Written for Jesus’ Apostle John, possibly in Aramaic, sometime late in the 1^st Century CE.

Chapter 1

¹ In the beginning there was the Word.
The Word was with The God (gr. Ton Theon) and the Word was a powerful one (gr. theos or god-like).
² This one was with The God in the beginning, ³ and through him it all came to be.
⁴ Life was in him, and the life was the light of mankind.
⁵ This light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it.

⁶ Then a man named John arrived who had been sent by God. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify about the light so that everyone might believe through him.
⁸ He wasn’t the light, but he was to testify about the light; ⁹ for the true light that enlightens all mankind had come into the world.
¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world came to be through him, it didn’t recognize him. ¹¹ For even when he went to [those who were] his own, he wasn’t welcomed by them.
¹² Yet, he gave all those who did welcome him (all those who put faith in his name) the authority to become the children of God.
¹³ So they will not be born from blood, from the will of the flesh, or from man’s will, but from God.

¹⁴ Thus, the Word became flesh and tented among us as we gazed upon his glory, which was the glory of the one-and-only next to the Father… and he was filled with kindness and truth.

¹⁵ Concerning him, John gave this testimony:
‘This is the one about whom I said,
Though he is coming behind me, he preceded me and he came before me!’

¹⁶ So, we have received loving-kindness after loving-kindness from his great wealth.
¹⁷ For though Moses gave us the Law, loving-kindness and truth come to us through Jesus the Anointed One.
¹⁸ And though no one has ever seen God, this ‘only generated god’ (the one in the favored position of the Father) has explained Him.

¹⁹ Now, this is what John testified to when the Judeans sent Priests and Levites from JeruSalem to ask him who he was.
²⁰ [John] confessed… he didn’t deny it, he confessed, saying:
‘I’m not the Anointed One!’

²¹ ‘Then when they asked:
‘Then who [are you]… are you EliJah?

He told them:
‘No, I’m not.’

[And when they asked]:
‘Are you the Prophet?’

He answered:
‘No!’

²² So they said:
‘Then, tell us who you are, so we can give an answer to those who sent us… what are you saying about yourself?’

²³ And he told them:
‘I’m just the voice of someone who is calling out in the desert, as the Prophet IsaiAh said…
I have come to straighten the way for the Lord.’

²⁴ Now, those who had come to speak to him had been sent by the Pharisees, ²⁵ so they asked him:
‘Then, why are you baptizing if you aren’t the Anointed One, or EliJah, or the Prophet?

²⁶ And John told them:
‘I baptize in water; but there’s someone standing in your midst whom you don’t know.
²⁷ He’s the one that is coming behind me, the laces of whose sandals I’m unworthy to untie.

²⁸ Well, all of these things happened in BethAny-Behind-the-JorDan, which is where John was doing his baptizing.

²⁹ Then the next day, as [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, he said:
‘Look! The Lamb of God who lifts away the sins of the world!
³⁰ This is the one about whom I said,
There’s a man coming behind me who preceded me and came before me!
³¹ Yet, even I didn’t recognize him, though the reason why I came baptizing in water was so that I might reveal him to IsraEl.

³² Then John gave this testimony:
‘I saw the Breath [of God] coming down from the sky like a dove and settle upon him!
³³ And though I didn’t know who he was, the One that sent me to baptize in water told me this:
Whomever you see the Breath [of God] coming down and resting upon is the one that baptizes in Holy Breath…
³⁴ And this is what I saw, so I can now testify to the fact that this is the Son of The God!

³⁵ Then the next day, as John was standing there with two of his disciples, ³⁶ he noticed Jesus walking by, and he again said:
‘Look, the Lamb of God!’

³⁷ So the two disciples that heard him say this started following Jesus.
³⁸ And when Jesus turned around and saw them following him, he asked them:
‘What are you looking for?

And they replied:
‘Rabbi (Teacher); where are you staying?’

³⁹ Then he said:
‘Come with me and see.’

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent the rest of day with him (until about the tenth hour).

⁴⁰ Well after that, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter (one of the two that heard what John said and who followed [Jesus]) ⁴¹ went and found his brother Simon and told him:
‘I’ve found the Messiah (which translates as, the Anointed One).’

⁴² Then he led him to Jesus. And when Jesus saw him, he said:
‘You’re Simon, the son of Jonah… you will be called Cephas (gr. Petros or Peter).

⁴³ Then the next day, as Jesus was preparing to leave for Galilee, he found Philip and said to him:
‘Be my follower’
⁴⁴ (Philip was from BethSaida, the same city as Andrew and Peter).

⁴⁵ Then after that, Philip [went and] found NathaniEl (BarTholomew) and told him:
‘We’ve found the one about whom Moses wrote in the Law and the Prophets… he is Jesus the son of JoSeph from Nazareth!’

⁴⁶ But when NathaniEl asked:
‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’

Philip told him:
‘Well, come and see!’

⁴⁷ Then when Jesus saw NathaniEl coming, he said to him:
‘Look… an IsraElite who really speaks his mind!’

⁴⁸ So NathaniEl asked him:
‘How is it that you know me?’

And Jesus replied:
‘Before Philip called you, while you were under the fig tree, I saw you.’

⁴⁹ Then NathaniEl said:
‘Rabbi; you are the Son of God… you’re the King of IsraEl!’

⁵⁰ And Jesus asked:
‘Do you believe this because I said that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see even greater things than that.’

⁵¹ Then he said:
‘I tell you men the truth; you will see the heavens opening up and the messengers [of God] ascending and descending upon the Son of Man!’

Chapter 2

¹ Well, three days later, there was a wedding banquet in Cana of Galilee. And because Jesus’ mother was there, ² Jesus and his disciples were also invited.
³ Then when the wine started to run out, Jesus’ mother said to him:
‘They don’t have any more wine.’

⁴ And Jesus said to her:
‘Why is this any of my business, woman? My hour hasn’t come yet.’

⁵ But then his mother told the waiters:
‘Do whatever he tells you to do.’

⁶ Well, there were six stone water jars sitting there that the Judeans required for washing, each of which held about fifteen gallons.
⁷ So then Jesus told them to fill the jars to the brim with water. ⁸ And then he said:
‘Now, dip some out and take it to the banquet director.’

So they did this and they took it to the banquet director.
⁹ And when he tasted the water that had been turned into wine (he didn’t know where it came from, but the waiters that drew the water knew), the director called the bridegroom ¹⁰ and said to him:
‘Everyone else puts out the finest wine first, then after people are intoxicated, the inferior. However, you’ve kept the best wine for now!

¹¹ So it was, there in Cana of Galilee, that Jesus first showed the signs that revealed his glory, and it’s where his disciples [first started believing] in him.

¹² Well after that, [Jesus] went down to CapharNaum with his mother, brothers, and disciples.
However, they didn’t stay there long, ¹³ because it was getting close to the Jewish Passover.
So then Jesus traveled up to JeruSalem, ¹⁴ where he found [people] in the Temple selling cattle, sheep, and doves, as well as some currency changers that were sitting there.
¹⁵ Then, after making a whip out of ropes, he drove all those with the sheep and cattle out of the Temple, and he poured out the currency changers’ coins, turning their tables over.

¹⁶ And after that, he said to those that were selling the doves:
‘Get these things out of here!
Quit turning my Father’s House into a marketplace!’

¹⁷ So that’s when his disciples remembered that it was written:
‘Zeal for Your House will consume me.’

¹⁸ Well after he did that, the Judeans asked him:
‘What sign can you show us [to prove] that you should be doing these things?’

¹⁹ And Jesus replied:
‘When you tear down this Most Holy (gr. Naon or, Dwelling of God), I will rebuild it in three days.’

²⁰ Then the Judeans said:
‘It took forty-six years to build this Holy Place… and [you say] that you’ll rebuild it just in three days?’
²¹ But of course, Jesus was talking about his most holy body (gr. Naou tou somatos autou or, Most/Holy of/the body of/him).
²² For after he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he used to say this, and they believed the Scriptures and the things that Jesus said.

²³ It was there (while he was in JeruSalem for the Passover festival) that many people started believing in his name… that is, after they saw the signs that he was performing.
²⁴ But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew them… ²⁵ he didn’t need anyone to tell him about people, because he knew what they were on the inside.

Chapter 3

¹ Now, there was a man named NicoDemos (he was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Judeans) ² who came to him one night and said:
‘Rabbi, we know that you came as a teacher from God, because nobody can perform signs like you’re doing unless God is with him.’

³ Then Jesus said:
‘I tell you the truth; Unless a person is born from above, he can’t see the Kingdom of God.’

⁴ So NicoDemos asked:
‘How can a man be born again after he’s old… he can’t go back into his mother’s womb a second time to be born, can he?

⁵ And Jesus replied:
‘I tell you the truth; Unless a person is born from water and [God’s] Breath, he can’t enter the Kingdom of God. ⁶ Because, things that have been born from the flesh are fleshly, while things that have been born from the Breath are spiritual.
⁷ However, don’t be surprised because I told you that people have to be born again… ⁸ for the wind blows wherever it wishes. And though you can hear the noise, you don’t know where it’s coming from or where it’s going…
And this is how it will be for all those that have been born of the Breath.

⁹ Then NicoDemos asked,
‘How can things like this happen?

¹⁰ And Jesus replied:
‘You’re a teacher of IsraEl, and you don’t know?
¹¹ I tell you the truth; We talk about the things that we know, and we testify to things that we’ve seen… yet you haven’t accepted our testimony.
¹² So if you don’t believe the earthly things that I’m telling you, how will you believe the heavenly things?

¹³ ‘No one has gone to heaven other than the one that came down from heaven, the Son of Man… he [came from] the heavens.
¹⁴ And as Moses raised the [sign of the] snake in the desert; that’s how the Son of Man must also be raised, ¹⁵ so that all those that believe in him might have age-long life.

¹⁶ ‘This is how [much] God loved the world:
He gave His one-and-only Son so that all that believe in him might not be destroyed but have age-long life.

¹⁷ ‘God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it, but rather, so that the world might be saved through him!
¹⁸ Therefore, those who believe in [the Son] won’t be condemned, while those who don’t believe have already been condemned, because they haven’t put faith in the name of God’s one-and-only Son.
¹⁹ Indeed, this [is the basis] for their judgment!

‘Though the light has now entered the world, these men have loved darkness more than the light, because the things that they’re doing are evil.
²⁰ For people who do what is foul hate the light and they don’t come into the light so [they won’t] be disciplined for the [bad] things that they’re doing.
²¹ However, those that do what is true will come toward the light, so that the things they’re doing can be exposed as having been done in God.’

²² Well after that, Jesus and his disciples traveled into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time with them, baptizing.
²³ Meanwhile, John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim (because there was a lot of water there), and people kept going out to be baptized [by him], ²⁴ since John hadn’t been thrown into prison yet.

²⁵ Well, John’s disciples had been arguing about purification with [a certain] Judean.
²⁶ And then they went to John and said:
‘Rabbi; The man that was with you across the Jordan (the one whom you testified about) is also baptizing, and now everyone is going to him!’

²⁷ And John told them:
‘A man can’t have anything unless he receives it from heaven… ²⁸ and you are witnesses that I said I’m not the Anointed One, but that I’ve been sent ahead of him.
²⁹ So the one that has the bride is the bridegroom. But his friend, when he stands and listens to him, gains much joy from the voice of the bridegroom.

Therefore, my joy is now complete; ³⁰ for he must increase as I decrease.

³¹ ‘[Understand that] the one that comes from above is over everything. And while the one that comes from the ground is earthly and talks about earthly things; the one that comes from heaven is over all, ³² and he speaks of things that he’s actually seen and heard… yet, they aren’t accepting his testimony.
³³ However, those that do welcome his testimony are proving God to be true.

³⁴ ‘And since the one that was sent by God speaks God’s words; he doesn’t just measure out [small] portions of [God’s] Breath, ³⁵ because, the Father loves the Son and He has entrusted everything into his hands.
³⁶ So those who believe in the Son will have age-long life, while those who disobey him won’t see life at all, because the wrath of God remains upon them.’

Chapter 4

¹ Well, when the Lord realized that the Pharisees knew he was making and baptizing more disciples than John ² (although Jesus didn’t really do any baptizing, his disciples did), ³ he left Judea and returned to Galilee.

⁴ However, on the way back, he had to travel through Samaria.
⁵ So he stopped at a Samaritan city called Sychar, which was close to the field that Jacob had given to his son JoSeph, ⁶ and it’s where Jacob’s [well] was located.

Since Jesus was tired from the journey, he sat down at the edge of the [well] (at about the sixth hour).
⁷ And at the time, there was a Samaritan woman that had come there to draw water.
So, Jesus said to her:
‘Give me a drink’
⁸ (at the time, his disciples had gone into the city to buy some food.)

⁹ But the Samaritan woman asked him:
‘So, why are you, a Jew, asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink --?’

¹⁰ And Jesus told her:
‘If you knew about the gift of God and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you might have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’

¹¹ Then she said:
‘Lord; you don’t have anything to draw water with… and it’s a deep well! So, where will you get this living water?
¹² You aren’t greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well and who drank from it with his sons and cattle, are you?’

¹³ And Jesus replied:
‘Whoever drinks this water will just get thirsty again.
¹⁴ But whoever drinks the water that I give him won’t be thirsty again in this age, for the water that I give will become a fountain inside him that bubbles age-long life.’

¹⁵ Then the woman said:
‘Lord, give me this water so I won’t be thirsty again and have to keep coming to this place to draw water!’

¹⁶ And he said to her:
‘Go call your husband [and tell him] to come here.’

¹⁷ But the woman replied:
‘I don’t have a husband.’

And Jesus said:
‘It’s good that you say you don’t have a husband, ¹⁸ because you’ve had five husbands; and the one you have now isn’t your husband… you’ve spoken the truth.’

¹⁹ So the woman said:
‘Lord, I see that you’re a Prophet.
²⁰ Our ancestors worshiped here on this mountain, but you people say that JeruSalem is where we should worship.’

²¹ Then Jesus said to her:
‘Believe me, woman; the time is coming when you won’t worship the Father on this mountain or in JeruSalem!

²² ‘Yet, you worship what you haven’t known, while we worship what we have known… for salvation comes from the Jews.
²³ But the time is coming (and it’s now) when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, because, the Father is searching for such people to worship Him.
²⁴ And since God is spirit; those that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.’

²⁵ Then the woman said:
‘I know that the Messiah (who is called the Anointed One) is coming, and when he gets here, he will explain everything to us.’

²⁶ And Jesus said:
‘I (this person who is speaking to you) am that one.’

²⁷ Well, his disciples arrived just then, and they were puzzled because he was talking to a woman.
And of course, no one asked what she was looking for or why he was talking to her.

²⁸ However, the woman just left her water jar and walked back into the city.
And there she said to the people:
²⁹ ‘Come and see a man who told me everything that I did… this couldn’t be the Anointed One could it?’

³⁰ As the result, everyone came from the city to see him.

³¹ Meanwhile, the disciples had been urging him, saying:
‘Rabbi, eat!’

³² But he told them:
‘I have food to eat of which you are unaware.’

³³ So the disciples started asking each other:
‘No one has brought him anything to eat, have they?’

³⁴ Then Jesus said:
‘Doing the will of the One that sent me and finishing His work is my food.
³⁵ For though you say that there are still four more months until the harvest, I tell to you to look up and notice the fields, because they’re already white and ready for harvesting!
³⁶ Yes, the harvesters are already getting their pay and they’re gathering in the fruit of age-long life… so the planters and the harvesters can now rejoice together.

³⁷ ‘Though the saying is true,
One does the planting while another does the harvesting,
³⁸ I’m now sending you out to harvest what you didn’t [plant].
Yes, though others have done the work, you’re now benefiting from their efforts!’

³⁹ Well at the time, many of the Samaritans in that city started believing in [Jesus] because of what the woman had testified to when she said:
‘He told me everything that I did.’

⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay there with them… and he spent a couple of days in that place.
⁴¹ However, many more started believing in him after that, because of the things that he was saying.
⁴² So they told the woman:
‘We don’t believe just because of what you said, but because of what we’ve heard for ourselves… and now we know that this man is truly the Savior of the world!’

⁴³ Well, two days later, he finally left Galilee; ⁴⁴ and there Jesus himself witnessed the fact that a Prophet receives no honor in his hometown.
⁴⁵ However, when he [first] arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him because they had seen all the things that he did in JeruSalem at the festival (since they had also been there).

⁴⁶ Thereafter, he traveled on toward Cana of Galilee (where he had turned the water into wine), and there happened to be a man of noble birth in CapharNaum at the time, and he had a son that was ill.
⁴⁷ So when the man heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went and asked him to heal his son (who was about to die).
⁴⁸ However, Jesus said to him:
‘You [people] just refuse to believe unless you see signs and omens.’

⁴⁹ But the man urged him, saying:
‘Lord; please come on, before my little boy dies!’

⁵⁰ And Jesus told him:
‘Be on your way! Your son is alive.’

So the man believed what Jesus said and he went away.
⁵¹ Then, as he was traveling back, his slaves met him on the way and told him that his boy was alive.
⁵² And when he asked them exactly what time he got better, they told him:
‘The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.’

⁵³ And at that, the father recognized that this was the same time that Jesus had told him his son was alive. So thereafter, he and his whole household became believers.
⁵⁴ This was the second sign that Jesus had performed when he came out of Judea into Galilee.

Chapter 5

¹ Well later, because there was a Jewish festival, Jesus [once again] went up to JeruSalem.
² And in JeruSalem, at the Sheep-gate Pool (it’s called BethZatha in Hebrew) where there are five stone columns, ³ he found many people that were sick, blind, lame, and otherwise physically handicapped, and they were all lying down. ⁴ __ ⁵ And among them was a man that had been extremely weak for some thirty-eight years.
⁶ So when Jesus saw this man lying there (being aware of the long time he had this condition), he asked him:
‘Would you like to get well?’

⁷ And the sick man answered:
‘Lord, I don’t have anyone to put me into the pool when the water is shaking.
And while I’m trying to get in, someone else steps in ahead of me!’

⁸ Then Jesus said:
‘Get up, pick up your cot, and walk around.’

⁹ And with that, the man immediately became healthy… he picked up his cot and started walking around.

Now, it so happened that this was a Sabbath day; ¹⁰ so the Judeans started saying to the cured man:
‘It’s the Sabbath, so it’s illegal for you to carry you cot!’

¹¹ But he said to them:
‘The one that cured me told me to pick up my cot and walk around!’

¹² And they asked:
‘Which man was it that told you to pick it up and walk around?’

¹³ But the healed man didn’t know who he was, because Jesus had faded into crowd.

¹⁴ Then later on, Jesus found the man in the Temple and said to him:
‘See… now you’re healthy!
Don’t sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.’

¹⁵ Well after that, the man went off and told the Judeans that it was Jesus who had cured him.
¹⁶ So, this is why the Judeans started persecuting Jesus… because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.
¹⁷ But he told them:
‘My Father has kept working until now, and I keep working.’

¹⁸ As the result, the Judeans started looking [for ways to] kill him. For, not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he also called God his own Father, making himself equal to God.

¹⁹ Then Jesus said to them:
‘I tell you the truth; The Son can do nothing other than what he sees the Father doing… whatever [the Father] does is what the Son does.
²⁰ And because the Father cares about the Son, He shows him everything that He’s doing… and [God] will show him greater works than these, just to amaze you.

²¹ ‘For as the Father raises the dead and makes them alive; the Son can also give life to whomever he wishes.
²² And the Father doesn’t judge anyone, for He has left all the judging to the Son, ²³ so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
Therefore, whoever doesn’t honor the Son, doesn’t honor the Father that sent him.

²⁴ ‘I tell you the truth;
Those that hear what I say and believe in the One that sent me will have age-long life… they won’t have to be judged, for they have come out of the death and into the life!

²⁵ ‘I also truthfully say that the time is coming when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who listen to him will live.
²⁶ For, just as the Father has life in Himself, He has given the Son life in himself ²⁷ and authorized him to do judging… because he is the son of man.

²⁸ ‘Don’t be surprised at this, because the hour is coming when all that are in the tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out… those that did good things to a resurrection of life, and those that practiced what is foul to a resurrection of judgment.

³⁰ ‘[Understand that] I am unable to do anything of myself… I just judge by what I hear, and my judgments are righteous, because I’m not looking to do what I want, but to do the Will of the One that sent me.

³¹ ‘Now, if I were to testify about myself, that testimony wouldn’t be true.
³² But someone else has already testified about me, and I know that the testimony he gave about me is true. ³³ For you sent [people] to John and he testified to the truth.
³⁴ Nevertheless, I don’t really need the testimony of men… I’m just telling you these things to save you!

³⁵ ‘[John] was a burning, shining lamp, and you all wished to rejoice in that light during his hour.
³⁶ But now I have a testimony that’s even greater than John’s, because I’m doing the work that my Father assigned me to finish.
And it’s these things that will testify about me [and prove] that I was sent by the Father.

³⁷ ‘For even the Father that sent me has testified about me… yet, you’ve never heard His voice or seen His shape, ³⁸ and His words don’t stick with you, because you don’t believe in the one that He sent.
³⁹ Rather, you keep searching the Scriptures, thinking that they will give you age-long life.
And though they actually testify about me, ⁴⁰ you still refuse to come to me so you can live!

⁴¹ ‘I don’t [need] glory from people, ⁴² and I know that you don’t have God’s love in you.
⁴³ For though I’ve come in the Name of my Father; you haven’t welcomed me. Yet if someone else came in his own name, you would welcome him!
⁴⁴ Som how can you believe, when you receive your glory from each other and you don’t look to glorify the one that has come here from the One God?

⁴⁵ ‘Now, don’t think that I’m going to accuse you before the Father, because the one that accuses you is Moses… the very person in whom you’re putting all your hope.
⁴⁶ For if you believed Moses, you’d also believe me, since he wrote about me!
⁴⁷ However, if you don’t even believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I have to say?’

Chapter 6

¹ Well [sometime] after this, Jesus had crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberius), ² and a large crowd followed along just to see the signs he was performing upon those that were sick.
³ And there, Jesus went up a mountain and sat down with his disciples.
⁴ It was close to the time of the Jewish Passover festival, ⁵ so when Jesus looked up and noticed the huge crowd coming, he asked Philip:
‘Where should we buy bread for them all to eat?’
⁶ However, he just said this to test him, because he already knew what he was going to do.

⁷ Then Philip answered:
‘Two hundred silver coins worth of loaves wouldn’t be enough to provide even a little for this many [to eat]!’

⁸ And one of his disciples (Andrew the brother of Simon Peter) said to him:
⁹ ‘Here’s a little boy that has five loaves of barley bread and two small fish… but then, what good is this when there are so many?

¹⁰ Then Jesus said:
‘Have the people recline as they would at a meal.’

Well, there was a lot of grass there, so they all (about five thousand men) got down on the ground.
¹¹ Then Jesus took the bread, and after giving thanks, distributed it to those that were lying there.
[He also did the same with] the small fish, [giving them as much] as they wanted.
¹² And after everyone had been filled, he told his disciples to pick up the leftovers so that nothing was wasted.
¹³ And when they picked them up, they filled twelve baskets with what remained of the five loaves of barley that those who had eaten had left behind.

¹⁴ So when the people saw the signs that he was performing, they started saying,
‘This really is the Prophet that was to come into the world!’

¹⁵ And then Jesus (because he knew that they were about to come and take him to make him their king) went away again… [he walked] up on the mountain [to be] by himself.

¹⁶ Well, later that evening, [Jesus’ disciples] went down to the water ¹⁷ and got into their boat, then they left for the other side of the Sea to CapharNaum, because it had grown dark and Jesus hadn’t returned yet.
¹⁸ However, a strong wind arose and the sea started becoming very rough.

¹⁹ Well, after they’d rowed for about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking across the sea toward the boat, and this frightened them.
²⁰ But he said to them:
‘Don’t be afraid… it is me!’
²¹ And at that, they were finally willing to let him into the boat.
Then, shortly thereafter, they reached shore at the place where they were headed.

²² However, the next morning, the crowd that was still on the opposite shore could see that there was just the single little boat and that the other was gone… and they knew that Jesus hadn’t gotten into the boat with his disciples, and that [the disciples] had left by themselves.
²³ Then some boats arrived from Tiberias and they docked close to the place where everyone had eaten the bread after the Lord gave thanks, ²⁴ and that’s when the crowd started to realize that Jesus and his disciples were no longer there.
So they got into their little boats and traveled to CapharNaum to look for Jesus. ²⁵ And when they found him across the sea, they asked him:
‘Rabbi, when did you get here?’

²⁶ So Jesus said to them:
‘I tell you the truth; You aren’t looking for me because you saw signs, but because you had enough bread to eat.
²⁷ Don’t work for food that can spoil. Rather, [work for] for the bread of life that lasts through the ages, which the Son of Man (who was sealed by our Father The God) will give to you.’

²⁸ Then they asked:
‘So, what must we do to perform the works of God?’

²⁹ And Jesus replied:
‘All that God requires is for you to believe in the one whom He sent.

³⁰ So they asked:
‘Then, what sign will you perform for us, so that we can see and believe… what [miracles] can you show us?
³¹ Didn’t Moses give our ancestors manna as bread from heaven when they were in the desert?’

³² Then Jesus replied:
‘I tell you the truth; the bread that Moses gave them didn’t [really] come from heaven. However, my Father will give you bread that truly does come from heaven.
³³ For God’s bread is the one that came from heaven so as to give life to the world.’

³⁴ Then they said:
‘Lord, always give us this bread!

³⁵ And Jesus went on to say:
‘I am that bread of life, and those that come to me won’t ever be hungry again, nor will those that believe in me ever be thirsty again.

³⁶ ‘However, I tell you this:
Though you’ve seen me, you still don’t believe… ³⁷ and only those whom the Father has given to me will come to me.
However, I won’t throw away anyone that comes to me, ³⁸ because I didn’t come here from heaven to do my will, but [to do] the Will of the One that sent me.

³⁹ ‘And this is what His Will is:
That I shouldn’t lose any of those that He has given to me, and that I should resurrect them [on] the Last Day.
⁴⁰ Yes, it is the Will of my Father that everyone who pays close attention to the Son and believes in him should have age-long life.
For I will resurrect him… [yes] me, on the Last Day!

⁴¹ Well at that, the Judeans started grumbling about him, because he’d said:
‘I am the bread that has come down out of the heavens.’
⁴² And they started asking each other:
‘Isn’t this Jesus, the son of JoSeph, whose father and mother we all know? So, how is it that he’s saying,
I came down out of the heavens?

⁴³ Then Jesus said to them:
‘Stop your grumbling!
⁴⁴ No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me… and then I will resurrect him on the last day.

⁴⁵ ‘It is written in the Prophets:
They will all be taught by God.
So, all who listen to the Father and learn, will come to me.

⁴⁶ ‘However, no one has seen the Father other than the one that was with The God… yes, he has seen the Father.
⁴⁷ And I tell you the truth; those that believe this will have age-long life, ⁴⁸ because I am the bread of life!

⁴⁹ ‘Even though your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, they [still] died… ⁵⁰ but those who eat this bread that came from heaven will not die!

⁵¹ ‘I am the living bread that came from heaven, and all that eat this bread will have age-long life.
Yes, the bread that I’m offering up is my flesh, and I’m giving it away so that I can bring life into the world!’

⁵² Well at that, the Judeans started arguing with each other, asking:
‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’

⁵³ So Jesus said:
‘I tell you the truth; if you don’t eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you won’t have life in yourselves.
⁵⁴ For those that chew my flesh and drink my blood will have age-long life… because I will resurrect them on the Last Day.
⁵⁵ Since my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink; ⁵⁶ those that chew on my flesh and drink my blood will remain in me, and I in them.

⁵⁷ ‘I was sent here by the living Father and I became alive through the Father.
So, those that chew on me will live because of me!

⁵⁸ ‘Yes, this is the bread that came down from heaven.
It’s not the same as the bread that your fathers ate and then died; for those that chew on this bread will live through the ages.’

⁵⁹ Well, he said all these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at CapharNaum.
⁶⁰ But after they heard him say these things, many of his disciples said:
‘These are tough words… who can listen to them?’

⁶¹ Well, because Jesus knew what his disciples were grumbling about, he asked them:
‘Has this become a trap for you?
⁶² [If so], what will happen when you see the Son of Man going back up to the place from which he came?

⁶³ ‘[Understand that your] breath is what makes you alive, for [without it], the flesh is useless.
Likewise, these things that I’m telling you are your life and your breath…
⁶⁴ Yet, some of you still don’t believe.’

Well, Jesus knew from the start who wouldn’t believe and who would betray him, ⁶⁵ so he went on to say:
‘This is why I told you that none of you can come to me unless you’ve been given to me by the Father.’

⁶⁶ However, as the result of [these things that he was saying], many of his disciples went back to what they’d left behind and they wouldn’t walk with him anymore.

⁶⁷ Then Jesus asked the twelve:
‘Don’t you want to turn back also?’

⁶⁸ And Simon (Peter) replied:
‘Lord, to whom should we turn?
You’re the one that speaks the words leading to age-long life… ⁶⁹ for we’ve known and believed that you’re the Holy One of God!’

⁷⁰ Then Jesus said:
‘I chose you twelve, didn’t I? Yet, one of you is a slanderer.’

⁷¹ Of course, he was talking about Judas, [the son] of Simon IsCariot; because, although he was one of the twelve, he was about to betray [Jesus].

Chapter 7

¹ Well after all these things had happened, Jesus limited his travels to [the area around] the Galilee… he no longer cared to travel through Judea, because the Judeans were looking to kill him.
² However, the Jewish Festival of Temporary Structures was coming up, ³ so his brothers said to him:
‘You should leave here and go to Judea, so your disciples there can also see the things that you’re doing.
⁴ For nobody does things in secret when they want everyone to know what they’re saying.’
⁵ (Yes, it’s a fact that his brothers didn’t believe in him).

⁶ So Jesus told them:
‘My time hasn’t arrived yet… but it’s always your time, ⁷ because the world has no reason to hate you.
It hates me, because I testify to the fact that it’s ways are wicked.
⁸ So, you go on up to the festival… I won’t be going to this festival yet, because my time hasn’t arrived.’

⁹ Well, he remained in Galilee [for a while] after telling them this.
¹⁰ However, after his brothers had left for the festival, Jesus also went (not openly, but in secret).

¹¹ Meanwhile, the Judeans were all looking for him at the festival, for they were asking:
‘Where is that [man]?’
¹² And there was a lot of discussion about him among the crowds. Some were saying:
‘He’s a good man.’
But others were saying:
‘No he isn’t… he’s misleading them all!’

¹³ Of course, nobody would talk about him publicly, because they were all afraid of the Judeans.

¹⁴ Well, by the time that Jesus arrived, the festival was half over.
But then he went into the Temple and started teaching, ¹⁵ which caused the Judeans to wonder and ask:
‘How is it that this man understands the scriptures, since he hasn’t studied them?’

¹⁶ So Jesus told them:
‘What I’m teaching you isn’t mine… it belongs to the One that sent me.
¹⁷ And all those that want to do His Will already know whether the things I’m teaching come from God, or if I’m speaking on my own.
¹⁸ For those that speak on behalf of themselves are just trying to glorify themselves.
But this one whose only wish is to glorify that One that sent him, is telling the truth, and there isn’t any unrighteousness in him.

¹⁹ ‘However, though Moses give you the Law; none of you are trying to do what the Law says… for why are you looking to kill me?’

²⁰ Well at that, the crowd started shouting:
‘You’re demonized… who is looking to kill you?’

²¹ And Jesus said:
‘I just did this one thing that really bothers you.

²² ‘Moses gave you the circumcision (though it’s not really from Moses but from your forefathers); so you circumcise men on the Sabbath.
²³ And if a man can be circumcised on a Sabbath without breaking the Law of Moses, then why are you so angry with me because I made a man healthy on a Sabbath?
²⁴ Stop judging from the way things look on the surface… judge righteously!’

²⁵ Well at that, some who lived in JeruSalem started asking:
‘Isn’t this the man that they’re actually seeking to kill?
²⁶ Yet, look… here he is speaking in public and they haven’t said anything to him!
Have the rulers come to believe that he really is the Anointed One?

²⁷ ‘However, we all know where this man came from; but when the [real] Anointed One arrives, no one will know where he’s from!’

²⁸ Then (as he was standing in the Temple, teaching) Jesus shouted aloud:
‘Yes, you know me and you know where I’m from! But, coming here wasn’t my idea;
For the One that sent me here is real and you don’t know Him.
²⁹ I know Him, because I came from Him and He sent me here!’

³⁰ Well after that, they started looking for ways to arrest him, but no one was able to lay a hand on him because his time hadn’t come yet.
³¹ But meanwhile, many in the crowd started believing in him and they were saying:
‘When the Anointed One arrives, he surely won’t perform more signs than this man has, will he?’

³² And because the Pharisees could hear what the crowd was saying about him, the Chief Priests and Pharisees did send officers to arrest him.

³³ It was then that Jesus said:
‘I will be here with you just a little while longer before I return to the One that sent me…
³⁴ And then you will look for me but not find me; for where I’m [going] you can’t go.’

³⁵ So the Judeans started asking each other:
‘Where does he plan to go that we won’t be able to find him?
He doesn’t intend to go to those scattered among the Greeks and start teaching the Greeks, does he?
³⁶ What does he mean when he says,
You’ll look for me but not find me,
and,
Where I’m going you can’t go?

³⁷ Well, it was on the last day (the climax) of the festival, that Jesus stood up and shouted:
‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!
³⁸ For the scriptures say this about those that will put faith in me:
A river of living water will flow from him.’

³⁹ Of course when he said this, [he was talking] about The Spirit that those who were putting faith in him were about to receive.
However, the Spirit hadn’t arrived yet, because Jesus hadn’t been glorified.

⁴⁰ Then some in the crowd that heard these words started saying:
‘This is surely the Prophet!’
⁴¹ While others were saying:
‘This is the Anointed One!’

However, some also said:
‘The Anointed One won’t really come from Galilee, will he?
⁴² Didn’t the Scriptures say the Anointed One is from the line of David and from BethLehem, the village of David?’

⁴³ So the crowd became divided over him.
⁴⁴ And though some among them had come to arrest him, nobody laid a hand on him.

⁴⁵ Then after the officers returned to the Chief Priests and Pharisees and were asked why they didn’t bring him in, ⁴⁶ they replied:
‘No man has ever spoken like this!’

⁴⁷ So the Pharisees said to them:
‘You haven’t been misled also, have you?
⁴⁸ Why, none of the rulers or Pharisees believe in him, do they?
⁴⁹ Yet this crowd that doesn’t know the Law is cursed!’

⁵⁰ Then NicoDemos (the man that had come to him previously and was truly one of [Jesus’ followers]) said to them:
⁵¹ ‘Your Law doesn’t allow you to judge a man before you’ve heard what he has to say and get to understand what he’s up to, does it?’

⁵² But they said to him:
‘Are you also a Galilean? Search [the Scriptures] and you’ll see that no Prophet is to come from Galilee!’

Chapter 8

(1-11) ¹² So Jesus continued to speak [to the people], saying:
‘I am the light of the world, and whoever follows me won’t ever walk in darkness, because he’ll have the light of life.’

¹³ Then the Pharisees said to him:
‘You are just testifying about yourself, and what you’re testifying to isn’t true!’

¹⁴ But Jesus said:
‘Even if I am testifying about myself; my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I will return.
However, you don’t know where I came from or where I will be going, ¹⁵ since your judgment is fleshly.

‘Now, I’m not really judging anyone!
¹⁶ But if I should judge, my judgment would be true, because I’m not alone… for with me is the Father that sent me!
¹⁷ And isn’t it written in your Law that whatever two people testify to is true?
¹⁸ So though I am testifying about myself; the Father that sent me has also testified about me.’

¹⁹ Then they asked:
‘So, where is your Father?’

And Jesus replied:
‘You don’t know me or my Father; for if you knew me, you would also know my Father.’

²⁰ And though [Jesus] was saying these things right there inside [the Temple] Treasury; during the entire time that he was teaching in there, nobody arrested him, because his time hadn’t come yet.

²¹ Then He told them again:
‘I am about to go away and then you will look for me.
However, you will just die in your sins, because I’m going to a place where you can’t go.’

²² So the Judeans started asking:
‘Is he saying that he’s going to kill himself? For he says,
I’m going to a place where you can’t go.’

²³ But he went on to tell them this:
‘You came from the things below and I came from the things above… you’re from this world, but I’m not from this world.
²⁴ So as I told you before; you will die in your sins… indeed, if you don’t believe that I am the one, you will die in your sins!

²⁵ Then they asked:
‘So, who are you?’

And Jesus said to them:
‘Why am I even talking to you?

²⁶ ‘Yet, I have so many things to tell you and to judge about you;
For the One that sent me is true, and I’m telling the world whatever I heard from Him.’

²⁷ Well, because they really didn’t understand that he was talking to them about the Father, ²⁸ Jesus said:
‘After you hang the Son of Man up, you’ll know who I am and that I haven’t been doing anything on my own… I’ve just been telling you what I was taught by the Father.
²⁹ For the One that sent me is with me, and He didn’t send me off alone, because I always do the things that please Him.’

³⁰ Well, as he was saying these things, many started to believe in him.
³¹ So Jesus then addressed those Judeans that believed in him, and he said this to them:
‘If you hang onto these things that I’m telling you, you are really my disciples…
³² You will know the truth and the truth will set you free!

³³ But some [in the crowd] shouted:
‘We’re the seed of AbraHam and we’ve never been slaves to anyone!
So, why are you saying that we’ll be set free?’

³⁴ And Jesus said to them:
‘I tell you the truth; everyone that sins is really a slave to sin. ³⁵ And a slave doesn’t always live in the house… only the son lives there through the age.
³⁶ Yet if the Son sets you free, you’ll really be free!

³⁷ ‘I know that you’re AbraHam’s seed… however, you’re looking to kill me, because what I’m saying isn’t getting through to you.
³⁸ Though I’m telling you the things that I saw [while I was] with my Father; you’re still doing the things that you heard from your father.’

³⁹ Then they said:
‘Well, our father is AbraHam!’

And Jesus said:
‘If you really are AbraHam’s children, then do what AbraHam did!
⁴⁰ However, you still want to kill me, a man that is just telling you the truth that I heard from God… AbraHam wouldn’t do that!
⁴¹ So you’re doing the things that your father wants.’

Then they said:
‘We weren’t fathered through some immoral relationship… we have one Father, God!’

⁴² And Jesus said to them:
‘If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came here from God.
I didn’t come here on my own, He sent me here!

⁴³ ‘Do you know why it is that you don’t understand what I’m saying?
Because you aren’t listening!

⁴⁴ ‘You’re from your father the Slanderer, and you’re wanting to do the will of your father, who’s been a murderer from the beginning… he didn’t stick with the truth, because there isn’t any truth in him.
So when he tells a lie, he’s saying something that is his, since he’s a liar and the father of the lie.
⁴⁵ This is why, though I’m telling you the truth, you don’t believe me.

⁴⁶ ‘Who among you can accuse me of sinning?
And if I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?
⁴⁷ Those that come from God listen to what He says… and that’s why you aren’t listening… because you aren’t from The God!’

⁴⁸ Well at that, the Judeans said:
‘Aren’t we telling the truth when we say that you’re just a demonized Samaritan?’

⁴⁹ And Jesus answered:
‘I don’t have a demon; I’m honoring my Father and you’re dishonoring me…
⁵⁰ I’m not trying to glorify myself!

‘However, there is someone that is watching and judging.
⁵¹ And I truthfully say that those of you who obey my words won’t see death through the age.’

⁵² Then the Judeans said to him:
‘Now we know that you’re demonized! For though even AbraHam and the Prophets died, you’re saying,
If anyone obeys my words, he won’t see death through the age.
⁵³ You aren’t greater than our father AbraHam or the Prophets that all died, are you?
Who are you claiming to be?’

⁵⁴ And Jesus told them:
‘If I were just glorifying myself, my glory would mean nothing.
However, my Father is the One that is glorifying me… the One whom you say is your God, ⁵⁵ though you’ve never really known Him.
I know Him, and if I should ever say that I don’t know Him, I’d be a liar like you.
However, I do know Him and I’m doing what He told me to do.’

⁵⁶ [Then Jesus went on to tell them:]
‘Your father AbraHam shouted in joy over the hope of seeing my day…
Yes he saw it and he rejoiced!’

⁵⁷ But the Judeans said:
‘You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen AbraHam?’

⁵⁸ And Jesus replied:
‘I tell you the truth; I was before there was an AbraHam.’

⁵⁹ Well at that, they picked up rocks to stone him, but Jesus avoided them by just passing between them…
Then he left the Temple.

Chapter 9

¹ Well, as they were walking along, [Jesus’ disciples] noticed a man who had been blind since birth.
² So they asked [Jesus]:
‘Rabbi; Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’

³ And Jesus said:
‘It wasn’t because of the sins of this man or his parents… this happened so that the works of God could be demonstrated through him.
⁴ For I must do the work of the One that sent me while it is still day, since the night is coming when no one can work.
⁵ And as long as I’m in the world, I’m its light.’

⁶ Well after he said that, he spit on the ground and made a paste with his saliva, then he put it over the man’s eyes ⁷ and told him:
‘Now, go wash in the Pool of SiloAm’ (which translates as The Sent Place).

So the man went off and washed, and he came back seeing.

⁸ Then when his neighbors (those who knew that he’d been a beggar) saw this, they asked,
‘Isn’t this the same man that used to sit and beg?’

⁹ And some agreed, saying:
‘That’s him!’

However others were saying:
‘No, it’s just someone that looks like him.’

But the man said:
‘I’m him!’

¹⁰ So they asked:
‘Then, how were your eyes opened?’

¹¹ And he replied:
‘The man called Jesus made a paste and smeared it on my eyes, then he told to me to go to SiloAm and wash.
So I went and washed, and I started seeing!’

¹² And they asked him:
‘Where is that man?’

But he said:
‘I don’t know.’

¹³ So they took the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees ¹⁴ (for the day that Jesus made the paste and opened his eyes happened to be a Sabbath).

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees asked him again how he had gained his sight, and he answered:
‘He put a paste on my eyes, then I washed it off and I started seeing.’

¹⁶ And some of the Pharisees said:
‘Well, the man [that did this] isn’t from God, because he doesn’t observe the Sabbath!’

But then, others asked:
‘But if the man is a sinner, how could he perform such signs?’

So as the result, they were divided.

¹⁷ Then they asked the blind man once more:
‘Since he opened your eyes, what do you have to say about him?

And the man said:
‘He’s a Prophet!’

¹⁸ However, the Judeans still didn’t believe that he had once been blind and started seeing, so they called his parents in ¹⁹ and asked them:
‘Is this your son whom you say was born blind?
And if so, how is he able to see now?’

²⁰ And his parents replied:
‘We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
²¹ However, we don’t know how he started seeing or who opened his eyes… ask him, he’s old enough.
Let him speak for himself!’

²² Of course, his parents said this because they were afraid of the Judeans, who had agreed that if anyone would admit that [Jesus] is the Anointed One, he would be expelled from the synagogue.
²³ So that’s why his parents said:
‘He’s old enough, ask him.’

²⁴ Then they spoke to the man that used to be blind again, saying:
‘Glorify God… for we know that man is a sinner!’

²⁵ But he told them:
‘Whether he’s a sinner or not, I don’t know. The only thing I do know is that I was blind and now I can see!’

²⁶ So they asked him once more:
‘What did he do to you… how did he open your eyes?’

²⁷ And he replied:
‘I already told you, but you aren’t listening!
Why do you want to hear me say it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’

²⁸ Well at that, they spoke very rudely to him; they said:
‘You’re one of that man’s disciples… however, we’re the disciples of Moses.
²⁹ We know that God spoke to Moses, but we don’t know where this man is from!

³⁰ And the man said:
‘It’s truly marvelous that you don’t know where he’s from… yet he opened my eyes!
³¹ We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, He only listens to those who are God-fearing and wish to do His Will.
³² Yet, through the ages, no one has ever heard of anyone that could open the eyes of a person that was born blind.
³³ And if this man wasn’t from God, he couldn’t do such a thing!’

³⁴ Then they said:
‘You were born a complete sinner… and now you’re teaching us?’

So at that, they threw him out.

³⁵ Well, Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he asked:
‘Have you starting to put faith in the Son of Man?’

³⁶ And the man answered:
‘Just who is he Lord, so that I can believe in him?’

³⁷ And Jesus said:
‘You have already seen him, for this one who is speaking to you is him.’

³⁸ Then the man said:
‘I do believe in him, Lord’… and that, he bowed with his face to the ground.

³⁹ Then Jesus said:
‘The judgments that I’m bringing into this world are helping those that don’t see to see, and making those that can see, blind.’

⁴⁰ But when some of the Pharisees that were walking with him heard this, they asked:
‘We aren’t blind also, are we?’

⁴¹ And Jesus told them:
‘If you were blind you wouldn’t have any sin.
But because you claim to see, your sins remain.’

Chapter 10

¹ ‘I tell you the truth; Those that don’t enter the sheep pen through the gate, but climb in at some other place, are thieves and robbers.
² Only the one that enters through the gate is the shepherd of those sheep.
³ He’s the gatekeeper that opens to them, and the sheep listen to his voice.

‘So he calls his sheep by their names and then he leads them out. ⁴ And after he has them all out, he leads the sheep and they follow, because they recognize his voice.
⁵ They won’t follow a stranger… they’ll run from him, since they don’t recognize the voice of a stranger.’

⁶ Then, because they didn’t understand what he meant when Jesus gave them this parable, ⁷ Jesus again said:
‘I tell you the truth; I’m the gateway to the sheep, ⁸ and all those that came ahead of me were thieves and robbers… so the sheep didn’t listen to them.

⁹ ‘I am the gateway, and whoever enters through me will be saved… he can come in or he can go out and find a place to graze.
¹⁰ So while thieves only enter to steal, kill, and destroy, I came here so they can have life… and plenty of it!

¹¹ ‘I am the good shepherd… and a good shepherd will give his life for his sheep.
¹² A hired hand (someone who isn’t a shepherd and who doesn’t own the sheep) will leave them and run away whenever he sees a wolf coming, so the wolf can scatter them and snatch some away.
¹³ For since he’s just a hired hand, he doesn’t really care about the sheep.

¹⁴ ‘However, I am the fine shepherd, and I know my sheep and they know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.
Therefore, I will lay down my life for my sheep!

¹⁶ ‘I also have other sheep that aren’t in this pen, and I must lead them too.
They will listen to my voice and they will all become one flock under one shepherd.

¹⁷ ‘This is why I’m so loved by the Father… because I’m willing to lay down my life and then take it back again.
¹⁸ Nobody is going to take it from me, I’m giving it away! For I’m authorized to lay it down and I’m authorized to receive it again.
Yes, this is the rule that I received from my Father!’

¹⁹ Well, the Judeans once again became divided over these words. ²⁰ For many were saying:
‘He’s demonized and crazy… so, why are you listening to him?’

²¹ But others were saying:
‘These aren’t the words of a demonized man, for a demon can’t open the eyes of a blind man, can it?’

²² Well at the time, the Festival of Rededication was going on in JeruSalem (it was winter).
²³ And as Jesus was walking along in the Temple among the Columns of Solomon, ²⁴ some Judeans gathered around him and asked:
‘How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense?
Just tell us if you’re the Anointed One!’

²⁵ And Jesus replied:
‘I [already] told you, but you don’t want to believe it!
Although the things that I’m doing in my Father’s Name all testify about me, ²⁶ you still don’t believe it, because you aren’t my sheep.

²⁷ ‘My sheep listen to my voice… I know them all and they follow me, ²⁸ so I’m giving them age-long life!
No, none of them will be lost in this age, because no one can snatch them out of my hands.
²⁹ For my Father who gave them to me is greater than everyone, and no one can snatch them from His hands…
³⁰ And my Father and I are one!’

³¹ Then once again, the Judeans picked up rocks to stone him.
³² So Jesus said:
‘I have shown you all these good things that I did, which came from the Father…
So, for which of these good deeds are you getting ready to stone me?’

³³ And the Judeans replied:
‘We won’t be stoning you for doing good things, but for your blasphemy…
Though you’re just a man, you’re making yourself a god!’

³⁴ Then Jesus asked:
‘Isn’t it written in your Law,
I say that you are gods?
³⁵ So if God called those that were spoken against in His Word gods (and you can’t void the Scriptures);
³⁶ How can you tell me (one who was made holy and sent into the world by the Father) that I’m blaspheming because I say that I’m God’s Son?

³⁷ ‘Now, if what I’m doing isn’t my Father’s Will, then don’t believe me.
³⁸ But if what I am [doing is His Will], then believe in what I’m doing even if you don’t believe in me!
For then you will come to know (and keep on knowing) that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’

³⁹ So at that point, they tried to grab him again.
However, he slipped out of their reach.

⁴⁰ Then he went off and crossed the Jordan [River], and he stayed at the place where John had started his baptizing.
⁴¹ Many people came to him there, and they were saying:
‘John didn’t perform a single sign, but everything that John said about this man is true!’

⁴² So, many started believing in him there.

Chapter 11

¹ Now, there was a man that was very ill, Lazarus of BethAny (he came from the same village as Mary and her sister Martha).
² This is the Mary that greased the Lord with perfumed ointment and wiped his feet dry with her hair.
And Lazarus (who was her brother), was very sick, ³ so his sisters sent word [to Jesus], saying:
‘Lord, {Look!} the one that you care for is very ill!’

⁴ But when Jesus heard this, he said:
‘This sickness isn’t for death, it’s for the glory of God…
So that the Son of God will be glorified by it!’

⁵ And though Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus;
⁶ When he heard that [Lazarus] was ill, he actually stayed where he was for two more days.

⁷ And after that, he told the disciples:
‘Let’s go to Judea again.’

⁸ But the disciples reminded him, saying:
‘Rabbi, the Judeans just tried to stone you, so are you going there again?’

⁹ And Jesus replied:
‘Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a person walks in the daylight he doesn’t bump into things, because he sees the light of this world.
¹⁰ But if someone walks around during the night he’ll bump into things, because there isn’t any light in him.’

¹¹ Then after he said this, he told them:
‘Our friend Lazarus is lying down and I’m going there to wake him up.’

¹² So the disciples said to him:
‘Lord, if he’s just lying down, he’ll survive.’

¹³ However, Jesus had been talking about his death, while they thought he was talking about lying down to sleep.
¹⁴ So then, Jesus told them plainly:
‘Lazarus has died… ¹⁵ and I’m happy for your sakes that I wasn’t there, so you can believe.
Now, let’s go to him!’

¹⁶ Then Thomas (who was called the Twin) said to the other disciples:
‘Let’s go along too, so that we can also die with [Jesus].’

¹⁷ Well when Jesus arrived, he found [that Lazarus] had already been in the tomb for four days.
¹⁸ And since BethAny was just about two miles from JeruSalem, ¹⁹ many people had come there from Judah to see Martha and Mary in order to console them over [the death of] their brother.

²⁰ Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary stayed at home.
²¹ And Martha said to Jesus:
‘Lord, if you had just been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.
²² But I know that whatever you ask of God, He will give to you.’

²³ Then Jesus told her:
‘Your brother will stand again!’

²⁴ And Martha said:
‘I know that he’ll stand again in the resurrection on the Last Day.’

²⁵ But Jesus said to her:
‘I am the resurrection and the life; so, whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.
²⁶ And all the living that believe in me will not see death into the age.
Do you believe this?’

²⁷ And she answered:
‘Yes, Lord; I have believed that you’re the Anointed One, the Son of The God, who was to come into the world.’

²⁸ Then after saying this, she went off to call her sister Mary, and she told her secretly:
‘The Teacher is here and he’s asking for you.’

²⁹ So when [Mary] heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.

³⁰ Actually, Jesus hadn’t gone into the village yet, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
³¹ And when the Judeans that had come to the house to console Mary saw her get up quickly and go out, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to cry there.

³² Then when Mary got to the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying:
‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died!’

³³ Well, when Jesus saw her and all the Judeans that came with her crying, he groaned a deep sigh and was visibly upset.
³⁴ Then he asked her:
‘Where have you laid him?’

And she replied:
‘Lord, come here and see.’

³⁵ Then Jesus broke into tears, ³⁶ and the Judean [women] said:
‘See how much he cared for him!’

³⁷ But some of them also asked:
‘Wasn’t this man that opened the eyes of the blind man able to keep him from dying?’

³⁸ Well, after groaning deeply again, Jesus went to the tomb (it was actually a cave with a [large] rock placed over it).
³⁹ And Jesus said:
‘Lift the stone.’

But Martha (the dead man’s sister) said:
‘Lord, by now he must smell, because it has already been four days!’

⁴⁰ However Jesus said:
‘Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’

⁴¹ So they lifted the stone.
Then Jesus raised his eyes toward heaven and said:
‘Father; thank You for listening to me!
⁴² I know that You always listen to me, but I said this for the sake of the crowd that’s standing around… so they can believe that You sent me.’

⁴³ And after he said that, he shouted loudly:
‘Lazarus, come on out!’

⁴⁴ Then the man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet still bound with wrappings and his face still wrapped in a cloth.
And Jesus said:
‘Now, untie and unwrap him!’

⁴⁵ Well, that’s when many of the Judeans that came with Mary and saw what he had done started believing in him.
⁴⁶ However, others went off to the Pharisees and reported what Jesus was doing.
⁴⁷ So the Chief Priests and Pharisees assembled the Jewish Court and said to them:
‘What should we to do… for this man is performing so many signs?
⁴⁸ If we let him just keep on doing this, everyone will believe in him and the Romans will come and take our land and our people!’

⁴⁹ Then one of those in the group, CaiAphas (who was the High Priest that year), said to them:
‘You don’t know anything ⁵⁰ and you haven’t figured it out yet… that it’s best for one man to die for the people so the whole nation isn’t destroyed!’
⁵¹ However, he didn’t come up with this by himself;
It was just because he was High Priest that year that he spoke this prophesy about Jesus having to die for the nation… ⁵² and not just for the nation, but so that he could also bring the scattered children of God together as one.

⁵³ Well, because these men continued meeting and discussing ways to kill him, ⁵⁴ Jesus no longer traveled openly among the Judeans.
He left there and traveled through the countryside next to the desert to a city called Ephraim, where he remained with his disciples.

⁵⁵ But then, because the Judean Passover was coming, many of the people left the countryside for JeruSalem to undergo ceremonial cleansing before the Passover.

⁵⁶ Meanwhile, the people were looking for Jesus in the Temple, and they were asking each other:
‘What do you think? Won’t he come to the Festival at all?
⁵⁷ For the Chief Priests and Pharisees have given orders that if anyone knows where he is, they should report it, so they can arrest him.’

Chapter 12

¹ Well, six days before the Passover, Jesus finally arrived at BethAny (the place where he had raised Lazarus from the dead), ² and they prepared a supper for him there.
Martha was doing the serving and Lazarus was reclining at the table with the others.
³ Then Mary took a pound of perfumed ointment (it was very expensive… genuine nard) and greased Jesus’feet, wiping them dry with her hair and filling the whole house with the scent of the perfume.

⁴ But Judas IsCariot (one of his disciples who was about to betray him) asked:
⁵ ‘Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred silver coins and given to the poor?’

⁶ However, he didn’t say this because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief… he kept the money box, and he used to [steal some of] the money that was put into it.

⁷ But Jesus said:
‘Leave her alone… let her keep this observance of the day of my burial.
⁸ For you will always have the poor with you, but you won’t always have me.’

⁹ Well, a large crowd of Judeans had learned that he was there, and they didn’t just come to see Jesus, but they also came to see Lazarus whom he’d raised from the dead.
¹⁰ As the result, the Chief Priests then met in counsel to kill Lazarus also, ¹¹ since many Judeans were going there and believing in Jesus because of what had happened to him.

¹² Then the next day, a huge crowd of people that had come to the festival (when they heard that Jesus was coming to JeruSalem) ¹³ took palm fronds and went out to meet him, shouting:
‘[God] save the Praised One that comes in Jehovah’s Name as the King of IsraEl!’

¹⁴ And when Jesus found a young burro, he mounted it, just as it was written:
¹⁵ ‘Don’t be afraid, O daughter of Zion;
For look… your king has arrived
Sitting upon the colt of a burro.’

¹⁶ And though his disciples didn’t understand this at first;
After Jesus was glorified, they realized that all of this had been written about him and that they actually did these things.

¹⁷ Also, the crowd that was with him when he had called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead, started testifying about him.
¹⁸ So, many among the throngs [of people that were there] came to meet him, because they’d heard about his performing this sign.
¹⁹ And as the result, the Pharisees started talking among themselves, saying:
‘Look, we’re getting nowhere!
See, the whole world is following him!’

²⁰ Well, there were some Greeks among those that had come to worship at the Festival, ²¹ and they went up to Philip (who was from BethSaida of Galilee) and said:
‘Lord, we would like to see this Jesus.’

²² So Philip went and told Andrew, then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
²³ But Jesus told them no, because he said:
‘The time has now arrived for the Son of Man to be glorified.

²⁴ ‘I tell you the truth;
Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a kernel. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.
²⁵ So, those that care for their lives will lose them, while those that don’t care about their lives in this system of things are grabbing hold of age-long life.

²⁶ ‘Therefore, if anyone wants to serve me, he must follow me, so that my servants will be wherever I am…
For the Father will honor all those that wish to serve me.

²⁷ ‘Now, I’m deeply disturbed, so what should I say…
Father, save me from this hour?
No, for this is why I came to this hour!
²⁸ So Father; Glorify Your Name!’

Then a voice came out of the sky that said:
‘I glorified it and I will glorify it again!’

²⁹ Well, [many in] the crowd that were standing there heard [the sound] and they said it was thunder; but others said:
‘An angel has spoken to him!’

³⁰ Then Jesus said:
‘This voice didn’t happen for my sake, but for yours, ³¹ since this system of things is now going to be judged, and the ruler of this arrangement will be cast out!
³² For when I’m hung high off the ground, I will draw all men toward me.’
³³ (He was really saying this to show what type of death he was about to die).

³⁴ And the crowd started saying:
‘Since the Law tells us that the Anointed One will be here through the age;
Why are you saying that the Son of Man must be hung up… just who is this Son of Man?’

³⁵ And Jesus replied:
‘The light will be among you for just a little while longer.
Therefore, walk while you have the light, so that darkness doesn’t overtake you.
For those that walk in darkness don’t know where they are going.
³⁶ But as long as you have the light, you have to put faith in that light, so you can become Sons of the Light.’

Then after Jesus said these things, he went and hid from them.
³⁷ For though he had performed so many signs before them, they still didn’t believe in him.
³⁸ Yet, all of this happened so that the words of the Prophet IsaiAh could be fulfilled, which said:
‘O Lord;
Who has believed in the things that we’ve heard,
And who has shown us the arm of Jehovah?’

³⁹ Now, the reason why they couldn’t believe is as IsaiAh once said:
⁴⁰ ‘For the hearts of these people have hardened,
So that with their ears, they now listen slowly,
And all their eyelids are closed;
Thus, they will not hear with their ears,
Nor will they see with their eyes,
And their hearts just won’t comprehend
To make them turn back so I’d heal them.’

⁴¹ Yes, IsaiAh said this, because he saw and talked about the glory [of Jesus].
⁴² Why, even many of the rulers believed in him… but they wouldn’t admit it because of the Pharisees, so they wouldn’t be expelled from the synagogues.
⁴³ For they loved the glory of men even more than the glory of God.

⁴⁴ Then Jesus shouted [to the crowd]:
‘Those who believe in me aren’t just believing in me alone, but in the One that sent me.
⁴⁵ And whoever sees me also sees the One that sent me!
⁴⁶ For I came as a light to this world so that all those that believe in me won’t remain in the darkness.

⁴⁷ ‘Now, if anyone hears the things that I am saying and doesn’t obey them; I’m not going to judge that person, for I didn’t come into the world to judge it, but to save it!
⁴⁸ However, those that ignore me and don’t welcome what I say already have someone that is judging them… the things that I’ve said are what will judge them on the last day, ⁴⁹ since the things that I’ve said didn’t come from me.
Rather, it was the Father who sent me that commanded me and told me what to say.
⁵⁰ And since I know that His Commandments mean age-long life, I’ve just told you whatever the Father told me… yes, these are the things that I’ve been saying to you!’

Chapter 13

¹ Well, even before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to transfer from this world to the Father.
Yet, he loved those who were his own in this world all the way to the end.
² So while they were eating supper (since the Slanderer had already put it into the heart of Judas IsCariot – the son of Simon – to betray him, ³ and because he knew that the Father had put everything into his hands and that he came from God and was returning to God); ⁴ he got up from the meal and laid his outer clothing aside.
Then he took a towel and wrapped it around himself, ⁵ and he put water in a bowl and started washing his disciples’ feet and drying them with the towel that he’d wrapped around him.

⁶ However, when he got to Simon Peter, [Peter] asked:
‘Lord, why are you washing my feet?’

⁷ And Jesus replied:
‘You won’t understand what I’m doing right now, but you will understand later.’

⁸ Then Peter said:
‘Well, you aren’t going to wash my feet any time in this age!’

And Jesus told him:
‘If I don’t wash you, you will never have a share with me.’

⁹ And at that, Simon Peter said:
‘Lord, then not just my feet, but my hands and head also!’

¹⁰ But Jesus told him:
‘Someone who has taken a bath is already completely clean and he doesn’t need to have anything more than his feet washed… and you men are clean…
But not all.’

¹¹ He knew, of course, which man would betray him. That’s why he said,
‘Not all of you are clean.’

¹² Well, after he’d finished washing their feet, he put his outer clothing back on and reclined at the table again.
Then he asked:
‘Do you know what I’ve done for you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord, and there’s nothing wrong with this, because that’s what I am.
¹⁴ But if I as your Lord and Teacher washed your feet, you should also wash the feet of each other.
¹⁵ Now, I’ve set the pattern for you, so you must do just as I’ve done to you.

¹⁶ ‘I tell you the truth;
A slave isn’t greater than his master, nor is the one that is sent greater than the one that sent him.
¹⁷ So if you understand these things and do them, you will be blest.

¹⁸ ‘However, I’m not talking about all of you, for I know those whom I chose.
And the scripture must be fulfilled that says:
The one that used to chew on my bread
Has lifted his heel against me.
¹⁹ So from now on, I will be telling you things before they happen.
That way, when they do happen, you’ll believe that I am the one.’

²⁰ ‘I tell you the truth;
Those who welcome anyone that I send are welcoming me.
And those who welcome me, are also welcoming the One that sent me.’

²¹ Well, after he said all these things, Jesus became deeply disturbed and he testified to this:
‘I tell you the truth;
One of you will betray me!’

²² So the disciples started looking at each other and they were all at a loss as to which one he was saying this about.
²³ And because the disciple whom Jesus particularly loved was reclining right next to Jesus, ²⁴ Simon Peter nodded to him and said:
‘Tell [us] who he’s talking about.’

²⁵ So, this one leaned back against Jesus’ chest and asked him:
‘Lord, who [are you saying this about]?’

²⁶ And Jesus replied:
‘It’s the one to whom I’m going to give this piece of bread that I’m dipping.’

So he dipped the piece of bread, then he took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon IsCariot.

²⁷ Well, after [Judas ate] the bread, the Opposer entered him. And Jesus said to him:
‘Now, hurry and do all that you’ve planned to do!’

²⁸ Meanwhile, none of the rest that were reclining at the table knew why he said this to him.
²⁹ In fact, some thought that since Judas was in charge of the money box, Jesus was telling him to buy whatever was needed for the Festival, or that he should give something to the poor.
³⁰ So [Judas] left immediately after he’d received that piece of bread late that evening.

³¹ Well, it was after [Judas] had left that Jesus said:
‘Now the Son of Man is being glorified, and through him, God will also be glorified.
³² For God Himself will glorify him, and he’ll be glorified right away!

³³ ‘Little children; I’ll only be with you a little while longer.
Then you will look for me, and as I told the Judeans:
Where I’m going you can’t come…
And I’m saying the same thing to you right now.

³⁴ ‘Therefore, I’m giving you a new commandment… to love each other!
Yes, love each other just as I’ve loved you.
³⁵ For they will recognize you as my disciples by the love that you have for each other’.

³⁶ Then Simon Peter asked:
‘Where are you going, Lord?’

And Jesus told him:
‘You can’t follow me to the place where I’m going now…
But you will follow later.’

³⁷ Then Peter said:
‘Lord, why can’t I follow you now?
I’m [willing to] give my life for you!’

³⁸ But Jesus said:
‘Will you give your life for me?
I tell you the truth; a rooster won’t crow before you’ve denied knowing me three times.’

Chapter 14

¹ ‘Now, don’t let your hearts be troubled… just have faith in God and have faith in me.

² ‘Understand that there are many rooms in my Father’s house. If this weren’t so, I wouldn’t have told you that I’m going there to prepare a place for you.
³ And if I’m going to prepare a place for you, I will also return and take you back with me, so you will then be wherever I am…
⁴ And you’ll know the way to the place where I’m going.’

⁵ But Thomas said:
‘Lord; Since we don’t know where you’re going, how can we know the way?’

⁶ And Jesus told him:
‘I am the way, the truth, and the life;
So, no one can come to the Father unless [he comes] through me.

⁷ ‘If you men had [truly] known me, you would have recognized my Father also…
And from now on, you’ve known Him and you’ve seen Him.’

⁸ Then Philip said:
‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us!’

⁹ And Jesus asked:
‘Have I spent so much time with you and you haven’t come to know me yet, Philip?
Since those who have seen me have also seen the Father, why are you saying, Show us the Father?
¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I’m in the Father and the Father is in me?

‘I’m not coming up with the things that I’m saying to you on my own… it’s the Father who is in me that is doing His work.
¹¹ Yes, believe me when I say that I’m in the Father and the Father is in me…
Or just believe because of the things that I’m doing!

¹² ‘I tell you the truth;
Whoever believes in me will do the same things that I’m doing.
In fact, he will do even greater things than these, because I’m going to the Father now.… ¹³ and thereafter, I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son can glorify the Father.
¹⁴ Yes, whatever you ask of me in my name, I will do…
¹⁵ And if you truly love me, you’ll follow my commandments!

¹⁶ ‘Now, I’m going to ask the Father and He will provide another advocate for you that will be with you through the age…
¹⁷ The Spirit of Truth.
The world won’t receive it, because they can’t see it or understand it.
However you will recognize it, for it will stay with you and in you.

¹⁸ ‘Yet, I’m not leaving you as orphans, because I’ll be coming [back] to you.

¹⁹ ‘Nevertheless, in just a little while, the world won’t see me anymore.
However, you will see me again, because I’ll be alive and you’ll be alive.
²⁰ And in that day, you’ll come to know that I am in my Father, just as you will be in me and I will be in you.

²¹ ‘Those that know my commandments and obey them are the ones that truly love me.
And because they love me, they will be loved by my Father…
And I’ll love them and reveal myself to them.’

²² Then Judas (not IsCariot, [but ThadDaeus]) asked:
‘Lord, what [is about to] happen so that you’ll be showing yourself to us, but not to the world?’

²³ And Jesus replied:
‘If anyone loves me, he’ll obey my words. Then my Father will love him and we will come to him and dwell in him.
²⁴ However, those who don’t love me won’t obey my words.
And the words that you’re hearing aren’t mine… they belong to the Father that sent me.

²⁵ ‘Now, I’ve told you these things while I was with you, ²⁶ but the Advocate – the Holy Breath that the Father will send in my name – will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I’ve told you.

²⁷ ‘So now, I leave you peace…
I’m giving you my peace.
I’m not giving it to you in the same way as this system of things offers it; I’m giving it to you so that your hearts won’t be troubled or fearful.
²⁸ For though you heard me say that I’m going away… believe that I will also return.
And if you love me, you’ll cry out in joy that I’m going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am!

²⁹ ‘Now, I’ve told you all of these things before they happen, so that when they do happen, you can believe.

³⁰ ‘I won’t be saying many more things to you, because the ruler of this system of things is coming…
Yet he has no hold on me.
³¹ Then the world will know that I love the Father, and that I’ve [fulfilled] all the commandments that the Father gave to me.

‘Now, get up! Let’s leave this place!’

Chapter 15

¹ ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the cultivator.
² So He will remove any branch in me that doesn’t produce fruit, and He will clean up all those that do produce, so that they can bear more fruit.

³ ‘Now you’ve already become clean by the things that I’ve told you…
⁴ So stick with me and I’ll stick with you!
For just as a branch can’t produce fruit unless it remains on the vine, you can’t either, unless you remain in me.

⁵ ‘Yes, I am the vine and you are my branches;
So those that are in me (and I in them) will produce much fruit.
But apart from me, you can’t do anything.
⁶ For when someone doesn’t remain in me, his branch will be removed and wither.
Then men will gather up such branches and throw them into the fire, where they’ll be burned.
⁷ However, if you remain in me, and if the things that I tell you remain in you;
You can ask for anything you wish and it will happen.

⁸ ‘My Father is glorified when you keep on producing much fruit and you continue to prove that you’re my disciples.
⁹ So in the same way that the Father has loved me and I’ve loved you; remain in my love.
¹⁰ Yes, if you’ll obey my commandments, you’ll remain in my love, just as I have obeyed the commandments of the Father and I have remained in His love.

¹¹ ‘Now, I am telling you these things so that you can share in the joy that I have, and so that your joy can grow.
¹² And this is what I am commanding you:
Love each other just as I have loved you!

¹³ ‘No one has greater love than a man who will lay down his life for his friends…
¹⁴ And you are my friends, as long as you keep on doing what I am commanding you.

¹⁵ ‘I’m not calling you slaves, because a slave doesn’t really know what his master is doing.
Rather, I’m calling you friends, because I’ve told you everything that I heard from my Father.

¹⁶ ‘Understand that you didn’t choose me, I chose you…
Yes, I appointed you!
So, you must now go and produce fruit…
Fruit that will last, so that whatever you might ask from the Father in my name, He will give to you!

¹⁷ ‘Yes, this is what I’m commanding you: Love each other!
¹⁸ And know that if this world dislikes you, it disliked me first.
¹⁹ If you’re from this world, the world will be fond of what is its own.
But because you’re no part of this world (since I chose you out of the world), it won’t care much for you.

²⁰ ‘Remember what I told you:
A slave isn’t greater than his master!
So if they’ve hunted me down, they’ll also hunt you down…
But if they’ve obeyed my words, they’ll also obey yours.

²¹ ‘So, they’re going to do all these things against you because of my name, since they don’t know the One that sent me.
²² And if I hadn’t come and spoken to them, they wouldn’t be guilty of sin…
But now they won’t have any excuse for their sins!

²³ ‘Understand that those who dislike me, dislike my Father also.
²⁴ And if I hadn’t done things that no one else has ever done among them, they wouldn’t be guilty of sin.
However, they have [in fact witnessed these things], and they’ve shown that they don’t care for my Father or for me.
²⁵ Yet all of these things have happened so that the words written in [the Psalms] would be fulfilled:
They disliked me for no reason.

²⁶ ‘Now, when the Advocate that I’m going to send to you from the Father arrives (the Spirit of Truth that comes from the Father); that [one] will testify about me.
²⁷ And you are also to testify [about me], because you have been with me from the beginning.’

Chapter 16

¹ ‘Now, I’m telling you these things so you won’t be stumbled, ² for they’re going to expel you from their synagogues…
In fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he’s doing a service to God!
³ However, they’ll be doing these things because they don’t know me or the Father.
⁴ I’ve told you this so that when their hour arrives, you might remember that I [warned] you about these things.

‘I didn’t say anything about this in the beginning, because I was with you.
⁵ But now I’m going to the One that sent me… and yet, none of you have asked me where I’m going.

⁶ ‘I know that because I’ve told you these things, your hearts are now filled with grief.
⁷ But, believe me when I say that my going away is for your own good… because, if I didn’t go away, the Advocate wouldn’t come to you. However, after I go, I’ll send him to you.
⁸ And when that one arrives, he’ll condemn this arrangement over its sins, its righteousness, and its judgments.
⁹ About sin: Because they have no faith in me.
¹⁰ About righteousness: Because I’m going to the Father and you won’t see me anymore.
¹¹ About judgments: Because the Ruler of this world has been judged.

¹² ‘I still have so many things to tell you, but you won’t be able handle them all right now.
¹³ However, when that one (the Spirit of Truth) arrives, he will lead you to all truth… and he won’t be speaking for himself; he’ll tell you what he hears and then he’ll announce the things that will be coming.

¹⁴ ‘That one will also glorify me, because he will receive things from me and then announce them to you.
¹⁵ For, everything that the Father has is now mine, and that’s why I say that he will receive things from me and then announce them to you!
¹⁶ Because, in just a little while, you won’t be able to see me anymore…
But then after a little while, you will also see me again.

¹⁷ Well at this, some of his disciples started asking each other:
‘What does he mean when he says, After a little while you won’t see me, but after a little while you will see me again, and, because I’m going to the Father?’

¹⁸ They also asked:
‘What does he mean by, a little while?
We don’t know what he’s talking about!’

¹⁹ Well, Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him [about this], so he said:
‘Are you asking each other questions because I said, After a little while you won’t see me; and after a while you will see me again?
²⁰ I tell you the truth; You will cry and bawl while the world rejoices…
Yes, you will be very sad, but then your grief will be turned into joy!

²¹‘Whenever a woman is about to give birth, she’s in pain because her time has arrived.
But after the child is born, she forgets about the difficult time that she had because of her joy in knowing that a human has been born into the world.

²² ‘So, though you’re now feeling grief, I will see you again… and then your hearts will rejoice and no one will ever be able to take away that joy!
²³ Also, you won’t have to ask me any more questions then.

‘I tell you the truth;
If you ask the Father for anything thereafter, He’ll give it to you in my name.

²⁴ ‘Until now, you haven’t asked for anything in my name; but then you will ask and receive, and your joy will be complete.
²⁵ For until now, I have been explaining all these things to you through parables. But the time is coming when I’ll no longer have to speak to you in parables, for I’ll talk to you openly and bring back reports to you about the Father.
²⁶ And in that day, you will ask in my name and I’ll no longer [have to] tell you that I’ll ask the Father for you.

²⁷ ‘Understand that the Father cares for you, because you cared for me…
And because you believed that I came here from the Father!
²⁸ So, since I came into the world from the Father, I’ll also be leaving the world and returning to the Father.’

²⁹ Well at this, his disciples said:
‘{Look!} Now you’re talking openly without the use of parables… ³⁰ yes, now we’re aware that you know everything and that you don’t need anyone to be questioning you.
And this is why we believe that you came from The God!’

³¹ But Jesus asked:
‘Do you believe right now?
³² {Look!} The hour is coming (in fact it has already arrived) when you will each be scattered to your own homes and you’ll abandon me.
Yet I won’t be alone, because the Father is [always] with me.

³³ ‘I’ve told you these things so you can find peace in me… for in this world, you’ll only find hard times.
But take courage, because I’ve conquered the world!’

Chapter 17

¹ Well after Jesus said these things, he raised his eyes toward the heavens and said:
‘Father; the hour has arrived!
Now, glorify your son so your son can glorify You.
² You’ve put him over all flesh so that he can give age-long life to all those whom You’ve given to him.
³ And knowing You (the only true God) and the one whom You sent (Jesus the Anointed) means age-long life.

⁴ ‘Father, I’ve glorified You on the earth and perfectly completed the work that You’ve assigned to me.
⁵ So now, glorify me alongside You with the same glory that I had beside You before there was this arrangement.
⁶ For I’ve made Your Name shine among these men whom You gave me from the world…
They were Yours, but You gave them to me, and they’ve obeyed everything that You told them to do.

⁷ ‘They also realize that everything that You gave to me came from You; ⁸ for I’ve passed along to [these men] all the things that You told me, and they’ve welcomed it…
And they know for a fact that I came here from You.
Yes, they believe that You’re the One that sent me!
⁹ So, this is why I’m asking on their behalf… I’m not asking on behalf of the whole world, just for these whom You’ve given to me, because they are Yours.
¹⁰ For all that is Yours is mine, and all that is mine is Yours…
And now I’ve been glorified among them!

¹¹ ‘However, because I’m no longer in this world (though they are), and I’m coming to You, Holy Father;
Watch over these whom You’ve given to me because of Your Name, and so that they may be in [each other], as we are in [each other].

¹² ‘I’ve watched over these while I was with them (these whom You’ve given to me because of Your Name)…
Yes, I’ve watched over them so that none would be destroyed other than the son of destruction, and so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.
¹³ But now I’m coming to You and I’m saying these things in the world so that they may all experience the joy that I have in themselves.

¹⁴ ‘I’ve also given them Your Word. So the world hasn’t cared much for them, because they’re no part of this arrangement, just as I’m no part of this arrangement.
¹⁵ I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, just to protect them from the Wicked One, ¹⁶ since they’re no part of this arrangement, just as I am no part of this arrangement.

¹⁷ ‘Please, make them holy with the truth… for Your Word is the truth!
¹⁸ And as You sent me into the world, I’m now sending them into the world.
¹⁹ For I’m making myself holy on their behalf so that they may be made holy through the truth.

²⁰ ‘Now, I’m not just asking for just these;
[I’m asking that] all those who say that they believe ²¹ may become one, as You Father are in me and I am in You…
Yes, may they become one in us, so that the world may believe that You sent me.

²² ‘I’ve also given them the glory that You gave to me so that they can be one with [each other], just as we are one with [each other]…
²³ I in them and You in me.
May they be perfected into one, so the whole world may know that You sent me and that You love them as You love me.

²⁴ ‘Father, as for these that You’ve given to me;
I want them to be where I am, so they can see the glory that You’re giving to me because You’ve loved me since before the founding of the cosmos.

²⁵ ‘Righteous Father;
The world never knew You… but I know You, and these whom You’ve sent to me have come to know [You].
²⁶ I’ve made Your Name known to them, and I will [continue to] make it known, so that Your love for me can be in them, and that I [can be] in them also.’

Chapter 18

¹ Well, after he said this, Jesus and his disciples crossed the Cedar (Kidron) Wadi, where they entered a garden.

² Now, Judas (his betrayer) also knew of this place, because Jesus often met with his disciples there.
³ So Judas brought along a contingent of soldiers and some officers from the Priests and Pharisees, who all arrived carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons.
⁴ And since Jesus knew everything that was about to happen, he asked them:
‘For whom are you looking?’

⁵ And they replied:
‘Jesus the Nazarene!’

So he said:
‘That’s me!’

Well, Judas (his betrayer) was also standing among them. ⁶ And when he said, ‘That’s me,’ they all backed up and fell to the ground.

⁷ So he asked them once more:
‘For whom are you looking?’

And they again said:
‘Jesus the Nazarene!’

⁸ Then Jesus said:
‘I told you, that’s me! And if I’m the only one that you’re looking for, then let the rest of them go.’
⁹ He said this so that the words he spoke could be fulfilled:
‘I haven’t lost a single one of those that You gave to me.’

¹⁰ And at that, Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the Chief Priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear (the slave’s name was Malchus).
¹¹ However, Jesus told Peter:
‘Put the sword away… shouldn’t I drink from the cup that the Father has given me to drink?’

¹² Then the officer, his soldiers, and the Judean officials grabbed Jesus and tied him up.

¹³ Well, first they first took him to AnNas, the father-in-law of CaiAphas (who was the High Priest that year)…
¹⁴ This was the same CaiAphas who had advised the Judeans that it was to their benefit for one man to die on behalf of the people.

¹⁵ Meanwhile, Simon Peter and another disciple followed behind Jesus. And since the Chief Priest was familiar with that disciple, he went into the Chief Priest’s courtyard along with Jesus, ¹⁶ as Peter stood outside by the gate.
Then the disciple that knew the Chief Priest went outside and spoke to the gatekeeper, and he brought Peter into [the courtyard].

¹⁷ But the servant girl who served as the gatekeeper said to Peter:
‘You aren’t one of this man’s disciples also, are you?’

And Peter said:
‘No, I’m not!’

¹⁸ Meanwhile, all the servants and the officers were standing around warming themselves by a charcoal fire that they’d lit, because it was cold…
And Peter was standing there with them, warming himself.

¹⁹ Well, the Chief Priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teachings.
²⁰ And Jesus told him:
‘I’ve spoken publicly before the whole world, and I’ve taught in the synagogues and in the Temple where all the Judeans meet.
So, since I haven’t said anything in secret, ²¹ why are you questioning me?
Question those that heard what I said. See… they all know what I said!’

²² Well at that, one of the officers that was standing nearby slapped Jesus in the face and said:
‘Is that any way to answer the Chief Priest?’

²³ And Jesus replied:
‘If I spoke in error, then testify that what I said was wrong.
But if [what I said was] right, then why did you hit me?’

²⁴ Well after that, AnNas sent [Jesus] away to CaiAphas, the High Priest, still tied up.

²⁵ Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing outside and warming himself, someone else asked him:
‘Aren’t you one of his disciples?’

But he denied it, saying:
‘I am not!’

²⁶ Then one of the Chief Priest’s servants (a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off) said:
‘I saw you in the garden with him, didn’t I?’

²⁷ But Peter denied it again…
And immediately, a rooster crowed.

²⁸ Well, early the next morning, they led Jesus from CaiAphas’ [home] to the Governor’s Palace.
However, they didn’t go inside because they didn’t want to make themselves unclean, so they could eat the Passover.
²⁹ As the result, Pilate came outside to them and asked:
‘What is your accusation against this man?’

³⁰ And they replied:
‘If this man hadn’t done anything wrong, we wouldn’t be handing him over to you!’

³¹ But Pilate said:
‘Then take him yourselves and judge him by your own laws.’

And the Judeans said:
‘It isn’t legal for us to execute anyone!’
³² (This was said so that Jesus’ words would be fulfilled when he showed what sort of death he would die).

³³ So then, Pilate went back inside the governor’s palace, where he called for Jesus and asked him:
‘Are you the King of the Jews?’

³⁴ And Jesus replied:
‘Is it your idea to ask this, or did others tell you about me?’

³⁵ So Pilate said:
‘I’m not a Jew am I?
Your own people and Priests handed you over to me… so what did you do?’

³⁶ And Jesus said:
‘My Kingdom isn’t from this world.
If my Kingdom were from this world, my followers would likely have fought so I wouldn’t be handed over to the Judeans… but my Kingdom isn’t from here.’

³⁷ And Pilate said:
‘Then, are you a king?’

And Jesus replied:
‘You’re the one that’s saying I am a king.
The reason why I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth, and everyone that’s on the side of truth listens to my voice.’

³⁸ Then Pilate asked:
‘What is the truth?’

And after he said this, he went back outside to the Judeans and told them:
‘I haven’t found any reason [to hold this man].
³⁹ So, since you usually ask me to release someone to you on the Passover; do you want me release the King of the Jews?’

⁴⁰ But they shouted repeatedly:
‘Not him, but BarAbbas!’
(BarAbbas was a robber).

Chapter 19

¹ So then, Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged with a whip.
² And thereafter, the soldiers braided a crown of thorns and placed it on his head.
Then they wrapped him in a purple cape ³ and started coming up to him and saying:
‘Rejoice, O you king of the Jews,’ as they were slapping him in the face!

⁴ Finally, Pilate went outside once more and said:
‘Look; I’m bringing him outside to you so you’ll know that I find no fault in this man!’

⁵ Then he brought out Jesus wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cape, and [Pilate] said:
‘Look; The man!’

⁶ However, when the Chief Priests and the Temple officers saw him, they shouted:
‘Hang him on a pole! Hang him on a pole!’

And Pilate said to them:
‘Then take him and impale him yourselves! I don’t find any fault in him!’

⁷ But the Judeans shouted back:
‘We have a Law; and according to that Law he must die, because he made himself God’s Son.’

⁸ Well when Pilate heard them say this, it frightened him. ⁹ So he went back inside the Governor’s Palace and asked Jesus:
‘Where are you from?’
However, Jesus wouldn’t answer him.

¹⁰ So Pilate said to him:
‘Why aren’t you talking to me? Don’t you know that I have power to release you and the power to impale you?’

¹¹ And Jesus said to him:
‘You wouldn’t have any power at all over me unless it had been given to you from above…
And that’s why the one that handed me over to you has the greater sin.’

¹² Well, because of that, Pilate kept on looking for ways to release Jesus.
But the Judeans started shouting:
‘If you release this man, you’re no friend of Caesar.
For every man that makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!’

¹³ So after Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus back outside.
Then he seated himself in the public-court area called the Stone Pavement (GabBatha in Hebrew)…
¹⁴ It was about the sixth hour of the day of preparation for the Passover.
And [Pilate] said to the Judeans:
‘See; Your King!’

¹⁵ However, they just kept on shouting:
‘Hang him up! Hang him up! Impale him!’

Then Pilate asked:
‘Should I hang your king on a pole?’

And the Chief Priests answered:
‘We have no king but Caesar!’

¹⁶ So at that, he handed Jesus over to them to be impaled, and they took him away, ¹⁷ bearing his own pole, out to the spot called Skull Place (GolGotha in Hebrew).
¹⁸ There they impaled him along with two other men, one on this side and one on the other, with Jesus in the middle.

¹⁹ Pilate also wrote a sign that he put on the pole, which said:
‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’

²⁰ And as the result, many of the Judeans read this title (because the place where Jesus was impaled was close to the city); for it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
²¹ However, the Judean Chief Priests told Pilate:
‘Don’t write The King of the Jews, but, He said that he’s the King of the Jews.’

²² However Pilate told them:
‘What I wrote is what is written.’

²³ Well, when the soldiers impaled Jesus, they took his robe and tore it into four sections so that each soldier could have a piece.
But his long inner shirt was woven without a seam from top to bottom.
²⁴ So they said to each other:
‘Let’s not tear it; we’ll throw dice to see who gets it.’
This happened so that the scripture might be fulfilled:
‘They’ve divided my garments among them
And thrown dice for the clothes that I wear’…
And the soldiers really did these things.

²⁵ Well, standing there by the impaling pole of Jesus was his mother, his mother’s sister Mary (the wife of Cleopas), and Mary of Magdala.
²⁶ So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother:
‘Look, woman; Your son!’

²⁷ Then he said to the disciple:
‘Look; Your mother!’
And from that day on, the disciple took her into his own home.

²⁸ Then later, when Jesus realized that everything had been completed (so the Scriptures could be fulfilled), he said:
‘I’m thirsty.’

²⁹ Well, they had a full jar of vinegar, so they put a sponge filled with the vinegar on a stalk and held it up to his mouth.
³⁰ And when he received the vinegar, Jesus said:
‘It is finished!’
Then he hung his head and gave up the breath (gr. to pneuma).

³¹ Thereafter, since it was Preparation and so that the bodies wouldn’t hang on a pole over the Sabbath (because that was a Great Sabbath), the Judeans asked Pilate to have the men’s legs broken and their bodies taken away.

³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of both men that had been impaled with Jesus.
³³ But when they got to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs.
³⁴ However, one of the soldiers jabbed his side with a spear, at which blood and water poured out.

³⁵ Now, the one who saw this is a witness to the facts, and he is offering this as a true testimony.
He knows that he’s telling the truth and that you can believe it!
³⁶ For it’s a fact that these things happened so that the scripture could be fulfilled:
‘Not a bone of his will be crushed.’
³⁷ And another scripture says:
‘They will look to the one whom they pierced.’

³⁸ Well after that, JoSeph from HariMathea (who was a secret disciple of Jesus… because he was afraid of the Judeans) asked Pilate if he could take Jesus’ body away, and Pilate gave him permission.
So he went and took the body down.

³⁹ Then NicoDemos (the man who had come to him at night the first time) arrived with a roll of myrrh and about a hundred pounds of aloes.
⁴⁰ So they took Jesus’ body and bound it up with wrappings and spices (that’s how the Judeans customarily prepared bodies for burial).
⁴¹ Then, because it was close to the place where he was impaled, they laid Jesus in an unused new tomb that was in a garden, ⁴² since this tomb was nearby, and it was the Jewish day of Preparation.

Chapter 20

¹ Well, on the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early (while it was still dark), and she noticed that the stone had already been moved away.
² So she ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple (the one whom Jesus cared for) and told them:
‘They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they’ve put him!’

³ Then Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb… ⁴ the two started running together, but the other disciple out-ran Peter and reached the tomb first.
⁵ And bending over, he saw the wrappings lying there… however, he didn’t go inside.

⁶ Then Simon Peter came following him, and he went inside the tomb, and he saw the wrappings just lying there.
⁷ However, the cloth that had been placed [Jesus’] head wasn’t with the wrappings… it was rolled up and laid in another spot.

⁸ Then the other disciple (the one that had reached the tomb first) also went in… and he saw… and he believed.

⁹ But since they still didn’t understand the scripture that spoke of how [Jesus] was to be resurrected from the dead; ¹⁰ they just returned to the [place where they had been staying].

¹¹ Meanwhile, Mary [of Magdala] was standing outside the tomb crying.
Then as she was crying, she stooped over to look inside the tomb, ¹² and she saw two [of God’s] messengers dressed in white… one was sitting at the head and the other at the feet of where the body of Jesus had been lying.
¹³ And they asked her:
‘Woman; why are you crying?’

And she replied:
‘They’ve taken my Lord away and I don’t know where they’ve laid him.’

¹⁴ Then when she turned around, she saw Jesus standing there (but she didn’t recognize [him]).
¹⁵ And Jesus asked:
‘Woman; why are you crying… for whom are you looking?’

And she (thinking that he was the caretaker) said:
‘Lord, if you’ve carried him off, tell me where you’ve laid him and I’ll take him away.’

¹⁶ Then Jesus said:
‘Mary!’

And when she turned around, she said to him in Hebrew:
‘Rabboni (My Teacher)!’

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to her:
‘Don’t cling to me, because I haven’t ascended to the Father yet.
However, go to my brothers and tell them that I’m ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’

¹⁸ So then Mary of Magdala went and carried the news to the disciples saying:
‘I have seen the Lord!’
And [then she told them] what he said.

¹⁹ So late that evening, although the doors were locked at the place where the disciples were (for fear of the Judeans), Jesus came and stood in their midst and said:
‘May you have peace.’

²⁰ Then after he said this, he showed them his hands and his side, and the disciples rejoiced at seeing the Lord.
²¹ And once again Jesus said:
‘May you have peace.’

Then he told them:
‘In the same way that the Father sent me, I am now sending you.’
²² And after he said this, he blew on them, and said:
‘Receive the Holy Breath.
²³ For from now on; if you forgive anyone’s sins, they will remain forgiven.
But if you don’t forgive their sins, they won’t be forgiven.’

²⁴ However, Thomas (one of the twelve, who was called the Twin) wasn’t with them when Jesus came.
²⁵ So when the other disciples told him that they had seen the Lord, he said:
‘I won’t believe it unless I see the print of the nails in his hands and stick my finger in them, and stick my hand into his side!’

²⁶ Well, eight days later, his disciples were once again gathered inside… and this time Thomas was with them.
Then Jesus came again and stood in their midst (though the doors were locked) and he said:
‘May you have peace.’

²⁷ Then he said to Thomas:
‘Now, put your finger here… look at my hands!
Then take your hand and stick it into my side… stop doubting and start believing!’

²⁸ Well at that, Thomas said:
‘My Lord and my God!’

²⁹ And Jesus said:
‘Do you believe because you’ve seen me?
It is those who haven’t seen and still believe that are blest.’

³⁰ Well, it’s a fact that Jesus performed many other signs before his disciples, which I haven’t written about in this scroll.
³¹ However, I’ve written these things so you can believe that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Son of The God…
And that by believing, you may also gain life through his name.

Chapter 21

¹ Well after that, Jesus showed himself to the disciples again at the Sea of Tiberius, and this is how he did it:

² There was Simon (Peter), Thomas (the Twin), NathaniEl ([BarTholomew]) from Cana of Galilee, the [two] sons of ZebediOu, and two other disciples;
³ For Simon Peter had told them that he was going fishing, and they said that they wanted to come along.
So they all went out and got into the boat. However, they didn’t catch anything all night long.

⁴ Then just as it was starting to get light, there was Jesus standing on the beach… but the disciples didn’t recognize him.
⁵ And Jesus shouted:
‘Children; You don’t have anything to eat yet, do you?’

And they answered:
‘No!’

⁶ So he said:
‘Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you’ll find some!’

So they threw the net out, but then they weren’t able to bring it back in, because there were too many fish.
⁷ And at that, the disciple that Jesus used to love said to Peter:
‘It’s the Lord!’

And when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he slipped off his robe (leaving him naked) and dove into the sea.
⁸ However, the rest of the disciples followed him in on the boat, dragging along their net full of fish, because they weren’t very far from land (only about three hundred feet).

⁹ Well, when they reached the shore, they noticed that there was a charcoal fire with fish and bread already lying over it.
¹⁰ Then Jesus said:
‘Bring me some of those fish that you just caught.’

¹¹ So Simon Peter then pulled the net to land, and he found that it was filled with a hundred and fifty-three large fish.
However, despite the fact that there were so many, the net didn’t rip.

¹² Then Jesus said:
‘Now, come and get your breakfast!’

Well, none of the disciples had enough courage to ask him who he was, because they knew it was the Lord.

¹³ So thereafter, Jesus went over and handed each of them some bread and some fish.
¹⁴ This was the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after he had been raised from the dead.

¹⁵ Then, following breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter:
‘Simon, son of Jonah; Do you love me more than these [fish]?’

And he replied:
‘Yes Lord; You know how much I care for you!’

Then [Jesus] said:
‘Feed my lambs!’

¹⁶ And he asked [Peter] a second time:
‘Simon, son of Jonah; Do you love me?’

And he said:
‘Yes Lord, you know how much I care for you!’

Then [Jesus] said:
‘Shepherd my sheep!’

¹⁷ And he asked a third time:
‘Simon, son of Jonah; Do you care for me?’

Well, Peter was hurt when he asked whether he cared for him a third time, so he said:
‘Lord, you know everything… so you know how much I care for you!’

And Jesus said to him:
‘Feed my sheep!

¹⁸ ‘I tell you the truth;
When you were young, you used to wrap your clothes around you and walk wherever you wished.
But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will wrap you up and take you where you don’t wish to go.’
¹⁹ (He said this to show [Peter] the type of death he would [die, to] glorify God).

And after that, he said:
‘Keep on following me!’

²⁰ Well, when Peter turned around, he noticed the disciple whom Jesus loved following them (the one that had leaned back on [Jesus’] chest after supper and asked him:
‘Lord, who will betray you?’

²¹ And upon seeing him, Peter asked Jesus:
‘Lord, what about him?’

²² And Jesus answered:
‘If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?
You just keep on following me!’

²³ However, because of that, word was spread among the brothers that this disciple wouldn’t die.
Yet Jesus didn’t say that he wouldn’t die, he just said:
‘If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?’

²⁴ This is the same disciple that is now testifying and writing about these things, and you should know that the testimony he is providing is the truth.

²⁵ ---

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