He came to that which was His own [that which belonged to Him—His world, His creation, His possession], and those who were His own [people—the Jewish nation] did not receive and welcome Him.

who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].

They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the [promised] Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

And Jesus turned and saw them following Him, and asked them, “What do you want?” They answered Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”

He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went [with Him] and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

When the wine was all gone, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no more wine.”

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim.

Then He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter [of the banquet].” So they took it to him.

After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

So when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered what He had said. And they believed and trusted in and relied on the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Jesus replied, “You are the [great and well-known] teacher of Israel, and yet you do not know nor understand these things [from Scripture]?

But whoever practices truth [and does what is right—morally, ethically, spiritually] comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—accomplished in God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence on Him].”

So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi (Teacher), the Man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan [at the Jordan River crossing]—and to whom you have testified—look, He is baptizing too, and everyone is going to Him!”

Just then His disciples came, and they were surprised to find Him talking with a woman. However, no one said, “What are You asking about?” or, “Why are You talking to her?”

Do you not say, ‘It is still four months until the harvest comes?’ Look, I say to you, raise your eyes and look at the fields and see, they are white for harvest.

So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they asked Him to remain with them; and He stayed there two days.

and they told the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; for [now] we have heard Him for ourselves and know [with confident assurance] that this One is truly the Savior of [all] the world.”

So when He arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him, since they had seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they too came to the feast.

So he asked them at what time he began to get better. They said, “Yesterday during the seventh hour the fever left him.”

They asked him, “Who is the Man who told you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?”

so that all will give honor (reverence, homage) to the Son just as they give honor to the Father. [In fact] the one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who has sent Him.

and they will come out—those who did good things [will come out] to a resurrection of [new] life, but those who did evil things [will come out] to a resurrection of judgment [that is, to be sentenced].

A large crowd was following Him because they had seen the signs (attesting miracles) which He continually performed on those who were sick.

“There is a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?”

Then Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; the same also with the fish, as much as they wanted.

When they had eaten enough, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost.”

So they gathered them up, and they filled twelve large baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

When the people saw the sign (attesting miracle) that He had done, they began saying, “This is without a doubt the promised Prophet who is to come into the world!”

Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself.

and they got into a boat and started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had still not come [back] to them.

Then, when they had rowed three or four miles [and were near the center of the sea], they saw Jesus walking on the sea and approaching the boat; and they were [terribly] frightened.

Then they were willing to take Him on board the boat, and immediately the boat reached the [shore of the] land to which they were going.

[Now some] other small boats from Tiberias had come in near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

Then they asked Him, “What are we to do, so that we may habitually be doing the works of God?”

So they said to Him, “What sign (attesting miracle) will You do that we may see it and believe You? What [supernatural] work will You do [as proof]?

Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

They kept saying, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now [have the arrogance to] say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”

It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father, comes to Me.

Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

Then the Jews were perplexed. They said, “How did this man become learned [so versed in the Scriptures and theology] without formal training?”

Then some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Is this not the Man they want to kill?

Look, He is speaking publicly, and they say nothing to Him! Is it possible that the rulers really know that this is the Christ?

So they were eager to arrest Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His time had not yet come.

But many from the crowd believed in Him. And they kept saying, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs and exhibit more proofs than this Man?”

But this [ignorant, contemptible] crowd that does not know the Law is accursed and doomed!”

They responded, “Are you also from Galilee? Search [and read the Scriptures], and see [for yourself] that no prophet comes from Galilee!”

[And everyone went to his own house.

Now the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the center of the court,

and they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of adultery.

They said this to test Him, hoping that they would have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground with His finger.

However, when they persisted in questioning Him, He straightened up and said, “He who is without [any] sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

They listened [to His reply], and they began to go out one by one, starting with the oldest ones, until He was left alone, with the woman [standing there before Him] in the center of the court.

Then the Pharisees said to Him, “Where is this Father of Yours?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.”

So they said to Him, “Who are You [anyway]?” Jesus replied, “What have I been saying to you from the beginning?

They did not realize [or have the spiritual insight to understand] that He was speaking to them about the Father.

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone. What do You mean by saying, ‘You will be set free’?”

They answered, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are [truly] Abraham’s children, then do the works of Abraham and follow his example.

You are doing the works of your [own] father.” They said to Him, “We are not illegitimate children; we have one [spiritual] Father: God.”

So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus concealed Himself and left the temple.

So the neighbors, and those who used to know him as a beggar, said, “Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?”

So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

They asked him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”

Then they brought the man who was formerly blind to the Pharisees.

Accordingly they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “[It must be that] He is a prophet!”

However, the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the man’s parents.

They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?”

His parents said this because they were afraid of [the leaders of] the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged Jesus to be the Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated).

So a second time they called the man who had been [born] blind, and said to him, “Give God glory and praise [for your sight]! We know this Man [Jesus] is a sinner [separated from God].”

So they said to him, “What did He [actually] do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

And [at that remark] they stormed at him and jeered, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses!

They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins [from head to foot], and you [presume to] teach us?” Then they threw him out [of the synagogue].

Jesus heard that they had put him out [of the synagogue], and finding him, He asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

When he has brought all his own sheep outside, he walks on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice and recognize his call.

They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what He was talking about.

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

I have other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring those also, and they will listen to My voice and pay attention to My call, and they will become one flock with one Shepherd.

Jesus answered them, “I have told you so, yet you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name testify concerning Me [they are My credentials and the evidence declaring who I am].

The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me.

And I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever [by any means] perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand.

So they tried again to seize Him, but He eluded their grasp.

Many came to Him, and they were saying, “John did not perform a single sign (attesting miracle), but everything John said about this Man was true and accurate.”

And many there believed and confidently trusted in Him [accepting Him as Savior, and following His teaching].

Now Jesus loved and was concerned about Martha and her sister and Lazarus [and considered them dear friends].

However, Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was referring to natural sleep.

So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her, saw how quickly Mary got up and left, they followed her, assuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said, “Lord, come and see.”

So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes [toward heaven] and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

I knew that You always hear Me and listen to Me; but I have said this because of the people standing around, so that they may believe that You have sent Me [and that You have made Me Your representative].”

So then, many of the Jews who had come to [be with] Mary and who were eyewitnesses to what Jesus had done, believed in Him.

So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

Now the Passover of the Jews was approaching, and many from the country went up to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves [ceremonially, so that they would be able to participate in the feast].

So they were looking for Jesus as they stood in the temple [area], and saying among themselves, “What do you think? Will He not come to the feast at all?”

Now the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it so that they might arrest Him.

So they gave a supper for Him there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

A large crowd of Jews learned that He was there [at Bethany]; and they came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.