John's Story (24 page)
Authors: Tim Lahaye,Jerry B. Jenkins
30
Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
31
And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this
Man
has done?”
Jesus and the Religious Leaders
32
The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.
33
Then Jesus said to them,
a
“I shall be with you a little while longer, and
then
I go to Him who sent Me.
34
You will seek Me and not find
Me,
and where I am you cannot come.”
35
Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?
36
What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
37
On the last day, that great
day
of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
38
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
39
But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing
a
in Him would receive; for the Holy
b
Spirit was not yet
given,
because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Who Is He?
40
Therefore many
a
from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.”
41
Others said, “This is the Christ.”
But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee?
42
Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”
43
So there was a division among the people because of Him.
44
Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
Rejected by the Authorities
45
Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who 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 the Pharisees believed in Him?
49
But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”
50
Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night,
a
being one of them) said to them,
51
“Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
52
They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen
a
out of Galilee.”
An Adulteress Faces the Light of the World
53
And everyone went to his
own
house.
a
8
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2
Now early
a
in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
3
Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
4
they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught
a
in adultery, in the very act.
5
Now Moses, in the law, commanded
a
us that such should be stoned.
b
But what do You say?”
c
6
This they said, testing Him, that they might have
something
of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with
His
finger, as though He did not hear.
a
7
So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up
a
and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
8
And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9
Then those who heard
it,
being convicted by
their
conscience,
a
went out one by one, beginning with the oldest
even
to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10
When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her,
a
“Woman, where are those accusers of yours?
b
Has no one condemned you?”
11
She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and
a
sin no more.”
12
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Jesus Defends His Self-Witness
13
The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”
14
Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.
15
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
16
And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I
am
with the Father who sent Me.
17
It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.
18
I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”
19
Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
20
These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.
Jesus Predicts His Departure
21
Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”
22
So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘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
Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am
He,
you will die in your sins.”
25
Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”
And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.
26
I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
27
They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
28
Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am
He,
and
that
I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
29
And He who 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 in Him.
The Truth Shall Make You Free
31
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, 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 descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How
can
You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
35
And a slave does not abide in the house forever,
but
a son abides forever.
36
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s
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 what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with
a
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 who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
41
You do the deeds of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”
42
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
43
Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
44
You are of
your
father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own
resources,
for he is a liar and the father of it.
45
But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
46
Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?
47
He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
Before Abraham Was, I AM
48
Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
49
Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
50
And I do not seek My
own
glory; there is One who seeks and judges.
51
Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
52
Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste 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 honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your
a
God.
55
Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.
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, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
59
Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple,
a
going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
A Man Born Blind Receives Sight
9
Now as
Jesus
passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
2
And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3
Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
4
I
a
must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day;
the
night is coming when no one can work.
5
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6
When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
7
And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
8
Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind
a
said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
9
Some said, “This is he.” Others
said,
“He is like him.”
a
He said, “I am
he.
”
10
Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
11
He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of
a
Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
12
Then they said to him, “Where is He?”
He said, “I do not know.”
The Pharisees Excommunicate the Healed Man
13
They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.
14
Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
