He came to be a witness, so that he might testify concerning that Light, so that all people would believe [in Jesus] through him [i.e., through his testimony. See Acts 19:4].

And I would not have recognized Him, but I came immersing people in water so that He would become known to the Israelites."

Then He said to them, "Come, and you will see." So, they went and saw where He was staying and they stayed with Him that day. It was about ten o'clock in the morning. [Note: Hour designations in this book are being calculated by Roman time, but this would have been

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

so that whoever believes in Him would have never ending life." [Note: Some translations extend Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus through verse 21].

For God loved the world [of sinners] so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that every person who believes in Him would not [have to] be destroyed, but have never ending life.

Jacob's [spring-fed] well was there so Jesus, tired from His [long] journey, sat down beside the well just as He was [i.e., before doing anything else]. It was about six o'clock in the morning [Note: This would have been

Therefore, the Samaritan woman asked Him, "Why is it that you, being a Jew, would ask a Samaritan woman [like me] for a drink?" (For Jews do not have any fellowship with Samaritans). [Note: The reason for this stemmed from longstanding religious, cultural and ethnic prejudices].

Jesus answered her, "If you [only] knew the [real] gift of God, and who it is that said to you, '[Please], give me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

Then he asked them what the [exact] time was when his son began to get better. They said to him, "[It was] yesterday at seven o'clock in the morning that the fever left him." [Note: This would have been

For if you believed Moses' [writings], you would [also] believe in me, for he wrote about me. [See Deut. 18:15-19].

Philip answered Him, "Not even two hundred coins' worth of bread would be enough to feed them if everyone ate only a little bit." [Note: The amount here indicated was two hundred days of a farm laborer's pay, or about $14,000 in 1994].

But there are some of you who do not believe [in me]." For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones would not believe [in Him] and which one would turn Him over [i.e., to the Jewish authorities].

So, the Jewish authorities said to Him, "Where is your father?" Jesus answered, "You people do not know me or my Father. If you [did] know me, you would know my Father also."

They answered Him, "Our forefather was Abraham." Jesus replied to them, "If you were Abraham's descendants, you would do the [kinds of] deeds that Abraham did.

Jesus replied, "If God were [truly] your Father you would love me, because I came from God to be here. For I did not come on my own authority, but God sent me.

Jesus answered them, "If I were to honor myself, that honor would be worthless. [But] it is my Father who honors me [and] you say He is your God.

Now you people have not known Him [i.e., to be your Lord], but I know Him. And if I should say, 'I do not know Him,' I would be a liar like you. But I [do] know Him, and I obey His message.

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.

He answered them, "I just told you, but you would not listen. Why should I tell you again? Do you men want to become his disciples, too?"

Unless this man came from God, he would not be able to do anything [like this]."

Jesus said to them, "If you were [really] blind [i.e., unable to see spiritually], you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim, 'We can see [fine],' you remain guilty of sin."

Jesus answered them, "I did tell you, but you would not believe me. The [miraculous] deeds that I am doing in my Father's name [i.e., by the Father's authority] testify about me.

But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This illness will not result in [his] death, but was intended to bring honor to God, so that the Son of God would be honored by it."

Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if [only] you had been here, my brother would not have died.

So, when Mary arrived at where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell down at His feet and said, "Lord, if [only] you had been here, my brother would not have died."

Jesus replied to her, "Did I not tell you that you would see God's glory [i.e., a miraculous resurrection. See verses 22-27] if you believed?"

I know that you always hear me, but I said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so they would believe that you sent me."

And you are not taking into consideration that it would be profitable to you for one man to die for the people, so that the entire nation would not be destroyed."

And not just [die] for the [Jewish] nation, but also that He would assemble together into one body the children of God who were scattered [throughout the world].

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

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?"

"God has blinded their eyes [of understanding] and closed their minds. If He had not done so, they would [be able to] see with their eyes and understand with their minds and turn [to God] so He could heal them [spiritually]."

I have come into the world to be a light [to it], so that whoever believes in me would not have to remain in [spiritual] darkness.

For Jesus knew who would betray Him; that is why He said, "Not every one of you is [spiritually] clean."

"I am not talking about all of you; for I know the ones I have chosen [i.e., which of the twelve apostles would be faithful]. But let the Scripture [Psa. 41:9] be fulfilled [that says], 'The person who eats with me has [viciously] turned against me.'

There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for each one you [in them]. I would not have told you this if it were not so.

You heard me say to you, 'I am going away and I am returning to you.' If you [really] loved me, you would have been happy that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love [you as] its own people. But since you do not belong to the world, for I chose you out of it, that is why the world hates you.

They would not be guilty of sinning if I had not come and spoken to them. But now [that I have], they have no excuse for their sin.

If I had not performed the [miraculous] deeds among them which no one else had done, they would not be guilty of sinning. But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.

This all happened so the Scripture, written in their law [Psa. 35:19], would be fulfilled, 'They hated me for no reason.'

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

I protected them while I was with them by [the power of] your name which you gave me. [See verse 11]. I guarded them so that not one of them was lost except the "son of destruction" [i.e., Judas]. [This was] so that the Scripture would be fulfilled [Psa. 41:9 ?].

[He said this] so the words He had spoken [previously] would be fulfilled [See 17:12], "I did not lose any of those men you [i.e., God] gave me."

Then, early in the morning they led Jesus from Caiaphas to [governor Pilate's] headquarters. But the Jewish authorities would not enter it, because [if they had] they would have become ceremonially unclean, and could not eat the Passover meal. [Note: This was because they regarded a Gentile house as defiling].

The Jewish authorities answered Pilate, "If this man were not guilty of wrongdoing, we would not have turned him over to you."

[They said this] so that the words Jesus had spoken would be fulfilled, regarding the kind of death He would die. [Note: Jesus had predicted he would be "lifted up," indicating a Roman crucifixion. See 12:32-33].

Jesus answered him, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it did, then my servants [i.e., disciples] would fight to keep me from being turned over to the Jews. But now my kingdom does not belong here." [i.e., Jesus' kingdom was not based on physical, but spiritual principles].

Jesus answered him, "You would not have any authority over me unless it were given to you from above [i.e., from God]. So, the person who turned me over to you is guilty of a worse sin."

noon] on the Day of Preparation for the Passover Festival. [Note: This would be the day before the Passover Festival]. And Pilate said to the Jews, "Look, [here is] your king!"

Now it was about six o'clock in the morning [Note: This was according to Roman time, but if Jewish time were meant, it would have been

and said to one another, "Let us not tear it [i.e., because of its great value], but gamble to see who gets it." [This was] so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, which said [Psa. 22:18], "They divided my clothing between themselves, and they gambled for my clothing." So, this is what the soldiers did.

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

Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not ascended to the Father yet [Note: Apparently Jesus was discouraging Mary from embracing Him in worship as was done in Matt. 28:9, and thereby causing a delay of when the rest of the disciples would learn of His resurrection], but go to my brothers and tell them [I said] 'I am [about] to ascend to my Father and to your Father, and to my God and your God.'"

Whosever sins you forgive, they will be forgiven [by God]. And whosever sins you do not forgive, they will not be forgiven [by God]." [Note: Actual forgiveness would result only when people responded, by faith, to the Gospel message. See Acts 2:37-38].

Now Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death Peter would experience in honoring God. [Note: Some see the "stretching out your hands," verse 18, as a reference to crucifixion]. And after saying this, Jesus said to him, "Be my follower."

So, a rumor began circulating among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him he would not die, but [He said], "If I want him to remain [alive] until I return, what [business] is that of yours?"

And Jesus did many other things; if every one of them were written down, I do not think the world would hold [all] the books that would be written.