John 7:1-2, 37-44

31. Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him,
    “If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples
    ³²and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33. They replied, “We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been anyone’s slaves!
    How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34. Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin.
    ³⁵The slave does not remain in the family forever, but the son remains forever.
    ³⁶So if the son sets you free, you will be really free.”
     

37. “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants.
    But you want to kill me, because my teaching makes no progress among you.
    ³⁸I am telling you the things I have seen while with the Father;
    as for you, practice the things you have heard from the Father!”

39. They answered him, “Abraham is our father!”
    Jesus replied, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would be doing the deeds of Abraham.
    ⁴⁰But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth I heard from God.
    Abraham did not do this! ⁴¹You people are doing the deeds of your father.”
    Then they said to Jesus, “We were not born as a result of immorality! We have only one Father, God himself.”

42. Jesus replied, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here.
    I have not come on my own initiative, but he sent me.
    ⁴³Why don’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot accept my teaching?
    ⁴⁴You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires.
    He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him.
    Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
    ⁴⁵But because I am telling you the truth, you do not believe me.
    ⁴⁶Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me?
    ⁴⁷The one who belongs to God listens and responds to God’s words.
    You don’t listen and respond, because you don’t belong to God.”

48. The Judeans replied, “Aren’t we correct in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?”
49. Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, but I honour my Father—and yet you dishonour me.
    ⁵⁰I am not trying to get praise for myself.
    There is one who demands it, and he also judges.
    ⁵¹I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death.”

52. Then the Judeans responded, “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon!
    Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say,
    ’If anyone obeys my teaching, he will never experience death.’
    ⁵³You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you?
    And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?”

54. Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless.
    The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people say, ‘He is our God.’
    ⁵⁵Yet you do not know him, but I know him.
    If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you.
    But I do know him, and I obey his teaching.
    ⁵⁶Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”

57. Then the Judeans replied, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?”
58. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!”
59. Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area.

Updated on 2010-01-17 (r.117) by Andrew Fountain