The Gospel of John for Readers Part 2

I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. But he that is a hireling and not the shepherd, whose sheep are not his own, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. The wolf catcheth and scattereth the sheep. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and careth not for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and am known by my sheep. The Father knoweth me, even as I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. Other sheep I have also who are not of this fold. Them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice. There shall be One Fold and One Shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it up again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. This commandment have I received of my Father. There was a division therefore among the Jews for these sayings. Many of them said, He hath a devil and is mad; why hear ye Him? Others said, These are not the words of Him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

In Jerusalem it was winter and the feast of the dedication. Jesus walked in the temple upon Solomon's porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said, How long dost Thou make us doubt? If Thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you and ye believed me not. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness of me. But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep. As I said to you, My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. And I give them eternal life. They shall never perish, nor shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all. No man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones to stone Him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

The Jews answered Him, saying, For a good work we stone Thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself G.o.d. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said Ye are G.o.ds? If He called them G.o.ds, unto whom the word of G.o.d came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of Him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of G.o.d? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in Him.

Therefore they sought again to take Him but He escaped out of their hand and went away again beyond Jordan to the place where John at first baptized. There He abode. And many resorted unto Him, and said, John did no miracle but all things that John spoke of this man were true. And many believed on Him there.

11. Now a certain man was sick. His name was Lazarus of Bethany. His sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard this, He said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of G.o.d, that the Son of G.o.d might thereby be glorified. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. However, He remained two more days in the same place where He was. Then saith He to His disciples, Let us go into Judaea. His disciples say unto Him, Master, the Jews have sought to stone Thee. Goest Thou there again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth because there is no light in him.

After that He saith to them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said His disciples, Lord, if he sleeps, he shall do well. However, Jesus spoke of death but they thought that He had spoken of taking rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the extent ye may believe. Let us go unto him. Then Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go that we may die with Him.

When Jesus came, He found that Lazarus had already lain in the grave four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off, and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him but Mary remained in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if Thou hadst been here my brother would not have died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask of G.o.d, G.o.d will give it Thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto Him, Yes, Lord. I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of G.o.d, which should come into the world. And when she had so said, she went and called Mary, her sister, saying, The Master is come and calleth for thee.

As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came unto Him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town but was in that place where Martha met Him. Some Jews that were with her in the house to comfort her, saw Mary hastily rise up and go out. They followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then, when Mary came where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell down at His feet saying unto Him, Lord, if Thou hadst been here my brother had not died. When Jesus saw her weeping, and those who came with her also weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. He said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto Him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.

Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him! And some of them said, Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of G.o.d? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid.

And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me. And I know that Thou hearest me always. Because of these standing by I say it that they may believe that Thou hast sent me. And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. Now he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with graveclothes and his face was wound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on Him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what things Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, What do we for this man doeth many miracles? If we let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people so the whole nation perish not. And this spoke he not of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of G.o.d that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together to put Him to death.

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews but went unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with His disciples. Now the Jews' pa.s.sover was near at hand. Many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the pa.s.sover in order to purify themselves. Then sought they for Jesus, and spoke among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that He will not come to the feast? The chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where He was, he should show it, that they might take Him.

12. Six days before the pa.s.sover, Jesus came to Bethany where He had raised Lazarus from the dead. There they made Him a supper. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly ointment of spikenard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. Then saith one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, Why was not this ointment sold for its great worth and given to the poor? This he said not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and held the bag, and minded what was put therein. Jesus said, Let her alone. Against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Many of the Jews knew that He was there. But they came not for Jesus'

sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus whom He had raised from the dead. The chief priests consulted that they might also put Lazarus to death because he was the reason many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus.

On the next day many people who had come for the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. They took branches of palm trees, went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when He had found a young colt, sat thereon; for it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion. Behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an a.s.s's colt. These things His disciples did not at first understand. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him. The people that were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bore record. For this reason also the people met Him because they heard He had done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail not? Behold, the world is gone after Him.

There were certain Greeks among these that came to worship at the feast. Some of them went to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew. Then Andrew and Philip told Jesus. Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, unless a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

If any man serve me, let him follow me. Where I am, there also shall my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my Father honour. Now my soul is troubled. But what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? Yet for this reason came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Thy name. Then there came a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

The people that stood by and heard it said that it thundered. Others said, an angel spoke to Him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This He said, signifying what death He should die.

The people answered Him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever. How sayest Thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man? Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light lest darkness come upon you. For he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.

These things Jesus spoke and then departed and hid Himself. Even though He had done many miracles before them, they still did not believe Him. Thus it was that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because Esaias also said, He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Nevertheless among the chief rulers many believed on Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him lest they should be put out of the synagogue. They loved the praise of men more than the praise of G.o.d. Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on Him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth Him that sent me. I am come as a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. If any man hear my words and believe not, I judge him not because I came not to judge the world but to save the world. He that rejects me and receives not my words, hath One that judgeth him. He Whose words I have spoken shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself, but of the Father who sent me. He gave me a commandment of what I should say and what I should speak. I know that His commandment is life everlasting. Whatever I speak I speak as the Father said unto me.

13. It was before the feast of the pa.s.sover. Jesus knew that His hour was come and that He should depart out of this world unto the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end. Supper was ended. The devil now put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him. Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He came from G.o.d, and went to G.o.d. He arose from supper, laid aside His garments, took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet. He then wiped them with the towel wherewith He was girded.

When He came to Simon Peter, he saith unto Him, Lord, dost Thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto Him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not then thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter then saith unto Him, Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not wash more than his feet, for he is clean every whit. Ye are clean. But not all are clean. He said this last for He knew who should betray Him.

After He washed their feet, put on His garments, and sat down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord. And ye say well for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. Neither He that is sent greater than He that sent Him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

I speak not of all of you. I know whom I have chosen. But that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it comes so when it is come to pa.s.s, ye may believe that I am He. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me. He that receiveth me receiveth Him that sent me.

When Jesus had thus said, He was troubled in spirit and testified saying, Verily, verily, I say unto you that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom He spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom He spoke. He, then, lying on Jesus' breast, saith unto Him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it. When He had dipped the sop He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And, after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus to him, What thou doest, do quickly.

No man at the table knew for what intent He said this to him. Some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of for the feast, or that he should give something to the poor. He then, having received the sop, went immediately out. It was night. After he was gone, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and G.o.d is glorified in Him. If G.o.d be glorified in Him, G.o.d shall also glorify Him in Himself. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me and, as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come. So now I give you a new commandment. Love one another as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another.

Simon Peter said unto Him, Lord, whither goest Thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go thou cannot follow me now, but thou shalt follow me afterwards. Peter said unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now? I will lay down my life for Thy sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Thou shall deny me thrice before the c.o.c.k crows.

14. Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in G.o.d. Believe in me also. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself so that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto Him, Lord, we know not whither Thou goest. How can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also, and from now on ye know Him and have seen Him.

Philip saith unto Him, Lord, show us the Father and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith, Have I been so long a time with you and still thou hast not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. How sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself but of the Father that dwelleth in me. He doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me shall also do the works that I do. And greater works than these shall he also do. Whatever ye ask in my name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments.

I will ask the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter to abide with you forever. This Spirit of truth the world cannot receive because it seeth Him not and will not know Him. But ye know Him for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. In a little while the world seeth me no more. But ye shall see me because I live and ye live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, ye are in me, and I am in you. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them loveth me. And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father. I will love him and show myself to him.

Judas, not Iscariot, saith unto Him, Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us and not to the world? Jesus answered and said, If a man love me, he will keep my words and my Father will love him. We will come unto him and make Our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. The word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you.

The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, shall teach you all things. He will bring all things I have said to you to your remembrance. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said to you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me ye would rejoice because I said I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you beforehand so that, when it comes to pa.s.s, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this world cometh. He hath nothing on me but what I do I do so the world may know that I love the Father, and do as the Father commanded me. Arise, let us go hence.

15. I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away. Every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine. Ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me he is a branch that is cut off and will wither. Men gather them and cast them into the fire to be burned. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit and so shall ye be my disciples.

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue in my love. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full.

This is my commandment, That ye love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than that he lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends. If ye do whatever I command you, I call you not servants. The servant knoweth not what his lord doeth. But I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain so whatever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you.

These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own. But ye are not of the world. I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not Him that sent me.

If I had not come and spoken unto them, they would be innocent of sin. But now they have no cloke to hide their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no other man did, they had not had sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pa.s.s so that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter comes, the Spirit of truth who proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me. And ye also shall bear witness because ye have been with me from the beginning.

16. These things have I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues. Yea, the time will come when whoever killeth you will think that he doeth G.o.d a service. And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me.

But these things have I told you so that when the time comes, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning because I was with you. But now I go away to Him that sent me. And none of you asketh me, Whither goest Thou? But because I have said these things unto you sorrow hath filled your heart.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth, It is best for you that I go away. If I go not away the Comforter will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send Him to you. When He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin, because they believe not on me. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father and ye see me no more. Of judgment, because the evil one who is prince of this world is judged.

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. However, when the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth because He shall not speak of Himself. But whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak. And He will show you things to come. He shall glorify me for He shall receive my own, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine. Therefore I said that He shall take my own and shall show it unto you. A little while and ye shall not see me. And then, in a little while, and ye shall see me because I go to the Father.

Then said some of His disciples among themselves, What is this that He saith unto us? A little while and ye shall not see me? And in a little while and ye shall see me because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that He saith, A little while? we cannot tell what He saith. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask Him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me, and in a little while, ye shall see me?

Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. Ye shall be sorrowful but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour is come. But as soon as she is delivered of the child she remembereth no more the anguish because of her joy over a new birth to the world. So ye now have sorrow. But I will see you again. And your heart shall rejoice. And your joy no man can take from you. In that day ye shall need ask of me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it to you. Until now ye have asked nothing in my name. Ask. And ye shall receive so your joy may be full.

These things I have spoken unto you in proverbs. But the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs but I shall show you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name. And I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you. For the Father Himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came from G.o.d. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world. Now I leave the world and go to the Father.

His disciples said unto Him, Lo, now speakest Thou plainly and speakest no proverb. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own. Ye shall leave me alone and, yet, I am not alone because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you so that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.

17. These words spoke Jesus. Then He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come. Glorify Thy Son that Thy Son also may glorify Thee, as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true G.o.d and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on the earth. I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou me with Thine Own Self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were and Thou gavest them me. They have kept Thy word. Now they know that all things Thou hast given me are of Thee. For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest me. They have received them and know surely that I came from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send me.

I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given me because they are Thine. All mine are Thine, and Thine are mine. And I am glorified in them. Now I am no more in the world but these are in the world. I come to Thee, Holy Father. Keep through Thine Own Name those whom Thou hast given me so they may be one just as We are one. While I was with them in the world I kept them in Thy Name. Those that Thou gavest me I have kept. None of them is lost except the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled. Now come I to Thee and speak these things in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them Thy word. The world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from evil. They are not of the world as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy Truth. Thy Word is Truth. As Thou hast sent me into the world so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Neither pray I for these alone. But I pray also for them which shall believe on me through their word that they all may be One, as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee. They also may be One in Us so that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me. And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them so that they may be One, even as We are One. I in them and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in One, and that the world may know that Thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as Thou hast loved me.