This man came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe [in Christ, the Light] through him.

John testified [repeatedly] about Him and has cried out [testifying officially for the record, with validity and relevance], “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I and has priority over me, for He existed before me.’”

This is the testimony of John [the Baptist] when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I and has priority over me, for He existed before me.’

I myself have [actually] seen [that happen], and my testimony is that this is the Son of God!”

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

Jesus replied, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe [in Me]? You will see greater things than this.”

This, the first of His signs (attesting miracles), Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory [displaying His deity and His great power openly], and His disciples believed [confidently] in Him [as the Messiah—they adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him].

Then the Jews retorted, “What sign (attesting miracle) can You show us as [proof of] your authority for doing these things?”

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Then the Jews replied, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and You will raise it up in three 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.

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be possible?”

This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the land of Judea, and there He spent time with them and baptized.

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this pleasure and joy of mine is now complete.

Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal [of approval] to this: God is true [and he knows that God cannot lie].

Jesus answered her, “If you knew [about] God’s gift [of eternal life], and who it is who says, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him [instead], and He would have given you living water (eternal life).”

Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and who used to drink from it himself, and his sons and his cattle also?”

Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.

The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not get thirsty nor [have to continually] come all the way here to draw.”

At this, Jesus said, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

for you have had five husbands, and the man you are now living with is not your husband. You have said this truthfully.”

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one ought to worship is in Jerusalem [at the temple].”

Jesus replied, “Woman, believe Me, a time is coming [when God’s kingdom comes] when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

“Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done! Can this be the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)?”

For in this case the saying is true, ‘One [person] sows and another reaps.’

This is the second sign (attesting miracle) that Jesus performed [in Cana] after He had come from Judea to Galilee [revealing that He is the Messiah].

Now in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew (Jewish Aramaic) Bethesda, having five porticoes (alcoves, colonnades).

For this reason the Jews began to persecute Jesus continually because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.

This made the Jews more determined than ever to kill Him, for not only was He breaking the Sabbath [from their viewpoint], but He was also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Do not be surprised at this; for a time is coming when all those who are in the tombs will hear His voice,

After this, Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Sea of Tiberias).

But He said this to test Philip, because He knew what He was about to do.

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!”

Jesus answered, “This is the work of God: that you believe [adhere to, trust in, rely on, and have faith] in the One whom He has sent.”

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

This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but that I [give new life and] raise it up at the last day.

For this is My Father’s will and purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him [as Savior] will have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.”

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’?”

This is the Bread that comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

I am the Living Bread that came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior], he will live forever. And the Bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh (body).”

This is the Bread which came down out of heaven. It is not like [the manna that] our fathers ate and they [eventually] died; the one who eats this Bread [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] will live forever.”

When many of His disciples heard this, they said, “This is a difficult and harsh and offensive statement. Who can [be expected to] listen to it?”

But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about it, asked them, “Does this cause you to stumble and take offense?

And He was saying, “This is the reason why I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him [that is, unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father.”

As a result of this many of His disciples abandoned Him, and no longer walked with Him.

After this, Jesus walked [from place to place] in Galilee, for He would not walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

So His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples [there] may also see the works that You do.

No one does anything in secret when he wants to be known publicly. If You [must] do these things, show Yourself openly to the world and make Yourself known!”

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?

But we know where this Man is from; whenever the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”

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?”

Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does this Man intend to go that we will not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion [of Jews scattered and living] among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

What does this statement of His mean, ‘You will look for Me, and will not [be able to] find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

Listening to these words, some of the people said, “This is certainly the Prophet!”

Others said, “This is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)!” But others said, “Surely the Christ is not going to come out of Galilee, is He?

The guards replied, “Never [at any time] has a man talked the way this Man talks!”

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

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.

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 the Jews were asking [among themselves], “Will He kill Himself? Is that why He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.

But as it is, you want to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. This is not the way Abraham acted.

Whoever is of God and belongs to Him hears [the truth of] God’s words; for this reason you do not hear them: because you are not of God and you are not in fellowship with Him.”

His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”

Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed and illustrated in him.

When He had said this, He spat on the ground and made mud with His saliva, and He spread the mud [like an ointment] on the man’s eyes.

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?”

Then some of the Pharisees said, “This Man [Jesus] is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner (a non-observant Jew) do such signs and miracles?” So there was a difference of opinion among them.

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

His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;

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].”

We know [for certain] that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this Man, we do not know where He is from.”

The man replied, “Well, this is astonishing! You do not know where He comes from, and yet He opened my eyes!

If this Man were not from God, He would not be able to do anything [like this because God would not hear His prayer].”

Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment [to separate those who believe in Me from those who reject Me—to declare judgment on those who choose to be separated from God], so that the sightless would see, and those who see would become blind.”

Some Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “Are we also blind?”

The doorkeeper opens [the gate] for this man, and the sheep hear his voice and pay attention to it. And [knowing that they listen] he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out [to pasture].

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

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.

For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life so that I may take it back.

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem.

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.”

It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death; but [on the contrary it is] for the glory and honor of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours [of light] in the day? Anyone who walks in the daytime does not stumble, because he sees [by] the light of this world.

and everyone who lives and believes in Me [as Savior] will never die. Do you believe this?”

After she had said this, she left and called her sister Mary, privately whispering [to her], “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.”

And when she heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him.

But some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the blind man’s eyes, have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days! [It is hopeless!]”

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].”

When He had said this, He shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

So the chief priests and Pharisees convened a council [of the leaders in Israel], and said, “What are we doing? For this man performs many signs (attesting miracles).

If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our [holy] place (the temple) and our nation.”