John 8 – Light and Truth bringing Freedom

John 8 – Light and Truth bringing Freedom

  1. Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
    …
  1. So they said to him, “Who are you?”
  2. Jesus replied, “What I have told you from the beginning. 26I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the Father who sent me is truthful, and the things I have heard from him I speak to the world.” 27(They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.)
  3. Then Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak just what the Father taught me. 29And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do those things that please him.”
  4. While he was saying these things, many people believed in him.

The Truth sets God’s Children free

  1. Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you abide in my word [continue to follow my teaching], you are really my disciples 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
  2. “We are descendants of Abraham,” they replied, “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
  3. 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.
  4. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. But you want to kill me, because my word has no place in you. 38I am telling you the things I have seen while with the Father; you practice the things you have heard from your Father!”
  5. They answered him, “Abraham is our father!”
Jesus replied, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would be doing the deeds of Abraham,
  1. But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth I heard from God.
Abraham did not do this!
  1. You 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.”
  1. 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 word.
  2. You 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.”

Before Abraham, “I am”

  1. The Judeans replied, “Aren’t we correct in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?”
  2. Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, but I honor my Father—and yet you dishonor 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 keeps my word [follows my teaching], he will never see death.”
  3. 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 keeps my word, 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?”
  4. 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 keep his word. 56Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”
  5. Then the Judeans replied, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?”
  6. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!”
  7. Then they picked up stones to throw at him,
    but Jesus was hidden from them and went out from the temple area.