Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



The Dedication Festival came on in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the Temple in Solomon's Portico, when the Jews gathered round Him and kept asking Him, "How long do you mean to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so plainly." read more.
"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. But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them the Life of the Ages, and they shall never, never perish, nor shall any one wrest them from my hand. What my Father has given me is more precious than all besides; and no one is able to wrest anything from my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." Again the Jews brought stones with which to stone Him. Jesus remonstrated with them. "Many good deeds," He said, "have I shown you as coming from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" "For no good deed," the Jews replied, "are we going to stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, who are only a man, are making yourself out to be God." "Does it not stand written in your Law," replied Jesus, "'I said, you are gods'? If those to whom God's word was addressed are called gods (and the Scripture cannot be annulled) 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'? If the deeds I do are not my Father's deeds, do not believe me. 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." This made them once more try to arrest Him, but He withdrew out of their power.


Again a second time He asked him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" "Yes, Master," he said, "you know that you are dear to me." "Then be a shepherd to my sheep," He said. A third time Jesus put the question: "Simon, son of John, am I dear to you?" It grieved Peter that Jesus asked him the third time, "Am I dear to you?" "Master," he replied, "you know everything, you can see that you are dear to me." "Then feed my much-loved sheep," said Jesus.

Again therefore Jesus said to them, "In most solemn truth I tell you that I am the Door of the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep would not listen to them. I am the Door. If any one enters by me, he will find safety, and will go in and out and find pasture. read more.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy: I have come that they may have Life, and may have it in abundance. "I am the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his very life for the sheep. The hired servant--one who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep--no sooner sees the wolf coming than he leaves the sheep and runs away; and the wolf worries and scatters them. For he is only a hired servant and cares nothing for 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 am laying down my life for the sheep. I have also other sheep--which do not belong to this fold. Those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under one Shepherd. For this reason my Father loves me, because I am laying down my life in order to receive it back again. No one is taking it away from me, but I myself am laying it down. I am authorized to lay it down, and I am authorized to receive it back again. This is the command I received from my Father." Again there arose a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, "He is possessed by a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to him?" Others argued, "That is not the language of a demoniac: and can a demon open blind men's eyes?" The Dedication Festival came on in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the Temple in Solomon's Portico, when the Jews gathered round Him and kept asking Him, "How long do you mean to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so plainly." "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. But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep.


"As for me," replied Jesus, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have continually taught in some synagogue or in the Temple where all the Jews are wont to assemble, and I have said nothing in secret.

They came again to Jerusalem; and as He was walking in the Temple, the High Priests, Scribes and Elders came to Him and asked, "By what authority are you doing these things? and who gave you authority to do them?" "And I will put a question to you," replied Jesus; "answer me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. read more.
John's Baptism--was it of Heavenly or of human origin? Answer me." So they debated the matter with one another. "Suppose we say, 'Heavenly,'" they argued, "he will ask, 'Why then did you not believe him?' Or should we say, 'human?'" They were afraid of the people; for all agreed in holding John to have been really a Prophet. So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." "Nor do I tell you," said Jesus, "by what authority I do these things."

But, while teaching in the Temple, Jesus asked, "How is it the Scribes say that the Christ is a son of David? David himself said, taught by the Holy Spirit, "'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I have made thy foes a footstool under thy feet.' "David himself calls Him 'Lord:' how then can He be his son?" And the mass of people found pleasure in listening to Jesus. read more.
Moreover in the course of His teaching He said, "Be on your guard against the Scribes who like to walk about in long robes and to be bowed to in places of public resort, and to occupy the best seats in the synagogues and at dinner parties, and who swallow up the property of widows and then mask their wickedness by making long prayers: these men will receive far heavier punishment." Having taken a seat opposite the Treasury, He observed how the people were dropping money into the Treasury, and that many of the wealthy threw in large sums. But there came one poor widow and dropped in two farthings, equal in value to a halfpenny. So He called His disciples to Him and said, "In solemn truth I tell you that this widow, poor as she is, has thrown in more than all the other contributors to the Treasury; for they have all contributed out of what they could well spare, but she out of her need has thrown in all she possessed--all she had to live on."

Day after day I used to be among you in the Temple teaching, and you never seized me. But this is happening in order that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.'

Afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him, "You are now restored to health. Do not sin any more, or a worse thing may befall you." The man went and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had restored him to health; and on this account the Jews began to persecute Jesus--because He did these things on the Sabbath. read more.
His reply to their accusation was, "My Father works unceasingly, and so do I."

But when the Festival was already half over, Jesus went up to the Temple and commenced teaching. The Jews were astonished. "How does this man know anything of books," they said, "although he has never been at any of the schools?" Jesus answered their question by saying, "My teaching does not belong to me, but comes from Him who sent me. read more.
If any one is willing to do His will, he shall know about the teaching, whether it is from God or originates with me. The man whose teaching originates with himself aims at his own glory. He who aims at the glory of Him who sent him teaches the truth, and there is no deception in him. Did not Moses give you the Law? And yet not a man of you obeys the Law. Why do you want to kill me?" "You are possessed by a demon," replied the crowd; "no one wants to kill you." "One deed I have done," replied Jesus, "and you are all full of wonder. Consider therefore. Moses gave you the rite of circumcision (not that it began with Moses, but with your earlier forefathers) If a child is circumcised even on a Sabbath day, are you bitter against me because I have restored a man to perfect health on a Sabbath day? Do not form superficial judgements, but form the judgements that are just." Some however of the people of Jerusalem said, "Is not this the man they are wanting to kill? But here he is, speaking openly and boldly, and they say nothing to him! Can the Rulers really have ascertained that this man is the Christ? And yet we know this man, and we know where he is from; but as for the Christ, when He comes, no one can tell where He is from." Jesus therefore, while teaching in the Temple, cried aloud, and said, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. And yet I have not come of my own accord; but there is One who has sent me, an Authority indeed, of whom you have no knowledge.

and Jesus was walking in the Temple in Solomon's Portico, when the Jews gathered round Him and kept asking Him, "How long do you mean to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so plainly." "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. read more.
But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them the Life of the Ages, and they shall never, never perish, nor shall any one wrest them from my hand. What my Father has given me is more precious than all besides; and no one is able to wrest anything from my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." Again the Jews brought stones with which to stone Him. Jesus remonstrated with them. "Many good deeds," He said, "have I shown you as coming from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" "For no good deed," the Jews replied, "are we going to stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, who are only a man, are making yourself out to be God." "Does it not stand written in your Law," replied Jesus, "'I said, you are gods'? If those to whom God's word was addressed are called gods (and the Scripture cannot be annulled) 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'? If the deeds I do are not my Father's deeds, do not believe me. 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."