But, in fact, you are longing to kill me, a man who has spoken to you the truth which I have heard from God. Abraham did not do that.

"If God were your Father," said Jesus, "you would love me; for it is from God that I came and I am now here. I have not come of myself, but *He* sent me.

"Are we not right," answered the Jews, "in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?"

In most solemn truth I tell you that if any one shall have obeyed my teaching he shall in no case ever see death."

"Now," exclaimed the Jews, "we know that you are possessed by a demon. Abraham died, and so did the Prophets, and yet *you* say, 'If any one shall have obeyed my teaching, he shall in no case ever taste death.'

"In most solemn truth," answered Jesus, "I tell you that before Abraham came into existence, I am."

So His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned--this man or his parents--that he was born blind?"

"Neither he nor his parents sinned," answered Jesus, "but he was born blind in order that God's mercy might be openly shown in him.

This led some of the Pharisees to say, "That man has not come from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." "How is it possible for a bad man to do such miracles?" argued others.

The Jews, however, did not believe the statement concerning him--that he had been blind and had obtained his sight--until they called his parents and asked them,

"Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How is it then that he can now see?"

"We know," replied the parents, "that this is our son and that he was born blind;

but how it is that he can now see or who has opened his eyes we do not know. Ask him himself; he is of full age; he himself will give his own account of it."

Such was their answer, because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already settled among themselves that if any one should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, he should be excluded from the synagogue.

That was why his parents said, "He is of full age: ask him himself."

A second time therefore they called the man who had been blind, and said, "Give God the praise: we know that that man is a sinner."

"Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know," he replied; "one thing I know--that I was once blind and that now I can see."

Then they railed at him, and said, "You are that man's disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this fellow we do not know where he comes from."

We know that God does not listen to bad people, but that if any one is a God-fearing man and obeys Him, to him He listens.

From the beginning of the world such a thing was never heard of as that any one should open the eyes of a man blind from his birth.

Had that man not come from God, he could have done nothing."

Jesus heard that they had done this. So having found him, He asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"

"Who is He, Sir?" replied the man. "Tell me, so that I may believe in Him."

"I came into this world," said Jesus, "to judge men, that those who do not see may see, and that those who do see may become blind."

"If you were blind," answered Jesus, "you would have no sin; but as a matter of fact you boast that you see. So your sin remains!"

"In most solemn truth I tell you that the man who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs over some other way, is a thief and a robber.

Again therefore Jesus said to them, "In most solemn truth I tell you that I am the Door of the sheep.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy: I have come that they may have Life, and may have it in abundance.

Others argued, "That is not the language of a demoniac: and can a demon open blind men's eyes?"

"I have told you," answered Jesus, "and you do not believe. The deeds that I do in my Father's name--they give testimony about me.

how is it that you say to one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am God's Son'?

But if they are, then even if you do not believe me, at least believe the deeds, that you may know and see clearly that the Father is in me, and that I am in the Father."

Large numbers of people also came to Him. Their report was, "John did not work any miracle, but all that John said about this Teacher was true."

Jesus received the message and said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is to promote the glory of God, in order that the Son of God may be glorified by it."

When, however, He heard that Lazarus was ill, He still remained two days in that same place.

Then, after that, He said to the disciples, "Let us return to Judaea."

"Lazarus is dead; and for your sakes I am glad I was not there, in order that you may believe. But let us go to him."

"Let us go also," Thomas, the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "that we may die with him."

On His arrival Jesus found that Lazarus had already been three days in the tomb.

And even now I know that whatever you ask God for, God will give you."

"I know," said Martha, "that he will rise again at the resurrection, on the last day."

"Yes, Master," she replied; "I thoroughly believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

So she, on hearing that, rose up quickly to go to Him.

So the Jews who were with Mary in the house sympathizing with her, when they saw that she had risen hastily and had gone out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep aloud there.

"Did I not promise you," replied Jesus, "that if you believe, you shall see the glory of God?"

So they removed the stone. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me.

I know that Thou always hearest me; but for the sake of the crowd standing round I have said this--that they may believe that Thou didst send me."

But one of them, named Caiaphas, being High Priest that year, said, "You know nothing about it.

You do not reflect that it is to your interest that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish."

It was not as a mere man that he thus spoke. But being High Priest that year he was inspired to declare that Jesus was to die for the nation,

So from that day forward they planned and schemed in order to put Him to death.

Therefore Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but He left that neighbourhood and went into the district near the Desert, to a town called Ephraim, and remained there with the disciples.

The Jewish Passover was coming near, and many from that district went up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.

Now the High Priests and the Pharisees had issued orders that if any one knew where He was, he should give information, so that they might arrest Him.

Availing herself of the opportunity, Mary took a pound weight of pure spikenard, very costly, and poured it over His feet, and wiped His feet with her hair, so that the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

"Why was not that perfume sold for 300 shillings and the money given to the poor?"

The reason he said this was not that he cared for the poor, but that he was a thief, and that being in charge of the money-box, he used to steal what was put into it.

Now it became widely known among the Jews that Jesus was there; but they came not only on His account, but also in order to see Lazarus whom He had brought back to life.

The next day a great crowd of those who had come to the Festival, hearing that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

The meaning of this His disciples did not understand at the time; but after Jesus was glorified they recollected that this was written about Him, and that they had done this to Him.

This was also why the crowd came to meet Him, because they had heard of His having performed that miracle.

The result was that the Pharisees said among themselves, "Observe how idle all your efforts are! The world is gone after him!"

In most solemn truth I tell you that unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains what it was--a single grain; but that if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.

The crowd that stood by and heard it, said that there had been thunder. Others said, "An angel spoke to him."

"It is not for my sake," said Jesus, "that that voice came, but for your sakes.

The crowd answered Him, "We have heard out of the Law that the Christ remains for ever. In what sense do you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is that Son of Man?"

"Yet a little while," He replied, "the light is among you. Be faithful to the light that you have, for fear darkness should overtake you; for a man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

In the degree that you have light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light." Jesus said this, and went away and hid Himself from them.

in order that the words of Isaiah the Prophet might be fulfilled, "Lord, who has believed our preaching? And the arm of the Lord--to whom has it been unveiled?"

For they loved the glory that comes from men rather than the glory that comes from God.

I have come like light into the world, in order that no one who believes in me may remain in the dark.

And I know that His command is the Life of the Ages. What therefore I speak, I speak just as the Father has bidden me."

Now just before the Feast of the Passover this incident took place. Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father; and having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

although He knew that the Father had put everything into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was now going to God,

For He knew who was betraying Him, and that was why He said, "You are not all of you clean."

For I have set you an example in order that you may do what I have done to you.

In most solemn truth I tell you that a servant is not superior to his master, nor is a messenger superior to him who sent him.

I am not speaking of all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but things are as they are in order that the Scripture may be fulfilled, which says, 'He who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'

From this time forward I tell you things before they happen, in order that when they do happen you may believe that I am He.

In most solemn truth I tell you that he who receives whoever I send receives me, and that he who receives me receives Him who sent me."

After speaking thus Jesus was troubled in spirit and said with deep earnestness, "In most solemn truth I tell you that one of you will betray me."

Some, however, supposed that because Judas had the money-box Jesus meant, "Buy what we require for the Festival," or that he should give something to the poor.

A new commandment I give you, to love one another; that as I have loved you, you also may love one another.

It is by this that every one will know that you are my disciples--if you love one another."

"You say you will lay down your life on my behalf!" said Jesus; "in most solemn truth I tell you that the cock will not crow before you have three times disowned me."

And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me, that where I am you also may be.

"Master," said Philip, "cause us to see the Father: that is all we need."

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? The things that I tell you all I do not speak on my own authority: but the Father dwelling within me carries on His own work.

Believe me, all of you, that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me; or at any rate, believe me because of what I do.

In most solemn truth I tell you that he who trusts in me--the things which I do he shall do also; and greater things than these he shall do, because I am going to the Father.

And whatever any of you ask in my name, I will do, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

That Spirit the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. You know Him, because He remains by your side and is in you.

At that time you will know that I am in my Father, and that you are in me, and that I am in you.

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will teach you everything, and will bring to your memories all that I have said to you.

Peace I leave with you: my own peace I give to you. It is not as the world gives its greetings that I give you peace. Let not your hearts be troubled or dismayed.

I have now told you before it comes to pass, that when it has come to pass you may believe.

but it is in order that the world may know that I love the Father, and that it is in obedience to the command which the Father gave me that I thus act. Rise, let us be going."

Every branch in me--if it bears no fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Continue in me, and let me continue in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself--that is, if it does not continue in the vine--so neither can you if you do not continue in me.