John 8

To Throw the Stone

1 Jesus went across to Mount Olives,2 but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.

3 The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone4 and said, "Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery.5 Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?"

6 They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.7 They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone."8 Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.

9 Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone.10 Jesus stood up and spoke to her. "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?"

11 "No one, Master." "Neither do I," said Jesus. "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin." You're Missing God in All This

You're Missing God in All This

12 Jesus once again addressed them: "I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in."

13 The Pharisees objected, "All we have is your word on this. We need more than this to go on."

14 Jesus replied, "You're right that you only have my word. But you can depend on it being true. I know where I've come from and where I go next. You don't know where I'm from or where I'm headed.15 You decide according to what you can see and touch. I don't make judgments like that.16 But even if I did, my judgment would be true because I wouldn't make it out of the narrowness of my experience but in the largeness of the One who sent me, the Father.17 That fulfills the conditions set down in God's Law: that you can count on the testimony of two witnesses.18 And that is what you have: You have my word and you have the word of the Father who sent me."

19 They said, "Where is this so-called Father of yours?" Jesus said, "You're looking right at me and you don't see me. How do you expect to see the Father? If you knew me, you would at the same time know the Father."

20 He gave this speech in the Treasury while teaching in the Temple. No one arrested him because his time wasn't yet up.

21 Then he went over the same ground again. "I'm leaving and you are going to look for me, but you're missing God in this and are headed for a dead end. There is no way you can come with me."

22 The Jews said, "So, is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by 'You can't come with me'?"

23 Jesus said, "You're tied down to the mundane; I'm in touch with what is beyond your horizons. You live in terms of what you see and touch. I'm living on other terms.24 I told you that you were missing God in all this. You're at a dead end. If you won't believe I am who I say I am, you're at the dead end of sins. You're missing God in your lives."

25 They said to him, "Just who are you anyway?"26 I have so many things to say that concern you, judgments to make that affect you, but if you don't accept the trustworthiness of the One who commanded my words and acts, none of it matters. That is who you are questioning-not me but the One who sent me."

27 They still didn't get it, didn't realize that he was referring to the Father.28 So Jesus tried again. "When you raise up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am-that I'm not making this up, but speaking only what the Father taught me.29 The One who sent me stays with me. He doesn't abandon me. He sees how much joy I take in pleasing him."

30 When he put it in these terms, many people decided to believe.

If the Son Sets You Free

31 Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure.32 Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you."

33 Surprised, they said, "But we're descendants of Abraham. We've never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, 'The truth will free you'?"

34 Jesus said, "I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave.35 A slave is a transient, who can't come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house.36 So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.37 I know you are Abraham's descendants. But I also know that you are trying to kill me because my message hasn't yet penetrated your thick skulls.38 I'm talking about things I have seen while keeping company with the Father, and you just go on doing what you have heard from your father."

39 They were indignant. "Our father is Abraham!"40 And yet here you are trying to kill me, a man who has spoken to you the truth he got straight from God! Abraham never did that sort of thing.41 You persist in repeating the works of your father." They said, "We're not bastards. We have a legitimate father: the one and only God."

42 "If God was your father," said Jesus, "you would love me, for I came from God and arrived here. I didn't come on my own. He sent me.43 Why can't you understand one word I say? Here's why: You can't handle it.44 You're from your father, the Devil, and all you want to do is please him. He was a killer from the very start. He couldn't stand the truth because there wasn't a shred of truth in him. When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies.45 I arrive on the scene, tell you the plain truth, and you refuse to have a thing to do with me.46 Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act? But if I'm telling the truth, why don't you believe me?47 Anyone on God's side listens to God's words. This is why you're not listening-because you're not on God's side."

I Am Who I Am

48 The Jews then said, "That clinches it. We were right all along when we called you a Samaritan and said you were crazy-demon-possessed!"

49 Jesus said, "I'm not crazy. I simply honor my Father, while you dishonor me.50 I am not trying to get anything for myself. God intends something gloriously grand here and is making the decisions that will bring it about.51 I say this with absolute confidence. If you practice what I'm telling you, you'll never have to look death in the face."

52 At this point the Jews said, "Now we know you're crazy. Abraham died. The prophets died. And you show up saying, 'If you practice what I'm telling you, you'll never have to face death, not even a taste.'53 Are you greater than Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you think you are!"

54 Jesus said, "If I turned the spotlight on myself, it wouldn't amount to anything. But my Father, the same One you say is your Father, put me here at this time and place of splendor.55 You haven't recognized him in this. But I have. If I, in false modesty, said I didn't know what was going on, I would be as much of a liar as you are. But I do know, and I am doing what he says.56 Abraham-your 'father'-with jubilant faith looked down the corridors of history and saw my day coming. He saw it and cheered."

57 The Jews said, "You're not even fifty years old-and Abraham saw you?"

58 "Believe me," said Jesus, "I am who I am long before Abraham was anything."

59 That did it-pushed them over the edge. They picked up rocks to throw at him. But Jesus slipped away, getting out of the Temple.

John 9

True Blindness

1 Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth.2 His disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?"

3 Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do.4 We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over.5 For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world's Light."

6 He said this and then spit in the dust, made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man's eyes,7 and said, "Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "Sent"). The man went and washed-and saw.

8 Soon the town was buzzing. His relatives and those who year after year had seen him as a blind man begging were saying, "Why, isn't this the man we knew, who sat here and begged?"

9 Others said, "It's him all right!" But others objected, "It's not the same man at all. It just looks like him." He said, "It's me, the very one."

10 They said, "How did your eyes get opened?"

11 "A man named Jesus made a paste and rubbed it on my eyes and told me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' I did what he said. When I washed, I saw."

12 "So where is he?" "I don't know."

13 They marched the man to the Pharisees.14 This day when Jesus made the paste and healed his blindness was the Sabbath.15 The Pharisees grilled him again on how he had come to see. He said, "He put a clay paste on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see."

16 Some of the Pharisees said, "Obviously, this man can't be from God. He doesn't keep the Sabbath." Others countered, "How can a bad man do miraculous, God-revealing things like this?" There was a split in their ranks.

17 They came back at the blind man, "You're the expert. He opened your eyes. What do you say about him?" He said, "He is a prophet."

18 The Jews didn't believe it, didn't believe the man was blind to begin with. So they called the parents of the man now bright-eyed with sight.19 They asked them, "Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? So how is it that he now sees?"

20 His parents said, "We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind.21 But we don't know how he came to see-haven't a clue about who opened his eyes. Why don't you ask him? He's a grown man and can speak for himself."22 (His parents were talking like this because they were intimidated by the Jewish leaders, who had already decided that anyone who took a stand that this was the Messiah would be kicked out of the meeting place.23 That's why his parents said, "Ask him. He's a grown man.")

24 They called the man back a second time-the man who had been blind-and told him, "Give credit to God. We know this man is an impostor."

25 He replied, "I know nothing about that one way or the other. But I know one thing for sure: I was blind . . . I now see."

26 They said, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"

27 "I've told you over and over and you haven't listened. Why do you want to hear it again? Are you so eager to become his disciples?"

28 With that they jumped all over him. "You might be a disciple of that man, but we're disciples of Moses.29 We know for sure that God spoke to Moses, but we have no idea where this man even comes from."

30 The man replied, "This is amazing! You claim to know nothing about him, but the fact is, he opened my eyes!31 It's well known that God isn't at the beck and call of sinners, but listens carefully to anyone who lives in reverence and does his will.32 That someone opened the eyes of a man born blind has never been heard of-ever.33 If this man didn't come from God, he wouldn't be able to do anything."

34 They said, "You're nothing but dirt! How dare you take that tone with us!" Then they threw him out in the street.

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and went and found him. He asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

36 The man said, "Point him out to me, sir, so that I can believe in him."

37 Jesus said, "You're looking right at him. Don't you recognize my voice?"

38 "Master, I believe," the man said, and worshiped him.

39 Jesus then said, "I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind."

40 Some Pharisees overheard him and said, "Does that mean you're calling us blind?"

41 Jesus said, "If you were really blind, you would be blameless, but since you claim to see everything so well, you're accountable for every fault and failure.

John 10

He Calls His Sheep by Name

1 "Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good-a sheep rustler!2 The shepherd walks right up to the gate.3 The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4 When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice.5 They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it."

6 Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about.7 So he tried again. "I'll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep.8 All those others are up to no good-sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen to them.9 I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for-will freely go in and out, and find pasture.10 A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

11 "I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary.12 A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf.13 He's only in it for the money. The sheep don't matter to him.

14 "I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me.15 In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary.16 You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They'll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd.17 This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again.18 No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father."

19 This kind of talk caused another split in the Jewish ranks.20 A lot of them were saying, "He's crazy, a maniac-out of his head completely. Why bother listening to him?"21 But others weren't so sure: "These aren't the words of a crazy man. Can a 'maniac' open blind eyes?"

22 They were celebrating Hanukkah just then in Jerusalem. It was winter.23 Jesus was strolling in the Temple across Solomon's Porch.24 The Jews, circling him, said, "How long are you going to keep us guessing? If you're the Messiah, tell us straight out."

25 Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words.26 You don't believe because you're not my sheep.27 My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me.28 I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand.29 The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him.30 I and the Father are one heart and mind."

31 Again the Jews picked up rocks to throw at him.32 Jesus said, "I have made a present to you from the Father of a great many good actions. For which of these acts do you stone me?"

33 The Jews said, "We're not stoning you for anything good you did, but for what you said-this blasphemy of calling yourself God."

34 Jesus said, "I'm only quoting your inspired Scriptures, where God said, 'I tell you-you are gods.'35 If God called your ancestors 'gods'-and Scripture doesn't lie -36 why do you yell, 'Blasphemer! Blasphemer!' at the unique One the Father consecrated and sent into the world, just because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?37 If I don't do the things my Father does, well and good; don't believe me.38 But if I am doing them, put aside for a moment what you hear me say about myself and just take the evidence of the actions that are right before your eyes. Then perhaps things will come together for you, and you'll see that not only are we doing the same thing, we are the same-Father and Son. He is in me; I am in him."

39 They tried yet again to arrest him, but he slipped through their fingers.40 He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and stayed there.41 A lot of people followed him over. They were saying, "John did no miracles, but everything he said about this man has come true."42 Many believed in him then and there.