When anyone hears the message of the kingdom and does not understand it, the wicked one comes and carries off the seed that was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. And what was sown upon the thin rocky soil illustrates the man who hears the message and bubbling over with joy at once accepts it, read more. but it takes no real root in him, and he lasts only a little while, and just as soon as suffering and persecution come for the truth's sake, he at once yields and falls. And what was sown among the thorns illustrates the man who hears the message, and the worries of the times and the pleasures of being rich choke the truth out, and he yields no fruit. And what was sown in rich soil illustrates the man who hears the message and understands it, and yields fruit, one a hundred, one sixty, another thirty-fold."

In the beginning the Word existed; and the Word was face to face with God; yea, the Word was God Himself.

In the beginning the Word existed; and the Word was face to face with God; yea, the Word was God Himself.

In the beginning the Word existed; and the Word was face to face with God; yea, the Word was God Himself.

In the beginning the Word existed; and the Word was face to face with God; yea, the Word was God Himself. He is the One who was face to face with God in the beginning. read more. It was through Him that everything came into existence, and apart from Him not a single thing came into existence.

It was through Him that everything came into existence, and apart from Him not a single thing came into existence.

It was through Him that everything came into existence, and apart from Him not a single thing came into existence. It was by Him that life began to exist, and that life was the light of mankind.

It was by Him that life began to exist, and that life was the light of mankind.

It was by Him that life began to exist, and that life was the light of mankind.

It was by Him that life began to exist, and that life was the light of mankind. So the light continues to shine in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it.

So the light continues to shine in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it. There appeared a man named John, sent from God. read more. He came for the purpose of testifying, to testify to the light, so that everyone through him might come to believe. He was not the light; he came to testify to the light. The real light, which sheds light upon everyone, was just coming into the world.

The real light, which sheds light upon everyone, was just coming into the world. He came into the world, and though the world through Him began to exist, it did not recognize Him.

He came into the world, and though the world through Him began to exist, it did not recognize Him.

He came into the world, and though the world through Him began to exist, it did not recognize Him. He came into His own world, but His own people did not welcome Him. read more. But to all who did accept Him, and trust in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God, who were born of God and not of natural blood nor of physical or human impulse. So the Word became human and lived a little while among us, and we actually saw His glory, the glory of One who is an only Son from His Father, and He was full of spiritual blessing and truth. John testified to Him and cried out, for this was the one who said, "The One who is coming after me has been put before me, because He existed before me." For from His bounty we have all received spiritual blessing after spiritual blessing. For while the law was given through Moses, spiritual blessing and truth have come through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only son, Deity Himself, who lies upon His Father's breast, has made him known.

No one has ever seen God; the only son, Deity Himself, who lies upon His Father's breast, has made him known.

And yet no one has gone up into heaven except the Son of Man who came down out of heaven. And just as Moses in the desert lifted the serpent on the pole, the Son of Man must be lifted up, read more. so that everyone who trusts in Him may have eternal life. "For God loved the world so much that He gave His Only Son, so that anyone who trusts in Him may never perish but have eternal life. For God sent His Son into the world, not to pass sentence on it, but that the world through Him might be saved. Whoever trusts in Him is never to come up for judgment, but whoever does not trust in Him has already received his sentence, because he has not trusted in the name of God's only Son. And the ground for the sentence is this, that the light has come into the world, and yet, because their actions were evil, men have loved darkness more than the light. For anyone who is in the habit of doing wrong hates the light, and to keep his actions from being reproved, he does not come out into the daylight. But whoever is in the habit of living the truth will come out in the daylight, that his actions may be shown to be performed with God's help."

Then Jesus said to them, "I most solemnly say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in you. Whoever continues to eat my flesh and drink my blood already possesses eternal life, and I will raise him to life on the last day. read more. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever continues to eat my flesh and drink my blood continues to live in union with me and I in union with him. Just as the living Father has sent me and I live because of the Father, so whoever keeps on eating me will live because of me. This is the bread that comes down out of heaven; not as your forefathers ate the manna, and yet died. Whoever continues to eat this bread will live forever."

So Jesus, as He was teaching in the temple, cried out, "Yes, you do know me and you do know where I come from, and I have not come on my own authority, but the One who has sent me exists as the Real One, whom you do not know. I know Him myself, because I have come from Him, and He has sent me."

Then Jesus again addressed them and said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever continues to follow me need never walk in darkness, but he will enjoy the light that means life."

Jesus answered them, "Even if I do testify to myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I have come from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

Even if I should judge, my decision is fair, because I am not alone, but there are two of us, I and the Father who has sent me.

My father who gave them to me is stronger than all, and no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

But Jesus cried aloud, "Whoever believes in me believes not merely in me but in Him who has sent me; and whoever sees me sees Him who has sent me. read more. I have come as light into the world, so that no one who continues to believe in me can remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and fails to keep them, it is not I that judge him, for I have not come to judge but to save the world. Whoever persistently rejects me and refuses to accept my teachings has something to judge him -- the very message I have spoken will judge him on the last day. This is because I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who has sent me has given me orders Himself what to say and what to tell. And I know that His orders mean eternal life. So whatever I speak I am speaking as the Father has told me."

Jesus answered him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you knew me, you would know my Father too. From now on you do know Him and you have seen Him." read more. Philip said to Him, "Lord, let us see the Father, and that will satisfy us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you disciples so long, and yet you, Philip, have not recognized me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Let us see the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in union with the Father and that the Father is in union with me? I am not saying these things on my own authority, but the Father who always remains in union with me is doing these things Himself. You must believe me, that I am in union with the Father and that the Father is in union with me, or else you must do so because of the very things that I am doing.

So now, Father, glorify me up there in your presence just as you did before the world existed.

for I have given them the teachings that you gave me, and they have accepted them, and they have come to know in reality that I did come from you, and so they are convinced that you did send me.

Father, I want to have those whom you have given me right where I am, in order that they may see the glory which you have given me, because you loved me before the creation of the world.

But these have been recorded, in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life, as bearers of His name.

and that most of the Christian brothers have grown confident enough, because of my imprisonment, to dare to tell God's message without being afraid.

Keep on fostering the same disposition that Christ Jesus had. Though He was existing in the nature of God, He did not think His being on an equality with God a thing to be selfishly grasped, read more. but He laid it aside as He took on the nature of a slave and became like other men. Because He was recognized as a man, in reality as well as in outward form, He finally humiliated Himself in obedience so as to die, even to die on a cross. This is why God has highly exalted Him, and given Him the name that is above every other name, so that in the name of Jesus everyone should kneel, in heaven, on earth, and in the underworld, and everyone should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the praise of God the Father.

It is God who has delivered us out of the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of His dearly loved Son, by whom we possess the ransom from captivity, which means the forgiveness of our sins. read more. Yes, He is the exact likeness of the unseen God, His first-born Son who existed before any created thing, for it was through Him that everything was created in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. So He existed before all things, and through Him all things are held together. Yes, He is the Head of the church as His body. For He is the beginning, the first-born among the dead, so that He alone should stand first in everything. It is so because it was the divine choice that all the divine fullness should dwell in Him, and that through Him He might reconcile to Himself all things on earth or in heaven, making this peace through the blood He shed On His cross.

For it is in Him that all the fullness of Deity continues to live embodied,

It was bit by bit and in many different ways that God in olden times spoke to our forefathers through the prophets, but in these latter days He has spoken to us through a Son, whom He had appointed lawful owner of everything, and through whom He had made the worlds. read more. He is the reflection of God's glory and the perfect representation of His being, and continues to uphold the universe by His mighty word. After He had procured man's purification from sins, He took His seat at the right hand of God's majesty, thus proving Himself to be as much superior to angels as the title He has inherited is superior to theirs.

It is what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our own eyes, what we have beheld, what our own hands have touched, about the very message of life --

Omitted Text.

He wore a garment dipped in blood, and His name was the Word of God.