12 Jesus again addressed the people.
“I am the Light of the World,” he said. He
who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the Light of Life.”
13 “You are bearing testimony to yourself!” exclaimed the
Pharisees, “your testimony is not trustworthy.”
14 “Even if I bear testimony to myself,” answered Jesus, “my
testimony is trustworthy; for I know where I came from, and
where I am going; but you do not know where I come from, nor
where I am going.
15 You judge by appearances; I judge no one.
16 Yet, even if I were to judge, my judgement would be trustworthy;
because I am not alone, but the Father who sent me
is with me.
17 Why, in your own Law it is said that the testimony
of two persons is trustworthy. note
18 I, who bear testimony
to myself, am one, and the Father who sent me also bears
testimony to me.”
19 “Where is your father, then?” they asked.
“You know neither me nor my Father,” replied Jesus. “If
you had known me, you would have also known my Father.”
20 These statements Jesus made in the Treasury, while teaching
in the Temple Courts. Yet no one arrested him, for his
time had not then come.
note
21 Jesus again spoke to the people.
“I am going away,” he said, “and you will
look for me, but you will die in your sin; you
cannot come where I am going.”
-- --
22 “Is he going to kill himself,” the Jews exclaimed, “that he
says—‘You cannot go where I am going’?”
23 “You,” added Jesus, “are from below, I am from above;
you are of this present world, I am not;
24 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.”
25 “Who are you?” they asked.
“Why ask exactly what I have been telling you?” said
Jesus.
26 “I have still much that concerns you to speak of and
to pass judgement 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.”
27
28 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.
29 Moreover, he who sent me is with me; he has not left me
alone; for I always do what pleases him.”
30 While he was speaking in this way, many came to believe in
him.
31 So Jesus went on to say to those Jews who had believed him:
“If you remain constant to my Message, you are truly my
disciples;
32 and you shall find out the Truth, and the Truth will
set you free.”
33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” was their answer, “and
have never yet been in slavery to any one. What do you mean
by saying ‘you will be set free’?”
34 “In truth I tell you,” replied Jesus, “every one who sins is a
slave to sin.
35 And a slave does not remain in the home always;
but a son remains always.
36 If, then, the Son sets you free, you
will be free indeed!
37 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.
38 I tell you what I
have myself seen in the presence of my Father; and you, in
the same way, do what you have learnt from your father.”
39 “Our father is Abraham,” was their answer.
“If you are Abraham's children,” replied Jesus, “do what
Abraham did.
40 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.
41 Abraham did not act in that way. You are doing what
your own father does.”
“We are not bastards,” they said, “we have one Father—
God himself.”
42 “If God were your Father,” Jesus replied, “you would have
loved me, for I came out from God, and now am here; and I
have not come of myself, but he sent me as his Messenger.
43 How is it that you do not understand what I say? It is because
you cannot bear to listen to my Message.
44 As for you, you are
-- --
children of your father the Devil, and you are determined to do
what your father loves to do. He was a murderer from the
first, and did not stand by the truth, because there is no truth
in him. Whenever he lies, he does what is natural to him;
because he is a liar, and the father of lying.
45 But, as for me,
it is because I speak the truth to you that you do not believe
me.
46 Which of you can convict me of sin? Why then do not
you believe me, if I am speaking truth?
47 He who comes from
God listens to God's teaching; the reason why you do not
listen is because you do not come from God.”
48 “Are not we right, after all,” replied the Jews, “in saying
that you are a Samaritan, and are possessed by a demon?”
49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” Jesus answered, “but
I am showing reverence for my Father; and yet you have
no reverence for me.
50 Not that I am seeking honour for
myself; there is one who is seeking my honour, and he
decides. ⪆⪆
51 In truth I tell you, if any one lays my
Message to heart, he will never really die.”
52 “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.’
53 Are you greater than our ancestor Abraham,
who died? And the Prophets died too. Whom do you make
yourself out to be?”
54 “If I do honour to myself,” answered Jesus, “such honour
counts for nothing. It is my Father who does me honour—
and you say that he is your God;
55 and yet you have not learnt
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.
56 Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced
that he would see my day; and he did see it, and was glad.”
57 “You are not fifty years old yet,” the Jews exclaimed, “and
have you seen Abraham?”
58 “In truth I tell you,” replied Jesus, “before Abraham
existed I was.”
59 At this they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself,
and left the Temple Courts.
Twentieth Century [1904], THE TWENTIETH CENTURY NEW TESTAMENT A TRANSLATION INTO MODERN ENGLISH Made from the Original Greek (Westcott & Hort's Text) (The Fleming H. Revell Company, NEW YORK & CHICAGO) [word count] [B14200].