"Where is this man going," the Jews asked one another, "that we shall not find him? Will he go to our countrymen abroad, and teach foreigners?

Is not it said in Scripture that it is of the race of David, and from Bethlehem, the village to which David belonged, that the Christ is to come?"

"Are you also from Galilee?" they retorted. "Search, and you will find that no Prophet is to arise in Galilee!"

Why, in your own Law it is said that the testimony of two persons is trustworthy.

"Is he going to kill himself," the Jews exclaimed, "that he says-- 'You cannot go where I am going'?"

And so I told you that you would die in your sins, for, unless you believe that I am what I am, you will die in your sins."

"I have still much that concerns you to speak of and to pass judgment on; yet he who sent me may be trusted, and I speak to the world only of the things which I have heard from him."

They did not understand that he meant the Father.

So Jesus added: "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will understand that I am what I am, and that I do nothing of myself, but that I say just what the Father has taught me.

I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you are seeking to put me to death, because my Message finds no place in your hearts.

But, as it is, you are seeking to put me to death--a man who has told you the Truth as he heard it from God. Abraham did not act in that way.

How is it that you do not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my Message.

But, as for me, it is because I speak the truth to you that you do not believe me.

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

Not that I am seeking honor for myself; there is one who is seeking my honor, and he decides.

"Now we are sure that you are possessed by a demon," the Jews replied. "Abraham died, and so did the Prophets; and yet you say 'If any one lays my Message to heart, he will never know death.'

Are you greater than our ancestor Abraham, who died? And the Prophets died too. Whom do you make yourself out to be?"

"If I do honor to myself," answered Jesus, "such honor counts for nothing. It is my Father who does me honor--and you say that he is your God;

And yet you have not learned to know him; but I know him; and, if I were to say that I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him, and I lay his Message to heart.

Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; and he did see it, and was glad."

"Rabbi," asked his disciples, "who was it that sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

"Neither the man nor the parents," replied Jesus; "but he was born blind that the work of God should be made plain in him.

So there was a difference of opinion among them, and they again questioned the man; "What do you yourself say about him, for it is to you that he has given sight?"

The Jews, however, refused to believe that he had been blind and had gained his sight, until they had called his parents and questioned them.

"Is this your son," they asked, "who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he can see now?"

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

But how it is that he can see now we do not know; nor do we know who it was that gave him his sight. Ask him--he is old enough- -he will tell you about himself."

His parents spoke in this way because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that, if any one should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, he should be expelled from their synagogues.

So the Jews again called the man who had been blind, and said to him: "Give God the praise; we know that this is a bad man."

"I know nothing about his being a bad man," he replied; "one thing I do know, that although I was blind, now I can see."

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

We know that God never listens to bad men, but, when a man is god-fearing and does God's will, God listens to him.

"Tell me who he is, Sir," he replied, "so that I may believe in him."

And Jesus added: "It was to put men to the test that I came into this world, in order that those that cannot see should see, and that those that can see should become blind."

In truth I tell you, whoever does not go into the sheepfold through the door, but climbs up at some other place, that man is a thief and a robber;

This was the allegory that Jesus told them, but they did not understand of what he was speaking.

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

"I have told you so," replied Jesus, "and you do not believe me. The work that I am doing in my Father's name bears testimony to me.

What my Father has entrusted to me is more than all else; and no one can snatch anything out of the Father's hands.

"It is not for any good action that we would stone you," answered the Jews, "but for blasphemy; and because you, who are only a man, make yourself out to be God."

If I am not doing the work that my Father is doing, do not believe me;

If I am doing it, even though you do not believe me, believe what that work shows; so that you may understand, and understand more and more clearly, that the Father is in union with me, and I with the Father."

"John gave no sign of his mission," they said; "but everything that he said about this man was true."

And, when Jesus heard it, he said: "This illness is not to end in death, but is to redound to the honor of God, in order that the Son of God may be honored through it."

Then, after that, he said to his disciples: "Let us go to Judea again."

And, when he had said this, he added: "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going that I may wake him."

But Jesus meant that he was dead; they, however, supposed that he was speaking of natural sleep.

And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may learn to believe in me. But let us go to him."

At this, Thomas, who was called 'The Twin,' said to his fellow-disciples: "Let us go too, so that we may die with him."

When Jesus reached the place, he found that Lazarus had been four days in the tomb already.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat quietly at home.

Even now, I know that God will grant you whatever you ask him."

"I know that he will," replied Martha, "in the resurrection at the Last Day."

"I am the Resurrection and the Life," said Jesus. "He that believes in me shall live, though he die;

"Yes Master," she answered; "I have learned to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, 'who was to come' into the world."

As soon as Mary heard that, she got up quickly, and went to meet him.

So the Jews, who were in the house with Mary, condoling with her, when they saw her get up quickly and go out, followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

"Did not I tell you," replied Jesus, "that, if you would believe in me, you should see the glory of God?"

So they moved the stone away; and Jesus, with uplifted eyes, said: "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard my prayer;

I know that thou always headrest me; but I say this for the sake of the people standing near, so that they may believe that thou has sent me as thy Messenger."

Upon this the Chief Priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the High Council, and said: "What are we to do, now that this man is giving so many signs?

One of them, however, Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, said to them:

"You are utterly mistaken. You do not consider that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, rather than the whole nation should be destroyed."

Now he did not say this of his own accord; but, as High Priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die for the nation--

And not for the nation only, but also that he might unite in one body the Children of God now scattered far and wide.

So from that day they plotted to put Jesus to death.

In consequence of this, Jesus did not go about publicly among the Jews any more, but left that neighborhood, and went into the country bordering on the Wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

The Chief Priests and the Pharisees had already issued orders that, if any one learned where Jesus was, he should give information, so that they might arrest him.

"Let her alone," said Jesus, "that she may keep it till the day when my body is being prepared for burial.

Now great numbers of the Jews found out that Jesus was at Bethany; and they came there, not solely on his account, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

Because it was owing to him that many of the Jews had left them, and were becoming believers in Jesus.

On the following day great numbers of people who had come to the Festival, hearing that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, took palm-branches,

His disciples did not understand all this at first; but, when Jesus had been exalted, then they remembered that these things had been said of him in Scripture, and that they had done these things for him.

This, indeed, was why the crowd met him--because people had heard that he had given this sign of his mission.

So the Pharisees said to one another: "You see that you are gaining nothing! Why, all the world has run after him!"

Now I am distressed at heart and what can I say? Father, bring me safe through this hour--yet it was for this very reason that I came to this hour--

The crowd of bystanders, who heard the sound, said that it was thundering. Others said: "An angel has been speaking to him."

"It was not for my sake that the voice came," said Jesus, "but for yours.

Now this world is on its trial. Now the Spirit that is ruling this world shall be driven out;

"We," replied the people, "have learned from the Law that the 'Christ is to remain for ever'; how is it, then, that you say that the Son of Man must be 'lifted up' Who is this 'Son of Man'?"

"Only a little while longer," answered Jesus, "will you have the Light among you. Travel on while you have the Light, so that darkness may not overtake you; he who travels in the darkness does not know where he is going.

While you still have the Light, believe in the Light, that you may be 'Sons of Light.'" After he had said this, Jesus went away, and hid himself from them.

'He has blinded their eyes, and blunted their mind, so that they should not see with their eyes, and perceive with their mind, and turn--And I should heal them.'

Isaiah said this, because he saw Christ's glory; and it was of him that he spoke.

Yet for all this, even among the leading men there were many who came to believe in Jesus; but, on account of the Pharisees, they did not acknowledge it, for fear that they should be expelled from their Synagogues;

For they valued honor from men more than honor from God.

I have come as a Light into the world, that no one who believes in me should remain in the darkness.

And I know that Immortal Life lies in keeping his command. Therefore, whatever I say, I say only what the Father has taught me."

Before the Passover Festival began, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave the world and go to the Father. He had loved those who were his own in the world, and he loved them to the last.

And at supper, Jesus--although knowing that the Father had put everything into his hands, and that he had come from God, and was to return to God--

For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said 'You are not all clean.'

For I have given you an example, so that you may do just as I have done to you.

In truth I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor yet a messenger than the man who sends him.

Now that you know these things, happy are you if you do them.

I am not speaking about all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but this is in fulfillment of the words of Scripture--'He that is eating my bread has lifted his heel against me.'

For the future I shall tell you of things before they take place, so that, when they take place, you may believe that I am what I am.

In truth I tell you, he who receives any one that I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me."

After saying this, Jesus was much troubled, and said solemnly: "In truth I tell you that it is one of you who will betray me."

So Simon Peter made signs to that disciple, and whispered: "Tell me who it is that he means."

Being in this position, that disciple leant back on Jesus' shoulder, and asked him: "Who is it, Master?"