12 Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony isn’t true.”
14 Jesus answered them, “Even if I do testify about myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15 You judge by human standards. I don’t judge anyone. 16 And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because I’m not alone — I am with the Father who sent me. 17 In your own law it’s written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one testifying about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
19 So they said to him, “Where is your father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father too.”
20 He spoke these words near the treasury, while teaching in the temple. And no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.[1]
21 So he said to them again, “I’m going away, and you’ll look for me, and you’ll die in your sin. Where I’m going, you cannot come.”
22 So the Jews said, “He’s not going to kill himself, is he? Because he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’?”
23 And he said to them, “You are from below. I am from above. You are from this world. I am not from this world. 24 That’s why I told you that you’ll die in your sins. Because if you don’t believe that I am he, you’ll die in your sins.”
25 So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “What I’ve been telling you from the beginning. 26 I have a lot to say about you and a lot to judge. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him — that’s what I speak to the world.”
27 They didn’t understand that he was talking to them about the Father.
28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you’ll know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. I speak only what the Father taught me. 29 And the one who sent me is with me. He hasn’t left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.”
30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you really are my disciples. 32 And you’ll know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and we’ve never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, ‘You’ll become free’?”[2]
34 Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I tell you: everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 And a slave doesn’t stay in the house forever. The son stays forever. 36 So if the son sets you free, you really will be free. 37 I know you’re Abraham’s descendants. But you’re trying to kill me, because my word has no room in you. 38 I speak what I’ve seen with the Father. And you do what you’ve heard from the Father.”
39 They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.”
Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, you’d be doing the works Abraham did. 40 But now you’re trying to kill me — a man who has told you the truth I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this. 41 You’re doing the works of your father.”
They said to him, “We weren’t born from forbidden sex. We have one Father — God.”[3]
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you’d love me. Because I came from God and I’m here. I didn’t come on my own — he sent me. 43 Why don’t you understand what I’m saying? Because you can’t bear to hear my word. 44 You are from your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and never stood in the truth, because there’s no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he’s a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me. 46 Which one of you can prove me guilty of sin? If I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears God’s words. The reason you don’t hear is that you don’t belong to God.”
48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right to say you’re a Samaritan and have a demon?”[4]
49 Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon. I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 I’m not seeking my own glory. There is one who seeks it and judges. 51 Amen, amen, I tell you: if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death — ever.”
52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets. And you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death — ever.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too. Who do you think you are?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. It’s my Father who glorifies me — the one you call ‘our God.’ 55 And you haven’t known him. But I know him. If I said I didn’t know him, I’d be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed at the thought of seeing my day. He saw it and was glad.”[5]
57 So the Jews said to him, “You’re not even fifty years old, and you’ve seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I tell you: before Abraham was, I am.”[6]
59 So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus hid himself and left the temple.[7]
Notes
Note 1. The Greek word here is gazophylakion, “treasury”; Mark 12:41 uses it for the place where the widow puts in her coins. ↩
Note 2. The Greek is sperma Abraam, “Abraham’s seed.” ↩
Note 3. The Greek is ek porneias, “from porneia”; see the note at Matthew 5:32. The Septuagint uses the same word in Hosea 1:2 and 2:6 (2:4 in English Bibles), tekna porneias, “children of porneia,” and Hosea 1:2 gives the reason: “the land has turned to whoring away from the Lord.” ↩
Note 4. John 4:9 notes that Jews do not share things with Samaritans. ↩
Note 5. The Greek is ēgalliasato, “rejoiced greatly.” ↩
Note 6. The Greek is egō eimi, “I am”; the Septuagint renders God’s self-naming in Exodus 3:14 as egō eimi ho ōn, “I am the one who is.” ↩
Note 7. Jewish law required witnesses before a death sentence (Deuteronomy 17:6), and under Roman rule the authorities held that they could not carry out executions on their own (John 18:31). ↩