lying down, and knew that he had been a long time in such a condition, he said to him, Do you wish to be made whole [to be healed]?

7 The impotent [helpless and powerless] man answered him, Sir, I have nobody, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming to the water, someone else steps down ahead of me.

8 Jesus said to him, Stand up, pick up your bedding, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole and cured, and picked up his bed, and walked: and on the same day it was the sabbath.

10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.

11 He answered them, He that healed me, the same said to me, Pick up your bed, and walk.

 12 Then they asked him, What man is this who said to you, Pick up your bed, and walk?

13 And he that was healed did not know who it was: for Jesus had taken himself away, because of the crowd being in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus finds him in the temple, and said to him, Look now, you are made whole: sin no more, in case a worse thing comes to you.

15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, who had made him whole [who had healed him].

16 And therefore the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

17 But Jesus answered them, My Father works this way, and I work.

18 Therefore the Jews sought even more to kill him, not only because he had broken the sabbath, but he also said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, Truly, truly, I tell you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but he does what he sees the Father do: for whatever things the Father does, so does the Son do.

20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all the things that he himself does: and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may marvel [you may be astonished].

21 For as the Father raises up the dead, and gives life to them; even so the Son gives life to whoever he will.

22 For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son:

23 so that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that does not honour the Son does not honour the Father which has sent him.

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not be condemned [to a lost eternity in hell]; but is passed from death unto life.

25 Truly, truly, I tell  you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

 26 For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself;

27 and has given him authority to execute judgment also [to confer on those who trust in him everlasting life, and to bring the verdict and carry out the sentence against all those who refuse him, at the great Day of the Lord], because he is the Son of man.

28 Do not marvel at this: for the hour is coming, when all who are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29 and they shall come out of their graves; those that have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation.

30 I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is right; because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who has sent me.

31 If I bear witness of myself [though infallibly true], my witness is not admitted by you as legal proof.

32 There is another who bears witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true.

33 You sent men to question John, and he gave witness to the truth. 

34 But I need no testimony from man: but I say these things, so that you might be saved.

35 John was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

36 But I have a greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do exhibit the evidence of me that the Father has sent me.

37 And the Father himself, which has sent me, has given honourable testimony of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape [what he looks like].

38 And you do not have his word living in you: for who he has sent, him you do not believe.

39 Search the scriptures; for in them you think that you have eternal life: and the scriptures are they which testify and speak of me.

40 And you will not come to me, that you might have life.

41 I do not need approval from men.

42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.

43 I am come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me: if another shall come in his own name, him you will accept.

44 How can you believe, you who receive honour from one another, but do not seek the honour that comes from God only?

45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in who you trust.

46 For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me: for he wrote about me.

47 But if you do not believe his writings, how shall you believe my words?

 

Chapter 6

1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

2 and a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

4 And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was fast approaching.

5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great crowd come to him, he said to Philip, From where can we buy bread, so that all of these may eat?

6 And he said this to test him: for he himself knew exactly what he would do.

7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not enough for them, for all of them to even take a little.

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him,

9 There is a lad here, who has five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what is that among so many?

10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was a large grass area in that place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples gave to them that were sat down; and in the same way with the fishes as much as they desired.

12 When they had all eaten and were filled, he said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is wasted.

13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and overflowing, after everyone had eaten.

14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, Of a truth this is that prophet that was spoken of who should come into the world!

15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again up to a mountain himself alone.

16 And when the evening was now come, his disciples went down to the sea,

17 and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

18 And the sea arose because of a great wind that blew.

19 So when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty furlongs [three or four miles], they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and coming near to the ship: and they were afraid.

20 But he said to them, It is I; do not be afraid.

21 Then they happily received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land they wanted to get to.

22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except the one into which his disciples had entered, and that Jesus did not go with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples went away on their own;

23 (however, there were other boats which came from Tiberias near to the place where they ate bread, after the Lord had given thanks [for the food].)

24 So, when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they also got into boats, and came to Capernaum, looking for Jesus.

25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when did you come here?

26 Jesus answered them and said, Truly, truly, I say to you, You are looking for me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled.

27 Do not spend your energy on the food which perishes, but for that food which lasts to everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give to you: for him has God the Father sealed [declared him to be the Son of God with authority and power].

28 Then they said to him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe on him who he has sent 

30 They said therefore to him, What sign do you show then, that we may see, and believe you? what miracle will you perform?

31 Our fathers did eat manna [food provided miraculously] in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

32 Then Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I tell you, Moses did not give you bread that came down from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is he which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.

34 Then they said to him, Lord, forever give us this bread.

35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst.

36 But I said to you, That you also have seen me, and do not believe.

37 All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out [I will not cast away].

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father’s will who has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again [to eternal life] at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up [resurrect him] at the last day.

41 Then the Jews murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

42 And they said, Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he says, I came down from heaven?

 43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, Do not murmur among yourselves.

44 Nobody can come to me, unless the Father which has sent me draws them: and I will raise them up at the last day.

 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every person therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes to me.

46 Not that any man has seen the Father, apart from him which is of God, he has seen the Father.

47 Truly, truly, I tell you, He that believes on me has everlasting life.

48 I am that bread of life.

49 Your fathers did eat manna [miraculously supplied food] in the wilderness, and are dead.

50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, which a man may eat of, and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eats 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.

52 The Jews therefore argued among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

53 Then Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

54 Whoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56 He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, even he shall live by me.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna [miraculously provided food], and are dead: he that eats of this bread shall live for ever.

59 These things he spoke in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can understand it?

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said to them, Does this offend you?

62 So what [so what will you say] if you shall see the Son of man ascend up to where he was before?

63 It is the spirit that quickens [that gives life; life to the hearer; that gives understanding and revelation to the words that I speak]; the flesh [the natural understanding] profits nothing: the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life.

64 But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that did not believe, and who should betray him.

65 And he said, Therefore I said to you, that no man can come to me, unless it were given to him to do so by my Father.

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked with him no more.

67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, Will you also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to who shall we go? you have the words of eternal life.

69 And we believe and are sure that you are that Christ, the Son of the living God.

70 Jesus answered them, Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for it was him that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

 

Chapter 7

1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judaea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 

2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was approaching.

3 His brothers therefore said to him, Leave this place, and go into Judaea, so that your disciples also may see the works that you do.

4 For there is no man that does anything in secret, when he himself wishes to be known publicly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.

5 For neither did his brothers believe in him.

6 Then Jesus said to them, My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready.

7 The world cannot hate you; but it hates me, because I testify of it, that its works [its doings] are evil.

8 You go up to this feast: I will not go up yet to this feast; for my time is not ready yet.

9 When he had said these words to them, he stayed in Galilee.

10 But after his brothers were gone up, then he also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

11 Then the Jews looked for him at the feast, and said, Where is he?

12 And there was much debate among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, No; but he deceives the people.

13 However, nobody spoke openly about him for fear of the Jews.

14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

15 And the Jews were amazed, saying, How does this man know the writings, having never learned?

16 Jesus answered them, and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me.

17 If any man will do his will [God’s will], he shall know of the teaching, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

18 He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory: but he that seeks the glory of him that that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keep the law? Why do you seek to kill me?

20 The people answered and said, You have a devil: who goes around seeking to kill you?

21 Jesus answered and said to them, I have done one work, and you all are amazed.

22 Moses therefore gave to you [the law of] circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the forefathers;) and you on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

23 Now, if a man on the sabbath day can receive circumcision, so that the law of Moses should not be broken; are you angry at me, because I have made a man completely whole on the sabbath day?

24 Do not judge according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

25 Then some of them of Jerusalem said, Is this not him, who they seek to kill?

26 But, look now, he speaks boldly, and they say nothing to him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the true Christ [the Messiah]?

27 However, we know this man from where he is: but when Christ comes, no man knows from where he is.

28 Then Jesus lifted up his voice loudly in the temple as he taught, saying, You both know me, and you know from where I am: and I am not come here of myself, but he that sent me is true, who you do not know.

29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he has sent me.

30 Then they tried to take him by force: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ comes, will he do more miracles than these which this man has done?

32 The Pharisees heard that the people discussed such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to arrest him.

33 Then Jesus said to them, For a little while I am with you, and then I go to him that sent me.

34 You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, there you cannot come.

35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Where will he go, that we cannot find him? will he go to the dispersed [those of Israel that were scattered] among the Gentiles [among the nations outside of Israel], and teach the Gentiles?

36 What is this thing that he says, You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, there you cannot come?

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out loud, saying, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and drink.

38 He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly [from deep within him] shall flow out of him rivers of living water [rivers of life-giving water].

39 (But this he spoke of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified [not yet risen from the dead in majesty and power, victorious over sin, and death, and the devil].)

40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is indeed that prophet.

41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come from Galilee?

42 Does not the scripture say, That Christ comes from the seed [the descendants] of David [the king of old], and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was from?

43 So there was a division among the people because of him.

44 And some of them would have seized him [arrested him]; but no man laid hands on him.

45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, Why have you not brought him?

46 The officers answered, No man ever spoke like this man.

47 Then the Pharisees answered them, Are you also deceived?

48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?

49 But this people who do not know the law are cursed.

50 Nicodemus said to them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)

51 Does our law judge any man, before it hears what he has to say, and knows what he does?

52 They answered and said to him, Are you also from Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee arises no prophet.

53 And everyone went to their own house.

Chapter 8

1 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him; and he sat down, and taught them.

3 And the scribes [the educated writers] and Pharisees [the religious leaders] brought to him a woman caught in the act of adultery; and when they had set her in the middle of the room,

4 they say to him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such a person should be stoned: but what do you say?

6 They said this, testing him, that they might have a reason to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he did not hear them.

7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone at her.

8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the oldest, even to the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the middle of the room.

10 When Jesus had lifted himself up, and saw no one but the woman, he said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? has no man condemned you?

11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more.

12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

13 The Pharisees therefore said to him, You testify of yourself; your testimony is not true.

14 Jesus answered and said to them, Even if I bear testimony of myself, my own testimony is true: for I know from where I came, and where I go; but you cannot tell from where I come, and where I shall go.

15 You judge according to the flesh [from human, imperfect reasoning]; I judge no man.

16 And yet if I do judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

18 I am one that bears witness of myself, and the Father that sent me bears witness of me.

19 Then they said to him, Where is your Father? Jesus answered, You neither know me, nor my Father: if you had known me, you should have known my Father also.

20 Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

21 Then said Jesus again to them, I go my way, and you shall seek me, and you shall die in your sins: where I go, you cannot come.

22 Then the Jews said, Will he kill himself? because he said, Where I go, you cannot come.

23 And he said to them, You are from beneath; I am from above: you are of this world; I am not of this world.

24 I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you do not believe that I am he, you shall die in your sins.

25 Then they said to him, Who are you? And Jesus said to them, Even the same that I told you from the beginning.

26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard from him.

27 They did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father.

28 Then Jesus said to them, When you have lifted up the Son of man [when you have lifted him up on a cross], then you shall know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, so I speak these things.

29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone; for I always do those things that please him.

30 As he spoke these words, many believed on him.

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed;

32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

33 They answered him, We are Abraham’s offspring, and were never in bondage to any man: how can you say, You shall be made free?

34 Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I tell you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin.

35 And the servant does not stay in the house for ever: but the Son stays for ever.

36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; but you seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you.

38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father.

39 They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.

40 But now you seek to kill me, a man that has told you the truth, which I have heard of God: Abraham did not do this.

41 You do the doings of your father. Then they said to him, We are not born from fornication; we have one Father, even God.

42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither did I come of myself, but he sent me.

43 Why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear [you cannot perceive] my word.

44 You are of your father the devil, and the wicked desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide [live or remain] in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth, you do not believe.

46 Which one of you can convince [lay a charge against] me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me?

47 He that is of God hears God’s words: you therefore do not hear them, because you are not of God.

48 Then the Jews answered, and said to him, Do we not rightly say that you are a Samaritan [a most insulting, and hateful name for a Jew to be called], and have a devil?

49 Jesus answered, I do not have a devil; but I honour my Father, and you do dishonour me.

50 And I do not seek my own praise: there is one that seeks and judges.

51 Truly, truly, I say to you, If a person keeps my saying, they shall never see death.

52 Then the Jews said to him, Now we know that you have a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and you say, If a man keeps my saying, he shall never taste of death.

53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead: who do you make yourself out to be?

54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honours me; of who you say, that he is your God:

55 yet you have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I do not know him, I shall be a liar just like you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

57 Then the Jews said to him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?

58 Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Before Abraham was, I am.

59 Then they picked up stones to cast at him: but Jesus concealed himself, and went out of the temple [silently and unobserved], going right through the middle of them, and so passed by.

  

Chapter 9

1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind since birth.

2And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

3 Jesus answered, Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground, and made clay [mud] with the spit, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7 and said to him, Go, and wash in the pool of Siloam, (which means by translation, ‘Sent’.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came back seeing.

8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen that he was blind, said, Is not this that man who sat and begged?

9 Some said, This is him: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am him.

10 Therefore they said to him, How were your eyes opened?

11 He answered and said, A man who is called Jesus made clay, and applied it to my eyes, and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received my sight.

12 Then they said to him, Where is he? He said, I do not know.

13 They brought him that was born blind, to the Pharisees [the sect of religious leaders in the synagogues].

14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened the man’s eyes.

15 Then the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said to them, He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.

16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, This man is not of God, because he does not respect the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

17 They say to the blind man again, What do you have to say about him, who opened your eyes? He replied, He is a prophet.

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.

19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then can he now see?

20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:

21 but by what means he can now see, we do not know; or who has opened his eyes, we do not know: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

22 The parents said this because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man stated that Jesus was the Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

23 That is why his parents said, He is of age; ask him.

24 Then they called the man again that was blind, and said to him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

25 He answered and said, Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know: One thing I do know, that, I was blind, but now I see.

 26 Then they said to him again, What did he do to you? how did he open your eyes?

27 He answered them, I have already told you, and you did not hear: why do you want to hear again? will you also be his disciples?

28 Then they reviled [belittled and mocked] him, and said, You are his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.

29 We know that God spoke to Moses: but as for this fellow, we do know not from where he is.

30 The man answered and said to them, Why, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know from where he is, and yet he has opened mine eyes.

31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners: but if any man is a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he hears.

32 Since the world began it was never heard that any man opened the eyes of one who was born blind.

33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

34 They answered and said to him, You were altogether born in sins, and do you try to teach us? And they cast him out [excommunicated him].

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said to him, Do you believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said to him, You have both seen him, and it is he that talks with you right now.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that those who do not see might see; and those who see might be made blind. 

40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said to him, Are we also blind?

41 Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remains.

 

Chapter 10

1 Truly, truly, I say to you, He that does not enter by the door into the sheepfold [sheep pen], but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the door-keeper opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.

4 And when he leads out his own sheep, he goes in front of them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And they will not follow a stranger, but will run from him: for they do not know the voice of strangers.

6 Jesus told this parable to them: but they did not understand the things which he spoke to them.

7 Then Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came in front of me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not listen to them.

 9 I am the door: if anyone enters in by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture [green pasture and hay in the barn: sufficiency and all that he needs].

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly [beyond measure] 

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is a hired hand, and not the shepherd, who the sheep do not belong to, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and runs away: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep.

13 The hired hand runs away, because he is a casual labourer, and does not care for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known by those that are mine.

15 As the Father knows me, even so I know the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this flock: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one flock, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore my Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it [raise it up] again.

18 No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power [I have the right] to lay it down, and I have power [I have the right] to take it [raise it up] again [from the dead]. This commandment I have received of my Father.

19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

20 And many of them said, He has a devil, and is mad; why do you listen to him?

21 Others said, These are not the words of him that has a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

22 And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of the Dedication, and it was winter.

23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

24 Then the Jews came and surrounded him, and said to him, How long will you make us to doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and you did not believe: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me [they evidence who I am].

26 But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I said to you.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 and I give to them eternal life; and they shall never perish; neither shall any man snatch them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them to me, is greater than all; and no man is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father are one.

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do you stone me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we do not stone you; but for blasphemy; and because that you, being a man, make yourself God.

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, You are gods?

35 If he called them gods, to who the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 will you say of him, who the Father has sanctified [dedicated, set apart] and sent into the world, You blaspheme; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37 If I do not do the works of my Father, then do not believe me.

38 But if I do, though you do not believe me, believe the works I do: so that you may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

39 Therefore they tried again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

40 and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he stayed.

41 And many came to him, and said, John did no miracle: but everything that John spoke about this man was true.

42 And many believed on him there.

 

Chapter 11

1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3 Therefore his sisters sent a message to him [to Jesus], saying, Lord, see now, he who you love is sick.

4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not to death, but for the glory [the praise and honour] of God, so that the Son of God might be glorified [exalted in majesty, power, and splendour] by it.

5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he still stayed two days in the same place where he was.

7 Then after that he said to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

8 His disciples said to him, Master, the Jews there just recently wanted to stone you; and you want to go back there again?

9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 

10 But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles because there is no light in him.

11 These things he said: and afterwards he said to them, Our friend Lazarus sleeps; but I go, so that I may wake him out of sleep.

12 Then his disciples said, Lord, if he is sleeping, he will be well.

13 However, Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking a rest in sleep.

14 Then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to this end that you may believe; nevertheless let us go to him.

16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

17 Then when Jesus came, he found that Lazurus had been in the tomb four days already. [‘tomb’- a place of burial above ground such as a cut-out in the rock.]

18 Now Bethany was near to Jerusalem, about two miles away:

19 and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went out and met him: but Mary stayed sitting in the house.

21 Then Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

22 But I know, that even now, whatever you will ask of God, God will give it you.

23 Jesus said to her, Your brother shall rise again.

24 Martha said to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?

27 She said to him, Yes, Lord: I believe that you are the Christ [the Messiah], the Son of God, which should come into the world.

28 And when she had said this, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and is calling for you.

29 As soon as she heard that, she got up quickly, and came to him.

30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, She goes to the grave to weep there.

32 Then when Mary was come to where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

34 and said, Where have you laid him? They said to him, Lord, come and see.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then the Jews said, Look now, how he loved him!

37 And some of them said, Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself comes to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39 Jesus said, Take away the stone.

Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said to him, Lord, by this time he stinks: for he has been dead four days.

40 Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you, that, if you would believe, you should see the glory [the revealing of the glory, the power, and the majesty] of God?

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me.

42 And I know that you always hear me: but because of the people which stand by I said it, so that they may believe that you have sent me.

43 And when he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out.

44 And he that was dead came out, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a cloth napkin. Jesus said to them, Loose him, and let him go [set him free].

45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together for a debate [a hearing], and said, What shall we do? for this man does many miracles.

48 If we just leave him alone, everyone will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said to them, You know nothing at all,

50 neither do you consider that it is better for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.

51 And this he spoke not from his own understanding: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

52 and not for that nation only, but that he should also gather together in one the children of God that were scattered everywhere [throughout the nations].

53 Then from that day onward they took counsel together to put Jesus to death.

54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went from there to an area near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

55 And the Jews’ Passover was approaching: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to [ceremonially] purify themselves.

56 Then they searched for Jesus, and spoke among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What do you think? will he not come to the feast?

57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given an official order, that, if any man knew where he was, he should show it, that they might seize him.

 

Chapter 12

1 Then six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, who he raised from the dead.

2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

3 Then Mary took a pound in weight of ointment of spikenard [‘nard’, an aromatic plant probably from India], very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

4 Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, said,

5 Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6 He said this, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the purse and carried what was put in it.

7 Then Jesus said, Leave her alone: toward the day of my burying she has kept this.

8 For the poor you will always have with you; but me you will not always have.

9 Many people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not only because Jesus was there, but so that they might see Lazarus as well, who had been raised from the dead.

10 But the chief priests discussed putting Lazarus also to death;

11 because by the evidence of him now being alive many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus.

12 On the next day many people who had come to the feast, after hearing that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13 took branches of palm trees, and went out to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord.

14 And Jesus, when he had found a young donkey, he sat on it; as it is written,

15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: see now, your King comes, sitting on the foal of a donkey.

16 These things his disciples did not understand at first: but later, when Jesus was glorified [when his glory, power, and victory were revealed at his resurrection], then they remembered these things were written about him, and that they had done these things to him.

17 The people therefore that were with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, gave testimony [gave witness of what they had seen].

18 For this reason the people also met him, because they had heard that he had done this miracle.

19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Do you not see how you have achieved nothing at all [in trying to stop him]? Look now, the whole world is gone after him.

20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

21 these came therefore to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we would like to see Jesus.

22 Philip comes and tells Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour has arrived, that the Son of man should be glorified [when his glory, his power, his majesty, and his victory over death and the grave, and the devil, would be seen].

24 Truly, truly, I tell you, Unless a corn [a grain] of wheat falls into the ground and die, it stays alone: but if it dies, it will bring forth much fruit.

25 He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.

26 If any man would serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, My Father will honour him.

27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause [this purpose] I came to this hour.

28 Father, glorify your name [let it be exalted, worshipped, praised, and lifted over all creation in awesome majesty!]. Then there came a voice from heaven, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spoke to him.

30 Jesus answered and said, This voice did not come because of me, but for your sakes.

31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world [the devil] be cast out.

32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men [all people] to me.

33 This he said, signifying what death he should die [that of being lifted up onto a cross and crucified].

34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ lives for ever: so how can you say, The Son of man must be lifted up [crucified]? who is this Son of man?

35 Then Jesus said to them, Just a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have the light, in case darkness comes upon you: for he that walks in darkness does not know where he is going.

36 While you have light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light. These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and hid himself from them.

37 But even though he had done so many miracles in front of them, yet they did not believe on him:

38 that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, where he said, Lord, who has believed our report? and to who has the arm [the strength and power] of the Lord been revealed, [been openly seen]?

39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again,

40 He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; so that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

41 These things Isaiah said, when he saw the glory of Christ, and spoke of him.

42 However, among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him [they would not confess that they did believe on him], in case they should be put out of the synagogue:

43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

44 Jesus cried out and said, He that believes on me, believes not on me, but on him that sent me.

45 And he that sees me sees him that sent me.

46 I am come a light into the world, so that whoever believes on me should not remain in darkness.

47 And if any man hears my words, and believes not, I do not judge him: for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

48 He that rejects me, and does not receive my words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same word shall judge him in the last day.

49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatever I speak therefore, even as the Father said to me, so I speak.

 

Chapter 13

1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

4 he rises up from supper, and puts aside his coat; and took a towel to himself as a servant would.

5 After that he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel which he had taken.

6 Then he comes to Simon Peter: and Peter [astonished] said to him, Lord, are you going to wash my feet?

7 Jesus answered and said to him, What I do you do not understand now; but you shall understand later.

8 Peter said to him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.

9 Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10 Jesus said to him, He that is washed does not need more than to wash his feet, but is clean every bit: and you are clean, but not all of you.

11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore he said, You are not all clean.

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you?

13 You call me Master and Lord: and you say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 

16 Truly, truly, I say to you, The servant is not greater than his master; neither is he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17 If you know these things, happy are you if you do them.

18 I do not speak of you all: I know who I have chosen: but so that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.

19 I tell you now before it happens, so that when it is come to pass, you may believe that I am he.

20 Truly, truly, I tell you, He that receives whoever I send receives me; and he that receives me receives him that sent me.

21 When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and made a statement, and said, Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you shall betray me.

22 Then the disciples looked at each other, wondering of who he spoke.

23 Now there was leaning on Jesus one of his disciples, who Jesus loved.

24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it was he was referring to.

25 He then, the closest to Jesus, said to him, Lord, who is it?

26 Jesus answered, It is him to who I shall give a crust, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the crust, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27 And after receiving the crust, Satan entered into Judas. Then Jesus said to him, What you have to do, do quickly.

28 Now nobody at the table knew for what reason he spoke this to him.

29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the purse, Jesus had said to him, Buy the things that we have need of before the feast; or, that he should go and give something to the poor.

30 He then having received the crust went out immediately: and it was night.

31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified [exalted in majesty, power, and authority], and God is glorified [exalted in majesty, power, and authority] in him.

32 If God be glorified [be exalted in majesty, power, and authority] in him [in Jesus], God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall instantaneously glorify him [Jesus] [exalt him in majesty, power, and authority: for they are One].

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek me: and as I said to the Jews, Where I go, you cannot come; so now I say the same to you.

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.

36 Simon Peter said to him, Lord, Where are you going? Jesus answered him, Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow me afterwards.

37 Peter said to him, Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake.

38 Jesus answered him, Will you lay down your life for my sake? Truly, truly, I tell you, You will have denied me three times before the cockerel crows [in the morning].

 

Chapter 14

1 Do not let your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself; so that where I am, there you may be also.

4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.

5 Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, except by me.

7 If you had known me, you should have known my Father also: and from now on you know him, and have seen him.

8 Philip said to him, Lord, show us the Father, and it will satisfy us.

9 Jesus said to him, Have I been such a long time with you, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen the Father; so why do you now say, Show us the Father?

10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he does the works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake [the evidence of the miracles you have seen].

12 Truly, truly, I tell you, He that believes on me, the works that I do he shall do as well; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father.

13 And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified [exalted in majesty, power, and splendour] in the Son.

14 If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

15 If you love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter [Helper], that he may dwell with you for ever;

17 even the Spirit of truth; who the world cannot receive, because it does not see him, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

19 It is but a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me: because I live, you shall live also.

20 At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

21 He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will show myself [reveal, make known myself] to him.

22 Judas said to him, (not Judas Iscariot), Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?

23 Jesus answered and said to him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our dwelling place with him.

24 He that does not love me does not keep my sayings: and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

25 I have spoken these things to you, still being present with you.

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, who the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28 You have heard how I said to you, I go away, and will come again to you. If you loved me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go to the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

29 And now I have told you before it comes to pass, so that, when it is come to pass, you might believe.

30 After this I will not talk much with you: because the prince of this world comes [the devil comes for a final conflict where his dominion and power will be destroyed], and he has nothing in me [no accusation, no fault or sin whatsoever that he can point at].

31 But so that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me this commandment [to give my life as a sacrifice to atone for sin and bring glory and praise to my Father], this is why I am doing what I am doing.

Get up, let us go from here.

 

Chapter 15

 

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine keeper.

2 Every branch in me that bears no fruit he removes: and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it [cuts it right back], so that it may produce even more fruit.

3 Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you.

4 Remain and dwell in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it stays within the vine; neither can you, unless you remain and dwell in me.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides [remains and dwells] in me, and I in him, the same will produce much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.

6 If a man does not remain and dwell in me, he is cast away as a branch, and is withered [dried up]; and men gather them up, and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If you remain and dwell in me, and my words remain and dwell in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you.

8 In this is my Father glorified [exalted in majesty, power, and praise], that you do bear much fruit; and so by this shall you be my disciples.

9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: continue in my love.

10 If you keep my commandments, you shall abide [remain and dwell] in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide [remain and dwell] in his love.

11 These things I have spoken to you, so that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full [full to the top and overflowing].

12 This is my commandment, That you love one another, in the same way as I have loved you.

13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.

15 From now on I do not call you servants; for the servant does not know what his lord [his master] does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known to you.

16 You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and appointed you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain [endure, continue]: so that whatever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

18 If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, that is why the world hates you.

20 Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater than his lord [his master]. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will also keep yours.

21 But all these things will they do to you for my name’s sake [because you have and hold dearly my name], because they do not know him that sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin [at such a level]: but now they have no excuse for their sin.

23 He that hates me hates my Father also.

24 If I had not done among them the works which no other man did, they would not have had sin [at such a level]: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

25 But this comes to pass, so that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

26 But when the Comforter is come, who I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall speak of me:

27 and you also shall bear testimony [be witnesses of the truth], because you have been with me from the beginning.

Chapter 16

1 I have spoken these things to you, so that you should not be offended.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues [the religious meeting places]:

Yes indeed, the time is coming, that whoever kills you will think that he is doing God a service.

3 And these things will they do to you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

4 But these things I have told you, so that when the time comes, you will remember that I told you of them. And I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you.

5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you ask me, Where are you going?

6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts.

7 However, I tell you the truth; It is good for you that I go away: for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send him to you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:*

9 of sin, because they do not believe on me;

10 of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you see me no more;

11 of judgment, because the prince of this world [the devil] is judged.

*[Note: The Comforter is the Holy Spirit. He is a reprover, the one who convinces and convicts man of his sin, exposing its awful wickedness to the conscience and heart. He does it in the light of a coming judgment day: he does it in order to bring them to the hope of mercy and salvation.

He convinces the world of righteousness by the victory of Jesus at the cross and his ascending into the holy place in heaven above; showing that God alone is holy, and that without holiness no one shall see God.

And yet, by his work in reproving and convincing, he shows that holiness only comes from God, and is a gift to all those who believe in Jesus and who are willing to turn from their sin.

He reveals the judgment of the devil and the certainty of his eternal doom and damnation, along with all those who choose to disbelieve what God has decreed. And so he reproves the world for its wretched sin of unbelief, yet offers the certainty and comfort of eternal life to anyone who accepts the truth and receives Christ.]

 

12 I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot take them now.

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that is what he shall speak: and he will show you things to come.

14 He shall glorify [speak of, and honour and exalt] me: for he shall receive of what is mine, and shall show it to you.

15 All things that the Father has are mine: that's why I said, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it to you.

16 A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me, because I go to the Father.

17 Then some of his disciples talked among themselves, What is this that he said to us, A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

18 They said therefore, What is this that he says, A little while? We cannot tell what he means.

19 Now Jesus knew that they were wishing to ask him, and said to them, Do you ask each other about what I said, A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me?

20 Truly, truly, I tell you, that you shall weep and be grieving, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

21 A woman when she is in labour has sorrow, because her time is come: but as soon as the baby is delivered, she does not remember the pain, for the joy that a baby is born into the world.

22 And you now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy nobody can take from you.

23 And in that day you shall not ask me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, Whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

24 Up until now you have not asked anything in my name: ask, and you shall receive, so that your joy may be full.

25 These things I have spoken to you in proverbs [in a figurative way]: but the time is coming, when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father.

26 At that day you shall ask in my name: and I do not say that I will pray the Father for you:

27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29 His disciples said to him, See now, you speak plainly, and not as a proverb.

30 Now we are sure that you know all things [even those things that we think or whisper], and do not need that any man should ask you [anything]: by this we believe that you came forth from God.

31 Jesus answered them, Do you now believe?

32 Look now, the hour is coming, yes indeed, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own [his own home, his own thoughts], and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

33 I have told to you these things, so that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

Chapter 17

1 Jesus spoke these words, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is now here; glorify your Son, [exalt him in majesty, power, victory, and splendour], so that your Son also may glorify you:

2 for you have given him power over all people [all mankind], that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him.

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, who you have sent.

4 I have glorified you [exalted you in majesty, power, grace, and mercy] on the earth: I have finished the work which you gave me to do.

5 And now, O Father, glorify me [in majesty, power, victory, and splendour] with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.

6 I have shown and revealed your name to the men which you gave to me out of the world: they were yours, and you gave them me; and they have kept your word.

7 Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are of you.

8 For I have given to them the words which you gave me; and they have received them, and have known for sure that I came forth from you, and they have believed that you did send me.

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which you have given me; for they are yours.

10 And all mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I am glorified [exalted in majesty, power, grace, and splendour] in them.

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you.

Holy Father, keep through your own name those who you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name: those that you gave me I have kept, and none of them is lost, except the son of perdition [‘destruction’ – Judas Iscariot]; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now I come to you; and these things I speak in the world, so that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

14 I have given them your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15 I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them [dedicate, and consecrate, and devote them to your will and service], through your truth: your word is truth.

18 As you have sent me into the world, so have I also sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself [I devoted myself utterly for their salvation], in order that they also might be sanctified [truly consecrated, devoted and set apart to you] through the truth.

20 Neither do I pray for these only, but also for all them which shall believe on me through their word; 

21 that they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

22 And the glory which you gave me I have given them [the glory and honour of doing your mighty works, of being ambassadors to the world, of preaching the gospel to every creature; of being light in the darkness]; so that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and you in me, that they may be made complete in one; and that they may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, the same as you have loved me.

24 Father, I will that those also who you have given me, be with me where I am; that they may truly see my glory, which you have given me: for you loved me before the foundation of the world.

25 O righteous Father, the world has not known you: but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me.

26 And I have made your name known to them, and will make it known: so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

 

Chapter 18

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he then went with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where there was a garden, into which he entered, and his disciples.

2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew of the place: for Jesus often went there with his disciples.

3 Judas then, having received a company of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, comes there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

4 Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that should come upon him, went forward, and said to them, Who are you looking for?

5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. 

Jesus said to them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

6 As soon then as he had said to them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

7 Then Jesus asked them again, Who are you looking for? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if it is me you seek, let these others go their way:

9 so that the saying might be fulfilled, which he spoke, Of them which you gave me I have lost none.

10 Then Simon Peter having a sword, drew it, and attacked the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 

11 Then Jesus said to Peter, Put your sword into the sheath: shall I not drink the cup which my Father has given me?

12 Then the men and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,

13 and led him away first to Annas; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was the high priest that same year.

14 Now Caiaphas was the one who gave counsel to the Jews that it was good that one man should die for the people.

15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known to the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.

16 But Peter stood outside at the door.

Then that other disciple went out, who was known to the high priest, and spoke to her that was in charge of the door, and brought in Peter.

17 Then the young woman who was on door duty said to Peter, Are you not also one of this man’s disciples? He said, I am not.

18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a coal fire; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.

19 The high priest then asked Jesus about his disciples, and of his teaching.

20 Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world; I was always teaching in the synagogue, and in the temple, where the Jews always gather; and I have said nothing secretly.

21 Why ask me? ask those who heard me, what I have said to them: see now, they know what I said.

22 And when he had said this, one of the officers who was stood there, struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Is this how you answer the high priest?

23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, show proof of the evil: but if I have spoken well, why do you strike me?

24 Now Annas had sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said to him, Are you not also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.

26 One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, Did I not see you in the garden with him?

27 Peter then denied it again: and immediately the cockerel crowed.

28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves did not go into the judgment hall, in case they should be ceremonially defiled. This was so that they might eat the Passover feast.

29 Pilate then went out to them [the crowd of accusers], and said, What accusation do you bring against this man?

30 They answered and said to him, If he were not a criminal, we would not have delivered him up to you.

31 Then Pilate said to them, You take him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:

32 that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying by what means he should die [the Roman crucifixion].

33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said to him, Are you the King of the Jews?

34 Jesus answered him, Do you say this thing of yourself, or did others say it to you about me?

35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you to me: what have you done?

36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, so that I would not be delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from here.

37 Pilate therefore said to him, Are you a king then? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this reason I came into the world, that I should bear testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice.

38 Pilate said to him, What is truth?

And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, I find no fault in him at all.

39 But you have a custom, that I should release to you one prisoner at the Passover: will you therefore wish that I release to you the King of the Jews?

40 Then they all cried out again and again, saying, Not this man, but release Barabbas instead. Now Barabbas was a robber [a thief and a murderer].

 

Chapter 19

1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him [whipped and beat him with a multi-thonged whip – the ‘flagrum’, used for the most cruel and painful punishment].

2 And the soldiers platted together a crown of thorns, and pushed it down on his head, and they put a purple robe on him,

3 and [mockingly] said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote [struck] him with their hands.

4 Pilate therefore went out again, and said to them, Look here, I bring him out to you, so that you may know that I find no fault in him.

5 Then Jesus came forward, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, Behold the man!

6 When the chief priests therefore and the officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate said to them, You take him, and you crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

8 And because of that, when Pilate heard that saying, he was even more afraid;

9 and went again into the judgment hall, and said to Jesus, From where did you come? But Jesus gave him no answer.

10 Then Pilate said to him, Will you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to crucify you, and have power to release you?

11 Jesus answered, You could have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above: therefore he that delivered me to you has the greater sin.

12 And from that moment on, Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If you let this man go, you are not Caesar’s friend: whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.

13 Because of that, when Pilate heard that being spoken, he brought Jesus out, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

14 And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour [around midday]: and he said to the Jews, Behold your King!

15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him!

Pilate said to them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered and said, We have no king but Caesar.

16 Then he delivered him therefore to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

17 And he bearing his cross went out into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Golgotha:

18 where they crucified him, along with two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle.

19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

20 This title then was read by many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was near to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

21 Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Do not write, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

22 Pilate answered and said, What I have written I have written.

23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and divided them into four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without a seam, woven from the top to the bottom.

24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide who gets it: so that the scripture might be fulfilled, which said, They distributed my clothes among them, and for my coat they cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. [Psalm 22:18]

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he said to his mother, Woman, look, here is your son!

27 Then he said to that disciple, Look, here is your mother! And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst.

29 Now there was a vessel set up full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it on hyssop [the stalk of a hyssop plant], and put it to his mouth.

30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished [It is done; It is complete; it is paid]: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation [of the Passover], and the bodies should not remain on the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was a high day,) asked Pilate that their legs might be broken [to hasten their death], and that the bodies might be taken away.

32 Then the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other man who was crucified with him.

33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs:

34 but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water [clearly and medically evidencing his death].

35 And he that saw it witnessed it, and his witness is true: and he knows that what he says is true, so that you might believe.

36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, Not a bone of him shall be broken. [Psalm 34:20]

37 And again another scripture says, They shall look on him who they pierced. [Zechariah 12:10]

38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, begged Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him permission. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

39 And Nicodemus also came, who at the beginning came to Jesus by night, and he brought a mixture of myrrh [a very expensive perfume] and aloes [an aromatic tree bark probably from India], about a hundred pound in weight.

40 Then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is when burying.

41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre [a small room, a tomb cut in the rock or built of stone, in which a dead person is laid], in which nobody had ever been buried.

42 There they laid Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; because the sepulchre was close by.

 

Chapter 20

1 On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene comes very early, when it was still dark, to the sepulchre, and sees that the stone is taken away from the sepulchre.

2 Then she runs, and comes to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, who Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we do not know where they have put him.

3 Peter therefore went straight out, along with that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

4 So they both ran together: and the other disciple outran Peter, and he was first to the sepulchre.

5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying there; but he did not go in.

6 Then comes Simon Peter following him, and went straight into the sepulchre, and sees the linen clothes lying there,

7 and the cloth napkin, that was around his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

8 Then the other disciple who came first to the sepulchre, went in also, and he saw, and believed.

9 For as yet they did not know the scripture, that Jesus must rise again from the dead.

10 Then the disciples went away again to their own home.

11 But Mary stood outside at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

12 and saw two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been.

13 And they say to her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.

14 And when she had said this, she turned around, and saw Jesus standing there, but did not know that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus said to her, Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for? She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, Sir, if you have taken him somewhere, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him away.

16 Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned herself, and said to him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

17 Jesus said to her, Do not touch me [do not cling on to me]; for I am not yet ascended up to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things to her.

19 Then the same day in the evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut [shut fast] where the disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them [the doors being locked], and said to them, Peace be to you.

20 And when he had said this, he showed to them his hands and his side [his wounds]. Then the disciples were happy, when they saw the Lord.

21 Then Jesus said to them again, Peace be to you: as my Father has sent me, even so, in the same way, I send you.

 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, Receive you the Holy Ghost:

23 those whose sins you remit [you forgive], they are remitted [forgiven] to them; and those whose sins you retain [hold], they are retained [held] against them.*[See note]

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, Unless I shall see the print of the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days his disciples were in the same place again, and this time Thomas was with them: then Jesus came, the doors being fast-shut, and stood in the middle, and said, Peace be to you.

27 Then he said to Thomas, reach out your finger, and look at my hands; and stretch out your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said to him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus show in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

31 but these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that in believing you might have life through his name.

 

* Note: [It is not that the apostles could forgive sin by their own merit or choosing (only God can forgive sin), but through the authority given to the apostles (and indeed anyone called to preach), that by their preaching in the power of the Holy Ghost they bring life to some hearers, and death to others. This is the nature of preaching. The apostles and preachers of the gospel are ambassadors for Christ, delivering the authority of God’s word of forgiveness and also of condemnation and judgment].

 

 Chapter 21

1 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and in this way did he show himself.

2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples were all together.

3 Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, We will come with you. They went out, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

5 Then Jesus called to them, Children, have you any fish? They answered him, No.

6 And he said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find. So they did so, and now they were not able to pull it into the ship because of the huge number of fishes.

7 Therefore that disciple who Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his fisher’s coat to him, (for he was naked,) and jumped into the sea.

8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but perhaps about two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with the fishes.

9 As soon as they were come to land, they saw a coal fire burning there, and fish already laid out and cooking on it, and also bread.

10 Jesus said to them, Bring of the fish which you have now caught.

11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty-three of them: and even though there were so many, yet the net was not broken.

12 Jesus said to them, Come and dine [come for breakfast]. And none of the disciples dared to ask him, Who are you? knowing that it was the Lord.

13 Jesus then comes, and takes the bread, and gives to them; and the fish likewise.

14 This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

15 So when they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these [more than these others love me, more than you love your friends here, more than your fishing and your boat]? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my lambs.

16 He said to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, Do you love me? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my sheep.

 17 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, Do you love me? Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, Do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep.

18 Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were young, you dressed yourself, and walked wherever you chose: but when you shall be old, you shalt stretch out your hands, and another shall dress you, and carry you where you do not want to go.

19 This he said, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, Follow me.

20 Then Peter, turning around, sees the disciple who Jesus loved following; which also leaned on Jesus at supper, and asked, Lord, who is it that will betray you?

21 Peter looked at him and said to Jesus, Lord, and what about this man?

22 Jesus said to him, If I want him to live until I come back, what is that to you? You follow me.

23 Then there went a rumour among the brethren, that that other disciple should not die: but Jesus did not say to him that he would not die; but said, If I will that he lives till I come back, what is that to you?

24 This is the same disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things here: and we know that his testimony is true.

25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if all of them should be written, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. 

 

Amen.

 

This is not another translation, but just an easier English of the only version available today that came through blood and fire, and the dreadful sacrifices of the martyrs, including William Tyndale who was murdered on the orders of the Pope for translating it into English: the unequalled King James Version of John’s Gospel in easier-English.

With deep gratitude and praise for those men who long ago gave us a translation that is unequalled, and has been preserved for generations.

The words in straight brackets [ ] are alternative renderings, and those in italics are to offer explanation and notes where thought helpful. 

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