John 8:12-47

¹²Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

¹³The Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”

¹⁴Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going.

¹⁵You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.

¹⁶Even if I do judge, my judgement is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.

¹⁷It’s also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid.

¹⁸I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”

¹⁹They said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

²⁰Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

²¹Jesus said therefore again to them, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you can’t come.”

²²The Jews therefore said, “Will he kill himself, because he says, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come’?”

²³He said to them, “You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.

²⁴I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

²⁵They said therefore to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.

²⁶I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you. However, he who sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these I say to the world.”

²⁷They didn’t understand that he spoke to them about the Father.

²⁸Jesus therefore said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I say these things.

²⁹He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

³⁰As he spoke these things, many believed in him.

³¹Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.

³²You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

³³They answered him, “We are Abraham’s offspring, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’?”

³⁴Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin.

³⁵A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever.

³⁶If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

³⁷I know that you are Abraham’s offspring, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.

³⁸I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father.”

³⁹They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.

⁴⁰But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this.

⁴¹You do the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.”

⁴²Therefore Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me.

⁴³Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.

⁴⁴You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

⁴⁵But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me.

⁴⁶Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

⁴⁷He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”