¹⁶ “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] ^[a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁷ For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.

The Adulterous Woman

8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ² Early in the morning He came back into the temple [court], and all the people were coming to Him. He sat down and began teaching them. ³ Now the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the center of the court, ⁴ and they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of adultery. ⁵ Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women [to death]. So what do You say [to do with her—what is Your sentence]?”^{(A) 6} They said this to test Him, hoping that they would have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground with His finger. ⁷ However, when they persisted in questioning Him, He straightened up and said, “He who is without [any] sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”^{(B) 8} Then He stooped down again and started writing on the ground. ⁹ They listened [to His reply], and they began to go out one by one, starting with the oldest ones, until He was left alone, with the woman [standing there before Him] in the center of the court. ¹⁰ Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ¹¹ She answered, “No one, Lord!” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more.”]

Jesus Is the Light of the World

¹² Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “^[a]I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” ¹³ Then the Pharisees told Him, “You are testifying on Your own behalf; Your testimony is not valid.” ¹⁴ Jesus replied, “Even if I do testify on My own behalf, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge according to ^[b]human standards [just by what you see]. I do not judge anyone. ¹⁶ But even if I do judge, My judgment is true and My decision is right; for I am not alone [in making it], but I and the Father who sent Me [make the same judgment]. ¹⁷ Even in your own law it is written that the testimony of two persons is true [valid and admissible].^{(C) 18} I am One [of the Two] who testifies about Myself, and My Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” ¹⁹ Then the Pharisees said to Him, “Where is this Father of Yours?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” ²⁰ Jesus said these things in the treasury, as He taught in the temple [courtyard]; and no one seized Him, because His time had not yet come.

²¹ Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, and you will die [unforgiven and condemned] in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” ²² So the Jews were asking [among themselves], “Will He kill Himself? Is that why He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” ²³ He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ²⁴ That is why I told you that you will die [unforgiven and condemned] in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am the One [I claim to be], you will die in your sins.”^{(D) 25} So they said to Him, “Who are You [anyway]?” Jesus replied, “What have I been saying to you from the beginning? ²⁶ I have many things to say and judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I say to the world [only] the things that I have heard from Him.” ²⁷ They did not realize [or have the spiritual insight to understand] that He was speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man [on the cross], you will know then [without any doubt] that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own authority, but I say these things just as My Father taught Me. ²⁹ And He who sent Me is [always] with Me; He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.” ³⁰ As He said these things, ^[c]many believed in Him.

The Truth Will Make You Free

³¹ So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. ³² And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].” ³³ They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone. ^[d]What do You mean by saying, ‘You will be set free’?”

³⁴ Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, everyone who practices sin habitually is a slave of sin. ³⁵ Now the slave does not remain in a household forever; the son [of the master] does remain forever. ³⁶ So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you plan to kill Me, because My word has no place [to grow] in you [and it makes no change in your heart]. ³⁸ I tell the things that I have seen at My Father’s side [in His very presence]; so you also do the things that you heard from your father.”

³⁹ They answered, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are [truly] Abraham’s children, then do the works of Abraham and follow his example. ⁴⁰ But as it is, you want to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. This is not the way Abraham acted. ⁴¹ You are doing the works of your [own] father.” They said to Him, “We are not illegitimate children; we have one [spiritual] Father: God.” ⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father [but He is not], you would love and recognize Me, for I came from God [out of His very presence] and have arrived here. For I have not even come on My own initiative [as self-appointed], but He [is the One who] sent Me. ⁴³ Why do you misunderstand what I am saying? It is because [your spiritual ears are deaf and] you are unable to hear [the truth of] My word. ⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to practice the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths. ⁴⁵ But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me [and continue in your unbelief]. ⁴⁶ Which one of you [has proof and] convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? ⁴⁷ Whoever is of God and belongs to Him hears [the truth of] God’s words; for this reason you do not hear them: because you are not of God and you are not in fellowship with Him.”

⁴⁸ The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right when we say You are a ^[e]Samaritan and [that You] have a demon [and are under its power]?” ⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. On the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. ⁵⁰ However, I am not seeking glory for Myself. There is One who seeks [glory for Me] and judges [those who dishonor Me]. ⁵¹ I assure you and most solemnly say to you, if anyone keeps My word [by living in accordance with My message] he will indeed never, ever see and experience ^[f]death.” ⁵² The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon [and are under its power]. Abraham died, and also the prophets; yet You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never, ever taste of death.’ ⁵³ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too! Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” ⁵⁴ Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is [worth] nothing. It is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ ⁵⁵ Yet you do not know Him, but I know Him fully. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him and keep His word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham [greatly] rejoiced to see My day (My incarnation). ^[g]He saw it and was delighted.”^{(E) 57} Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not even fifty years old, and You [claim to] have seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, before Abraham was born, ^[h]I Am.”^{(F) 59} So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus concealed Himself and left the temple.

Mary Anoints Jesus

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom He had raised from the dead.^{(A) 2} So they gave a supper for Him there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. ³ Then ^[a]Mary took a pound of very expensive perfume of pure ^[b]nard, and she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴ But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, the one who was going to betray Him, said, ⁵ “Why was this perfume not sold for ^[c]three hundred denarii and [the money] given to the poor?” ⁶ Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor [for he had never cared about them], but because he was a thief; and since he had the money box [serving as treasurer for the twelve disciples], he used to pilfer what was put into it. ⁷ So Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep [the rest of] it for the day of My burial. ⁸ You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

⁹ A large crowd of Jews learned that He was there [at Bethany]; and they came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. ¹⁰ So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus also, ¹¹ because on account of him many of the Jews were going away [from the teaching and traditions of the Jewish leaders] and believing in Jesus [following Him as Savior and Messiah].

The Triumphal Entry

¹² The next day, when the large crowd who had come to the Passover feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,^{(B) 13} they took branches of palm trees [in homage to Him as King] and went out to meet Him, and they began shouting and kept shouting “Hosanna! Blessed (celebrated, praised) is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”^{(C) 14} And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; just as it is written [in Scripture], ¹⁵ “Do not fear, Daughter of Zion; Behold, Your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”^{(D) 16} His disciples did not understand [the meaning of] these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified and exalted, they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him. ¹⁷ So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to tell others about Him. ¹⁸ For this reason the crowd went to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this [miraculous] sign. ¹⁹ Then the Pharisees [argued and] said to one another, “You see that your efforts are futile. Look! The whole world has gone [running] after Him!”

Greeks Seek Jesus

²⁰ Now there were some Greeks (Gentiles) among those who were going up to worship at the feast; ²¹ these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” ²² Philip came and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. ²³ And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified and exalted. ²⁴ I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone [just one grain, never more]. But if it dies, it produces much grain and yields a harvest. ²⁵ The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this world [and is concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal. ²⁶ If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven’s glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Jesus Foretells His Death

²⁷ “Now My soul is troubled and deeply distressed; what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]’? But it is for this [very] purpose that I have come to this hour [this time and place]. ²⁸ [Rather, I will say,] ‘Father, glorify (honor, extol) Your name!’” Then a ^[d]voice came from heaven saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd of people who stood nearby and heard the voice said that it had thundered; others said, “An angel has spoken to Him!” ³⁰ Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. ³¹ Now judgment is upon this world [the sentence is being passed]. Now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out. ³² And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw all people to Myself [Gentiles, as well as Jews].” ³³ He said this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die. ³⁴ At this the crowd answered Him, “^[e]We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; how then can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”^{(E) 35} So Jesus said to them, “The Light is among you [only] a little while longer. Walk while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so that darkness will not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going [he is drifting aimlessly]. ³⁶ While you have the Light, believe and trust in the Light [have faith in it, hold on to it, rely on it], so that you may become sons of Light [being filled with Light as followers of God].”

Jesus said these things, and then He left and hid Himself from them. ³⁷ Even though He had done so many signs (attesting miracles) right before them, yet they still did not believe and failed to trust Him— ³⁸ This was to fulfill what Isaiah the prophet said: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm (the power) of the Lord been shown (unveiled, revealed)?”^{(F) 39} Therefore they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, ⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, to keep them from seeing with their eyes and understanding with their heart and being converted; otherwise, I [their God] would heal them.” ⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke about Him.^{(G) 42} Nevertheless, even many of the leading men believed in Him [as Savior and Messiah], but because of the Pharisees they would not confess it, for fear that [if they acknowledged Him openly] they would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated); ⁴³ for they loved the approval of men more than the approval of God.

⁴⁴ But Jesus loudly declared, “The one who believes and trusts in Me does not believe [only] in Me but [also believes] in Him who sent Me. ⁴⁵ And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me. ⁴⁶ I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness. ⁴⁷ If anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but to save the world. ⁴⁸ Whoever rejects Me and refuses to accept My teachings, has one who judges him; the very word that I spoke will judge and condemn him on the last day. ⁴⁹ For I have never spoken on My own initiative or authority, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment regarding what to say and what to speak.^{(H) 50} I know that His commandment is eternal life. So the things I speak, I speak [in accordance with His exact instruction,] just as the Father has told Me.”