Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



When Jesus said this, one of the police-officers, who was standing near, gave him a blow with his hand. "Do you answer the High Priest like that?" he exclaimed. "If I said anything wrong, give evidence about it," replied Jesus; "but if not, why do you strike me?"

After saying this, Jesus raised his eyes heaven-wards, and said: "Father, the hour has come; honor thy Son, that thy Son may honor thee; Even as thou gavest him power over all mankind, that he should give Immortal Life to all those whom thou has given him. And the Immortal Life is this--to know thee the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent as thy Messenger. read more.
I have honored thee on earth by completing the work which thou has given me to do; And now do thou honor me, Father, at thy own side, with the honor which I had at thy side before the world began. I have revealed thee to those whom thou gavest me from the world; they were thy own, and thou gavest them to me; and they have laid thy Message to heart. They recognize now that everything that thou gavest me was from thee; For I have given them the teaching which thou gavest me, and they received it, and clearly understood that I came from thee, and they believed that thou has sent me as thy Messenger. I intercede for them; I am not interceding for the world, but for those whom thou has given me, for they are thy own-- All that is mine is thine, and all that is thine is mine-- and I am honored in them. Now I am to be in this world no longer, but they are still to be in the world, and I am to come to thee. Holy Father, keep them by that revelation of thy Name which thou has given me, that they may be one, as we are. Whilst I was with them, I kept them by that revelation, and I have guarded them; and not one of them has been lost, except that lost soul--in fulfillment of Scripture. But now I am to come to thee; and I am speaking thus, while still in the world, that they may have my own joy, in all its fullness, in their hearts. I have given them thy Message; and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, even as I do not belong to the world.


For he whom God sent as his Messenger gives us God's own teaching, for God does not limit the gift of the Spirit. The Father loves his Son, and has put everything in his hands.

"Who are you?" they asked. "Why ask exactly what I have been telling you?" said Jesus. "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. read more.
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. Moreover, he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone; for I always do what pleases him."

But Jesus had proclaimed: "He who believes in me believes, not in me, but in him who sent me; And he who sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as a Light into the world, that no one who believes in me should remain in the darkness. read more.
When any one hears my teaching and pays no heed to it, I am not his judge; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me, and disregards my teaching, has a judge already--the very Message which I have delivered will itself be his judge at the Last Day. For I have not delivered it on my own authority; but the Father, who sent me, has himself given me his command as to what I should say, and what message I should deliver. And I know that Immortal Life lies in keeping his command. Therefore, whatever I say, I say only what the Father has taught me."

I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Vine-grower. Any unfruitful branch in me he takes away, and he cleanses every fruitful branch, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the Message that I have given you. read more.
Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains united to the vine; no more can you, unless you remain united to me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that remains united to me, while I remain united to him--he bears fruit plentifully; for you can do nothing apart from me. If any one does not remain united to me, he is thrown away, as a branch would be, and withers up. Such branches are collected and thrown into the fire, and are burnt. If you remain united to me, and my teaching remains in your hearts, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be yours. It is by your bearing fruit plentifully, and so showing yourselves my disciples, that my Father is honored. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; remain in my love. If you lay my commands to heart, you will remain in my love; just as I have laid the Father's commands to heart and remain in his love. I have told you all this so that my own joy may be yours, and that your joy may be complete. This is my command--Love one another, as I have loved you. No one can give greater proof of love than by laying down his life for his friends. And you are my friends, if you do what I command you. I no longer call you 'servants,' because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have given you the name of 'friends,' because I made known to you everything that I learned from my Father.

"At last," exclaimed the disciples, "you are using plain words and not speaking in figures at all. Now we are sure that you know everything, and need not wait for any one to question you. This makes us believe that you did come from God." "Do you believe that already?" Jesus answered. read more.
"Listen! a time is coming--indeed it has already come--when you are to be scattered, each going his own way, and to leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have spoken to you in this way, so that in me you may find peace. In the world you will find trouble; yet, take courage! I have conquered the world."

The first account which I drew up, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught from the very first, Down to that day on which he was taken up to Heaven, after he had, by the help of the Holy Spirit, given instructions to the Apostles whom he had chosen. With abundant proofs, he showed himself to them, still living, after his death; appearing to them from time to time during forty days, and speaking of all that related to the Kingdom of God.



"Who are you?" they asked. "Why ask exactly what I have been telling you?" said Jesus. "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. read more.
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. Moreover, he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone; for I always do what pleases him."


But Jesus replied: "My Father works to this very hour, and I work also." This made the Jews all the more eager to kill him, because not only was he doing away with the Sabbath, but he actually called God his own Father--putting himself on an equality with God. So Jesus made this further reply: "In truth I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself; he does only what he sees the Father doing; whatever the Father does, the Son does also. read more.
For the Father loves his Son, and shows him everything that he is doing; and he will show him still greater things--so that you will be filled with wonder.

"I am the Life-giving Bread," Jesus said to them; "he that comes to me shall never be hungry, and he that believes in me shall never thirst again. But, as I have said already, you have seen me, and yet you do not believe in me. All those whom the Father gives me will come to me; and no one who comes to me will I ever turn away. read more.
For I have come down from Heaven, to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me;

"Neither the man nor the parents," replied Jesus; "but he was born blind that the work of God should be made plain in him. We must do the work of him who sent me, while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

"Whoever loves me," Jesus answered, " will lay my Message to heart; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. He who does not love me will not lay my Message to heart; and the Message to which you are listening is not my own, but that of the Father who sent me. I have told you all this while still with you, read more.
But the Helper--the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name--he will teach you all things, and will recall to your minds all that I have said to you. Peace be with you! My own peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, or dismayed. You heard me say that I was going away and would return to you. Had you loved me, you would have been glad that I was going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And this I have told you now before it happens, that, when it does happen, you may still believe in me. I shall not talk with you much more, for the Spirit that is ruling the world is coming. He has nothing in common with me; But he is coming that the world may see that I love the Father, and that I do as the Father commanded me. Come, let us be going.

After saying this, Jesus raised his eyes heaven-wards, and said: "Father, the hour has come; honor thy Son, that thy Son may honor thee; Even as thou gavest him power over all mankind, that he should give Immortal Life to all those whom thou has given him. And the Immortal Life is this--to know thee the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent as thy Messenger. read more.
I have honored thee on earth by completing the work which thou has given me to do;

For the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to remove sins. That is why, when he was coming into the world, the Christ declared-- 'Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire, but thou dost provide for me a body; Thou dost take no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. read more.
So I said, "See, I have come' (as is written of me in the pages of the Book), "To do thy will, O God."' First come the words-- 'Thou dost not desire, nor dost thou take pleasure in, sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin' (offerings regularly made under the Law), and then there is added-- 'See, I have come to do thy will.' The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter. And it is in the fulfillment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ.



"Who are you?" they asked. "Why ask exactly what I have been telling you?" said Jesus. "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. read more.
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. Moreover, he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone; for I always do what pleases him."


But Jesus replied: "My Father works to this very hour, and I work also." This made the Jews all the more eager to kill him, because not only was he doing away with the Sabbath, but he actually called God his own Father--putting himself on an equality with God. So Jesus made this further reply: "In truth I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself; he does only what he sees the Father doing; whatever the Father does, the Son does also. read more.
For the Father loves his Son, and shows him everything that he is doing; and he will show him still greater things--so that you will be filled with wonder.

"I am the Life-giving Bread," Jesus said to them; "he that comes to me shall never be hungry, and he that believes in me shall never thirst again. But, as I have said already, you have seen me, and yet you do not believe in me. All those whom the Father gives me will come to me; and no one who comes to me will I ever turn away. read more.
For I have come down from Heaven, to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me;

"Neither the man nor the parents," replied Jesus; "but he was born blind that the work of God should be made plain in him. We must do the work of him who sent me, while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

"Whoever loves me," Jesus answered, " will lay my Message to heart; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. He who does not love me will not lay my Message to heart; and the Message to which you are listening is not my own, but that of the Father who sent me. I have told you all this while still with you, read more.
But the Helper--the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name--he will teach you all things, and will recall to your minds all that I have said to you. Peace be with you! My own peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, or dismayed. You heard me say that I was going away and would return to you. Had you loved me, you would have been glad that I was going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And this I have told you now before it happens, that, when it does happen, you may still believe in me. I shall not talk with you much more, for the Spirit that is ruling the world is coming. He has nothing in common with me; But he is coming that the world may see that I love the Father, and that I do as the Father commanded me. Come, let us be going.

After saying this, Jesus raised his eyes heaven-wards, and said: "Father, the hour has come; honor thy Son, that thy Son may honor thee; Even as thou gavest him power over all mankind, that he should give Immortal Life to all those whom thou has given him. And the Immortal Life is this--to know thee the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent as thy Messenger. read more.
I have honored thee on earth by completing the work which thou has given me to do;

For the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to remove sins. That is why, when he was coming into the world, the Christ declared-- 'Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire, but thou dost provide for me a body; Thou dost take no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. read more.
So I said, "See, I have come' (as is written of me in the pages of the Book), "To do thy will, O God."' First come the words-- 'Thou dost not desire, nor dost thou take pleasure in, sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin' (offerings regularly made under the Law), and then there is added-- 'See, I have come to do thy will.' The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter. And it is in the fulfillment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ.