these things were transacted at Bethabara, near Jordan, where John used to baptize.

now there were six cisterns of stone plac'd there for the use of the Jews in their purifications, containing two or three firkins a-piece.

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].

Jesus said to him, "Truly, truly, I tell you, a person cannot see the kingdom of God [i.e., enter it. See verse 5], unless he is born from above [Note: The words "from above" are also used in verse 31, but in this place they could also mean "again," or "anew" and refer to the source of a person's second birth].

So the Samaritan woman said to him, "How can you -- a Jew -- ask me, a Samaritan woman, for water to drink?" (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.)

Surely you are not greater than our Father Jacob, who gave us the well, and used to drink from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle, too?"

and in these there used to lie a great crowd of sick people, blind, crippled, paralyzed.

For an angel used to descend from time to time into the bath, and disturb the water; whereupon the first person who stepped in after the water was disturbed was restored to health, no matter what disease he had been afflicted with].

This was why the Jews used to persecute Jesus, because he did things like this on the Sabbath.

The Spirit is what gives life; flesh is of no use at all. The things that I have said to you are spirit and they are life.

the neighbours therefore, and they who before had seen him begging, said, is not this he that used to sit begging?

They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees.

So again they asked the man who used to be blind, "What do you say about him, since he caused you to see?" "He is a prophet," the man replied.

Then they summoned the man who used to be blind a second time and said to him, "Promise before God to tell the truth. We know that this man is a sinner."

So, he answered, "I do not know if he is a sinner or not. But one thing I do know; I used to be blind, but now I can see."

Then they said to him, What did he do to you? how did he give you the use of your eyes?

The man said in answer, Why, here is a strange thing! You have no knowledge where he comes from though he gave me the use of my eyes.

Jesus used this illustration with them, but they didn't understand what he was saying to them.

and Jesus used to walk inside the temple, in the portico of Solomon.

He again crossed the Jordan at the place where John at first used to baptize, and there He stayed.

this he said, not out of any concern for the poor; but because being purse-bearer he used to pilfer what was in bank.

So, Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Let her keep [the rest of] it for [use on] the day of my burial.

Now some of those who used to come up to worship at the Festival were Greeks.

Nicodemus, the man who first came to Jesus one night, also went with him [i.e., to claim Jesus' body]. He brought about a seventy-five pound mixture of myrrh and aloes [i.e., aromatic spices used for embalming].

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.

Jesus said, “Mary.”

Turning around, she said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!”—which means “Teacher.”

So that disciple whom Jesus used to love tenderly said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he belted on his fisherman's coat, for he had taken it off, and plunged into the sea.

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."

I most solemnly say to you, when you were young, you used to put on your own belt and go where you pleased, but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will put a belt on you and you will go where you do not please to go."