These things happened in Bethany on the east side of the Jordan River where John was immersing people. [Note: This was a different Bethany from the one just outside of Jerusalem].

Jesus said to him, "Do you believe [in me just] because I told you, 'I saw you under that fig tree'? You will see [even] greater things than these [happen]."

There in the Temple [area] He found people selling oxen, sheep and pigeons. [i.e., for use as sacrifices]. Also cashiers were sitting there. [Note: These people exchanged foreign coins so visitors to Jerusalem could make purchases and pay taxes].

He said to those who were selling the pigeons, "Take these things out of here, and quit making my Father's house [i.e., the Temple] a merchandise mart."

So, the Jews asked Him, "What [miraculous] sign will you show us, since you are doing these things [i.e., disrupting their merchandising activities]?"

But Jesus would not trust Himself to them [i.e., to the care of these Jewish leaders] because He knew all men,

This man went to Jesus one night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we [i.e., speaking of himself and other Jewish leaders] know that you are a Teacher sent from God, for no one could perform these [miraculous] signs that you are doing unless God were with Him."

Then Nicodemus asked Jesus, "How can these things happen?"

Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of the Israelites and [yet] you do not understand these things?

John [the Immerser] was also immersing people in Aenon, near Salem [Note: These locations are thought to have been in northeastern Judea, near the Jordan River], because there was a lot of water there; so people were coming to be immersed.

These disciples went to John and said to him, "Rabbi, look, that man who was with you on the east side of the Jordan River [i.e., Jesus], whom you testified about, is immersing people and everyone is going to him." [Note: Actually, it was Jesus' disciples who did the immersing. See 4:2].

But the time will come, and is now [actually] here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [i.e., from the heart] and truth [i.e., according to God's revealed will], for these are the people whom the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

After these things Jesus went up to Jerusalem to [attend] a Jewish festival.

Under these porticos a large number of sick, blind, crippled and deformed people were placed {{A few ancient authorities add "to wait for the water [of the pool] to become choppy.

So, for this reason the Jews began persecuting Jesus, because He did these [kinds of] things on the Sabbath day.

For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him everything that He Himself does; and He will show Him [even] greater deeds [i.e., more extensive in scope] than these [i.e., than merely healing a crippled man], so that you people will be amazed.

But I do not rely on the testimony of men about me; therefore I tell you these things so you will be saved [i.e., from condemning judgment. See verse 29].

You search through the Scriptures [i.e., the Old Testament], because you think that you will [learn how to] have never ending life by [reading] them. And these Scriptures are what testify concerning me.

After these things happened Jesus went across to the east side of Lake Galilee, also called Lake Tiberias. [Note: This lake also bore a name honoring the Roman Emperor Tiberias].

Jesus answered, "Have these people recline [on the ground]." Now there was a lot of grass in that place. So, the men, numbering about five thousand, reclined [on the grass].

Jesus said these things in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

So, when they heard [these things], many of Jesus' disciples said, "This is difficult teaching. Who can listen to it [i.e., and accept it]?"

Then after these things happened, Jesus traveled in Galilee [only], for He did not want to move around in Judea because the Jews [there] were trying to kill Him.

Then after saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee [i.e., for awhile longer. See next verse].

The Pharisees [i.e., a strict sect of the Jewish religion] heard the crowd whispering these things about Him, so the leading priests and Pharisees sent some Temple guards to arrest Him.

When they heard these words some people in the crowd said, "Truly, this man is the prophet." [See note on 1:21].

Jesus spoke these words in the treasury [area of the Temple]. And no one arrested Him because His time had not yet come [i.e., to be turned over to the authorities and killed].

When He said these things, many people believed in Him.

But these Jews [i.e., Pharisees] did not believe that the man had been blind and had received his sight back until they called his parents

His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities who had already decided that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be expelled from the synagogue.

Some Pharisees, who were with Jesus, heard [Him say] these things, and replied, "Are we blind, too?"

The Jews who heard these words became divided again [i.e., over their meaning].

Others said, "These are not the words of someone dominated by an evil spirit. Can an evil spirit restore sight to a blind person?"

But if he walks at night he [might] stumble, because there is no light [to see by]. [Note: These words have a figurative meaning as Jesus is speaking about His mission in life].

After saying these things He said to His disciples, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going to wake him up."

When Jesus saw her and her Jewish friends, who had come with her, crying, He felt distressed in His spirit and [visibly] troubled [Note: This last word means to shake with emotion, and seems to have been caused by His deep sympathy for these grieving people],

His disciples did not understand these things at first, but after Jesus received splendor [in heaven], then they remembered that these things had been written about Him [in Scripture] and that people had done such things to Him.

Now there were certain Greeks among those going up to Jerusalem to worship [God] at the [Passover] Festival [Note: These people were God-fearing Gentiles like Cornelius. See Acts 10].

So, these people approached [the apostle] Philip, who was from Bethsaida, in Galilee with the request, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."

[So], believe in the Light [i.e., Jesus is speaking of Himself] while you [still] have the Light [with you], so that you can become enlightened people." After Jesus said these things, He left there and hid Himself from them.

This was so that these words, which Isaiah the prophet had spoken, would be fulfilled [Isa. 53:1], "Lord, who has believed our message? And who has the Lord's power been shown to?"

Isaiah had said these things because he saw the [coming] glory of Jesus, and [so] was speaking about Him.

If you know these things, you will be happy if you practice them.

Truly, truly, I tell you, the person who believes in me will perform the deeds that I do also; and he will perform even greater deeds than these, because I am going to the Father. [Note: The "greater deeds" are probably evangelizing the world].

"I have told you these things while I am still with you.

I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in your hearts, and that your joy may be complete.

I command you to do these things so that you will [demonstrate your] love for one another. [Note: Or this may mean that His command was to love one another, as in verse 12].

But they [i.e., the world] will do all these things to you for my name's sake [i.e., because you are my disciples], for they do not know Him [i.e., God], who sent me.

[Jesus continued], "I have told you these things so that you men would not fall away [i.e., from the faith].

And they will do these things because they have not known [either] the Father or me.

But I have told you these things so that, when the time comes [for people to do such things], you will remember that I had warned you. I did not tell you them at the beginning [of my ministry] because I was with you [i.e., to protect you from persecution].

And now that I have told you these things, your hearts are full of grief.

"I have spoken these things to you in figurative language. [However], the time will come when I will not speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly about the Father.

I have said these things to you so that you can have peace in [fellowship with] me. You will have trouble in the world, but cheer up, for I have conquered the world."

After saying these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the time has come; honor your Son so that your Son may honor you.

And everything I have belongs to you, and what you have belongs to me; and I am honored through these men.

And [now] I am coming to you, for I will not be in the world any longer, yet these men are [still] in the world. Holy Father, protect them by [the power of] your name which you have given me. May these men be one, as we are.

But now I am coming to you, and I am speaking these things [while still] in the world, so that they [i.e., the apostles] may have my joy within them in all its fullness.

"I am not praying for these [apostles] only, but also for [all of] those who believe in me through their message.

Righteous Father, the world does not know you but I know you, and these men know that you sent me.

After Jesus had said these things He went out with His disciples across the Kidron valley. [Note: This was a "wadi," or dry creek bed which carried a torrent of water during the rainy season. It ran parallel with the east wall of Jerusalem, between the city and the Mount of Olives]. There was an [olive] orchard there and Jesus and His disciples went into it.

Jesus said to them, "I [already] told you that I am [He]; so if you are looking for me, let these men [i.e., the apostles] go."

Why are you asking me? Ask the people who have heard me about what I said to them. Look, these people know what I said."

For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled [Ex. 12:46], "Not a [single] bone of his will be broken."

He stooped down and looked inside [the cave-like tomb] and saw the linen cloths lying there [i.e., these were wrappings used to hold embalming spices against the body], but he did not go in.

But these disciples still did not understand the Scripture that [predicted] Jesus must rise again from the dead.

So, Mary from Magdala went and told the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her. [See Matt. 28:7-10].

Upon saying this, Jesus breathed on the disciples and said to them, "[Be willing to] receive the Holy Spirit." [Note: This "breathing" served as a pledge of the Holy Spirit which actually came on these apostles a few weeks later. See Acts 1:5-8; 2:4].

But these [signs] are written down so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that when you believe [this], you will have [never ending] life in His name [i.e., through His person and work].

After these things happened Jesus showed Himself to His disciples again at Lake Tiberias. [Note: This was another name for Lake Galilee]. Here is the way He did it.

So, after they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you really love me more than these [other disciples do]?" Peter answered Him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." [Note: Since two different Greek words for "love" are used in this conversation, some scholars see a distinction in their meaning. See Butler, Vol. II, pp. 453-457 for a discussion of these views]. Jesus replied to him, "[Then] feed my lambs."

This is the disciple who is giving testimony about these things and has written them down, and we know his testimony is true.