Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Soon after this the Festival of the Re-dedication was held at Jerusalem. It was winter; and Jesus was walking in the Temple Courts, in the Colonnade of Solomon, When the Jews gathered round him, and said: "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so frankly." read more.
"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. But you do not believe me, because you are not of my flock. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me; And I give them Immortal Life, and they shall not be lost; nor shall any one snatch them out of my hands. What my Father has entrusted to me is more than all else; and no one can snatch anything out of the Father's hands. The Father and I are one." The Jews again brought stones to throw at him; And seeing this, Jesus said: "I have done before your eyes many good actions, inspired by the Father; for which of them would you stone me?" "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." "Are there not," replied Jesus, "these words in your Law--'I said "Ye are gods"'? If those to whom God's word were addressed were said to be 'gods'--and Scripture cannot be set aside-- Do you say of one whom the Father has consecrated and sent as his Messenger to the world 'You are blaspheming,' because I said 'I am God's Son'? 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." Upon this the Jews again sought to arrest him; but he escaped their hands.


Then, a second time, Jesus asked: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" "Yes, Master," he answered, "you know that I am your friend." "Tend my sheep," said Jesus. The third time, Jesus said to him: "Simon, son of John, are you my friend?" Peter was hurt at his third question being 'Are you my friend?'; and exclaimed: "Master, you know everything! You can tell that I am your friend." "Feed my sheep," said Jesus.

So he continued: "In truth I tell you, I am the Door for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the Door; he who goes in through me will be safe, and he will go in and out and find pasture. read more.
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 am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man who is not a shepherd, and who does not own the sheep, when he sees a wolf coming, leaves them and runs away; then the wolf seizes them, and scatters the flock. He does this because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd; and I know my sheep, and my sheep know me-- Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep besides, which do not belong to this fold; I must lead them also, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under 'one Shepherd.' This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life- -to receive it again. No one took it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to receive it again. This is the command which I received from my Father." In consequence of these words a difference of opinion again arose among the Jews. Many of them said: "He is possessed by a demon and is mad; why do you listen to him?" Others said: "This is not the teaching of one who is possessed by a demon. Can a demon give sight to the blind?" Soon after this the Festival of the Re-dedication was held at Jerusalem. It was winter; and Jesus was walking in the Temple Courts, in the Colonnade of Solomon, When the Jews gathered round him, and said: "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so frankly." "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. But you do not believe me, because you are not of my flock.


"For my part," answered Jesus, "I have spoken to all the world openly. I always taught in some Synagogue, or in the Temple Courts, places where all the Jews assemble, and I never spoke of anything in secret.

They came to Jerusalem again. While Jesus was walking about in the Temple Courts, the Chief Priests, the Teachers of the Law, and the Councillors came up to him. "What authority have you to do these things?" they said. "Who gave you the authority to do them?" "I will put one question to you," said Jesus. "Answer me that, and then I will tell you what authority I have to act as I do. read more.
It is about John's baptism. Was it of divine or human origin? Answer me that." They began arguing together; "If we say 'divine,' he will say 'Why then did not you believe him?' Yet can we say 'human'?"--They were afraid of the people, for everyone regarded John as undoubtedly a Prophet. So their answer to Jesus was--"We do not know." "Then I," replied Jesus, "refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things."

While Jesus was teaching in the Temple Courts, he asked: "How is it that the Teachers of the Law say that the Christ is to be David's son? David said himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit-- 'The Lord said to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, Until I put thy enemies beneath thy feet.'" David himself calls him 'lord,' how comes it, then, that he is to be his son?" The mass of the people listened to Jesus with delight. read more.
In the course of his teaching, Jesus said: "See that you are on your guard against the Teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and to be greeted in the streets with respect, And to have the best seats in the Synagogues, and places of honor at dinner. They are the men that rob widows of their homes, and make a pretense of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier." Then Jesus sat down opposite the chests for the Temple offerings, and watched how the people put money into them. Many rich people were putting in large sums; But one poor widow came and put in two farthings, which make a half-penny. On this, calling his disciples to him, Jesus said: "I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others who were putting money into the chests; For every one else put in something from what he had to spare, while she, in her need, put in all she had--everything that she had to live on."

I have been among you day after day in the Temple Courts teaching, and yet you did not arrest me; but this is in fulfillment of the Scriptures."

Afterwards Jesus found the man in the Temple Courts, and said to him: "You are cured now; do not sin again, for fear that something worse may befall you." The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had cured him. And that was why the Jews began to persecute Jesus--because he did things of this kind on the Sabbath. read more.
But Jesus replied: "My Father works to this very hour, and I work also."

About the middle of the Festival week, Jesus went up into the Temple Courts, and began teaching. The Jews were astonished. "How has this man got his learning," they asked, "when he has never studied?" So, in reply, Jesus said: "My teaching is not my own; it is his who sent me. read more.
If any one has the will to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching is from God, or whether I speak on my own authority. The man who speaks on his own authority seeks honor for himself; but the man who seeks the honor of him that sent him is sincere, and there is nothing false in him. Was not it Moses who gave you the Law? Yet not one of you obeys it! Why are you seeking to put me to death?" "You must be possessed by a demon!" the people exclaimed. "Who is seeking to put you to death?" "There was one thing I did," replied Jesus, "at which you are all still wondering. But that is why Moses has instituted circumcision among you- -not, indeed, that it began with him, but with our ancestors--and that is why you circumcise even on a Sabbath. When a man receives circumcision on a Sabbath to prevent the Law of Moses from being broken, how can you be angry with me for making a man sound and well on a Sabbath? Do not judge by appearances; judge justly." At this some of the people of Jerusalem exclaimed: "Is not this the man that they are seeking to put to death? Yet here he is, speaking out boldly, and they say nothing to him! Is it possible that our leading men have really discovered that he is the Christ? Yet we know where this man is from; but, when the Christ comes, no one will be able to tell where he is from." Therefore, Jesus, as he was teaching in the Temple Courts, raised his voice and said: "Yes; you know me and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on my own authority, but he who sent me may be trusted; and him you do not know.

It was winter; and Jesus was walking in the Temple Courts, in the Colonnade of Solomon, When the Jews gathered round him, and said: "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so frankly." "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. read more.
But you do not believe me, because you are not of my flock. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me; And I give them Immortal Life, and they shall not be lost; nor shall any one snatch them out of my hands. What my Father has entrusted to me is more than all else; and no one can snatch anything out of the Father's hands. The Father and I are one." The Jews again brought stones to throw at him; And seeing this, Jesus said: "I have done before your eyes many good actions, inspired by the Father; for which of them would you stone me?" "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." "Are there not," replied Jesus, "these words in your Law--'I said "Ye are gods"'? If those to whom God's word were addressed were said to be 'gods'--and Scripture cannot be set aside-- Do you say of one whom the Father has consecrated and sent as his Messenger to the world 'You are blaspheming,' because I said 'I am God's Son'? 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."