New Testament Plan

¹Later on there was a Jewish feast (festival), and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

²Now in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew (Jewish Aramaic) Bethesda, having five porticoes (alcoves, colonnades).

³In these porticoes lay a great number of people who were sick, blind, lame, withered, [waiting for the stirring of the water;

⁴for an angel of the Lord went down into the pool at appointed seasons and stirred up the water; the first one to go in after the water was stirred was healed of his disease.]

⁵There was a certain man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.

⁶When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to get well?"

⁷The invalid answered, "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am coming [to get into it myself], someone else steps down ahead of me."

⁸Jesus said to him, "Get up; pick up your pallet and walk."

⁹Immediately the man was healed and recovered his strength, and picked up his pallet and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.

¹⁰So the Jews kept saying to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath, and you are not permitted to pick up your pallet [because it is unlawful]."

¹¹He answered them, "The Man who healed me and gave me back my strength was the One who said to me, 'Pick up your pallet and walk.'"

¹²They asked him, "Who is the Man who told you, 'Pick up your pallet and walk'?"

¹³Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away [unnoticed] since there was a crowd in that place.

¹⁴Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well! Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."

¹⁵The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

¹⁶For this reason the Jews began to persecute Jesus continually because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.

¹⁷But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now [He has never ceased working], and I too am working."

¹⁸This made the Jews more determined than ever to kill Him, for not only was He breaking the Sabbath [from their viewpoint], but He was also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

¹⁹So Jesus answered them by saying, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself [of His own accord], unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever things the Father does, the Son [in His turn] also does in the same way.

²⁰For the Father dearly loves the Son and shows Him everything that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will be filled with wonder.

²¹Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life [and allows them to live on], even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.

²²For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment [that is, the prerogative of judging] to the Son [placing it entirely into His hands],

²³so that all will give honor (reverence, homage) to the Son just as they give honor to the Father. [In fact] the one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who has sent Him.

²⁴"I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life [that is, eternal life actually begins—the believer is transformed], and does not come into judgment and condemnation, but has passed [over] from death into life.

²⁵I assure you and most solemnly say to you, a time is coming and is [here] now, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear it will live.

²⁶For just as the Father has life in Himself [and is self-existent], even so He has given to the Son to have life in Himself [and be self-existent].

²⁷And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is a Son of Man [sinless humanity, qualifying Him to sit in judgment over mankind].

²⁸Do not be surprised at this; for a time is coming when all those who are in the tombs will hear His voice,

²⁹and they will come out—those who did good things [will come out] to a resurrection of [new] life, but those who did evil things [will come out] to a resurrection of judgment [that is, to be sentenced].

³⁰"I can do nothing on my own initiative or authority. Just as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just (fair, righteous, unbiased), because I do not seek My own will, but only the will of Him who sent Me.

³¹"If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid.

³²There is another [My Father] who testifies about Me, and I know [without any doubt] that His testimony on My behalf is true and valid.

³³You have sent [an inquiry] to John [the Baptist] and he has testified [as an eyewitness] to the truth.

³⁴But the testimony I receive is not from man [a merely human witness]; but I say these things so that you may be saved [that is, have eternal life].

³⁵John was the lamp that kept on burning and shining [to show you the way], and you were willing for a while to rejoice in his light.

³⁶But the testimony which I have is far greater than the testimony of John; for the works that the Father has given Me to finish—the very same works [that is, the miracles and proofs of My deity] that I am [now] doing—testify about Me, [by providing evidence] that the Father has sent Me.

³⁷And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form [His majesty and greatness—what He is like].

³⁸You do not have His word (Scripture) abiding in you [actually living in your hearts and minds], because you do not believe in Him whom He has sent.

³⁹ You search and keep on searching and examining the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and yet it is those [very Scriptures] that testify about Me;

⁴⁰and still you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

⁴¹I do not receive glory and approval from men;

⁴²but I know you and recognize that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.

⁴³I have come in My Father's name and with His power, and you do not receive Me [because your minds are closed]; but if another comes in his own name and with no authority or power except his own, you will receive him and give your approval to an imposter.

⁴⁴How can you believe [in Me], when you [seek and] receive glory and approval from one another, and yet you do not seek the glory and approval which comes from the one and only God?

⁴⁵Do not think that I [am the One who] will accuse you before the Father. There [already] is one who accuses you: Moses, [the very one] in whom you have placed your hope [for salvation].

⁴⁶For if you believed and relied on [the Scriptures written by] Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me [personally].

⁴⁷But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

¹After this, Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Sea of Tiberias).

²A large crowd was following Him because they had seen the signs (attesting miracles) which He continually performed on those who were sick.

³And Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down there with His disciples.

⁴Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was approaching.

⁵Jesus looked up and saw that a large crowd was coming toward Him, and He said to Philip, "Where will we buy bread for these people to eat?"

⁶But He said this to test Philip, because He knew what He was about to do.

⁷Philip answered, "Two hundred denarii (200 days' wages) worth of bread is not enough for each one to receive even a little."

⁸One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,

⁹"There is a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?"

¹⁰Jesus said, "Have the people sit down [to eat]." Now [the ground] there was [covered with] an abundance of grass, so the men sat down, about5,000 in number.

¹¹Then Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; the same also with the fish, as much as they wanted.

¹²When they had eaten enough, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost."

¹³So they gathered them up, and they filled twelve large baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

¹⁴When the people saw the sign (attesting miracle) that He had done, they began saying, "This is without a doubt the promised Prophet who is to come into the world!"

¹⁵Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself.

¹⁶When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,

¹⁷and they got into a boat and started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had still not come [back] to them.

¹⁸The sea was getting rough and rising high because a strong wind was blowing.

¹⁹Then, when they had rowed three or four miles [and were near the center of the sea], they saw Jesus walking on the sea and approaching the boat; and they were [terribly] frightened.

²⁰But Jesus said to them, "It is I (I Am); do not be afraid."

²¹Then they were willing to take Him on board the boat, and immediately the boat reached the [shore of the] land to which they were going.

²²The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea realized that there had been only one small boat there, and that Jesus had not boarded the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had gone away alone.

²³[Now some] other small boats from Tiberias had come in near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

²⁴So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they boarded the small boats themselves and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

²⁵And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?"

²⁶Jesus answered, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you have been searching for Me, not because you saw the signs (attesting miracles), but because you ate the loaves and were filled.

²⁷Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures [and leads] to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you; for God the Father has authorized Him and put His seal on Him."

²⁸Then they asked Him, "What are we to do, so that we may habitually be doing the works of God?"

²⁹Jesus answered, "This is the work of God: that you believe [adhere to, trust in, rely on, and have faith] in the One whom He has sent."

³⁰So they said to Him, "What sign (attesting miracle) will You do that we may see it and believe You? What [supernatural] work will You do [as proof]?

³¹Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written [in Scripture], 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.'"

³²Then Jesus said to them, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.

³³For the Bread of God is He who comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."

³⁴Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread."

³⁵Jesus replied to them, " I am the Bread of Life. The one who comes to Me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in Me [as Savior] will never be thirsty [for that one will be sustained spiritually].

³⁶But as I told you, you have seen Me and still you do not believe.

³⁷All that My Father gives Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, never reject anyone who follows Me].

³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.

³⁹This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but that I [give new life and] raise it up at the last day.

⁴⁰For this is My Father's will and purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him [as Savior] will have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day."

⁴¹Now the Jews murmured and found fault with Him because He said, "I am the Bread that came down out of heaven."

⁴²They kept saying, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now [have the arrogance to] say, 'I have come down out of heaven'?"

⁴³So Jesus answered, "Stop murmuring among yourselves.

⁴⁴No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him [giving him the desire to come to Me]; and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.

⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, 'And they will all be taught of God.' Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father, comes to Me.

⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He [who was with the Father and] who is from God; He [alone] has seen the Father.

⁴⁷I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he who believes [in Me as Savior—whoever adheres to, trusts in, relies on, and has faith in Me—already] has eternal life [that is, now possesses it].

⁴⁸I am the Bread of Life [the Living Bread which gives and sustains life].

⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

⁵⁰This is the Bread that comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

⁵¹I am the Living Bread that came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior], he will live forever. And the Bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh (body)."

⁵²Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?"

⁵³And Jesus said to them, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood [unless you believe in Me as Savior and believe in the saving power of My blood which will be shed for you], you do not have life in yourselves.

⁵⁴The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] has eternal life [that is, now possesses it], and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.

⁵⁵For My flesh is true [spiritual] food, and My blood is true [spiritual] drink.

⁵⁶He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] remains in Me, and I [in the same way remain] in him.

⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, even so the one who feeds on Me [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] will also live because of Me.

⁵⁸This is the Bread which came down out of heaven. It is not like [the manna that] our fathers ate and they [eventually] died; the one who eats this Bread [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] will live forever."

⁵⁹He said these things in a synagogue while He was teaching in Capernaum.

⁶⁰When many of His disciples heard this, they said, "This is a difficult and harsh and offensive statement. Who can [be expected to] listen to it?"

⁶¹But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about it, asked them, "Does this cause you to stumble and take offense?

⁶²What then [will you think] if you see the Son of Man ascending to [the realm] where He was before?

⁶³It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh conveys no benefit [it is of no account]. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life [providing eternal life].

⁶⁴But [still] there are some of you who do not believe and have faith." For Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe, and who would betray Him.

⁶⁵And He was saying, "This is the reason why I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him [that is, unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father."

⁶⁶As a result of this many of His disciples abandoned Him, and no longer walked with Him.

⁶⁷So Jesus said to the twelve [disciples], "You do not want to leave too, do you?"

⁶⁸Simon Peter answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope].

⁶⁹We have believed and confidently trusted, and [even more] we have come to know [by personal observation and experience] that You are the Holy One of God [the Christ, the Son of the living God]."

⁷⁰Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve [disciples]? And yet one of you is a devil (ally of Satan)."

⁷¹Now He was speaking of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot; for he, one of the twelve [disciples], was about to betray Him.

¹After this, Jesus walked [from place to place] in Galilee, for He would not walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

²Now the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) was approaching.

³So His brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples [there] may also see the works that You do.

⁴No one does anything in secret when he wants to be known publicly. If You [must] do these things, show Yourself openly to the world and make Yourself known!"

⁵For not even His brothers believed in Him.

⁶So Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come; but any time is right for you.

⁷The world cannot hate you [since you are part of it], but it does hate Me because I denounce it and testify that its deeds are evil.

⁸Go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come."

⁹Having said these things to them, He stayed behind in Galilee.

¹⁰But [afterward], when His brothers had gone up to the feast, He went up too, not publicly [with a caravan], but quietly [because He did not want to be noticed].

¹¹So the Jews kept looking for Him at the feast and asking, "Where is He?"

¹²There was a lot of whispered discussion and murmuring among the crowds about Him. Some were saying, "He is a good man"; others said, "No, on the contrary, He misleads the people [giving them false ideas]."

¹³Yet no one was speaking out openly and freely about Him for fear of [the leaders of] the Jews.

¹⁴When the feast was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple [court] and began to teach.

¹⁵Then the Jews were perplexed. They said, "How did this man become learned [so versed in the Scriptures and theology] without formal training?"

¹⁶Jesus answered them by saying, "My teaching is not My own, but His who sent Me.

¹⁷If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know whether the teaching is of God or whether I speak on My own accord and by My own authority.

¹⁸He who speaks on his own accord seeks glory and honor for himself. But He who seeks the glory and the honor of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness or deception in Him.

¹⁹"Did not Moses give you the Law? And yet not one of you keeps the Law. Why do you want to kill Me [for not keeping it]?"

²⁰The crowd answered, "You have a demon [You are out of Your mind]! Who wants to kill You?"

²¹Jesus replied, "I did one work, and you are all astounded.

²²For this reason Moses has given you [God's law regarding] circumcision (not that it originated with Moses, but with the patriarchs) and you circumcise a man [even] on the Sabbath.

²³If, to avoid breaking the Law of Moses, a man undergoes circumcision on the Sabbath, why are you angry with Me for making a man's whole body well on the Sabbath?

²⁴Do not judge by appearance [superficially and arrogantly], but judge fairly and righteously."

²⁵Then some of the people of Jerusalem said, "Is this not the Man they want to kill?

²⁶Look, He is speaking publicly, and they say nothing to Him! Is it possible that the rulers really know that this is the Christ?

²⁷But we know where this Man is from; whenever the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from."

²⁸Then Jesus called out as He taught in the temple, "You know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come on my own initiative [as self-appointed], but He who sent Me is true, and Him you do not know.

²⁹I know Him Myself because I am from Him [I came from His very presence] and it was He [personally] who sent Me."

³⁰So they were eager to arrest Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His time had not yet come.

³¹But many from the crowd believed in Him. And they kept saying, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs and exhibit more proofs than this Man?"

³²The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things [under their breath] about Him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent guards to arrest Him.

³³Therefore Jesus said, "For a little while longer I am [still] with you, and then I go to Him who sent Me.

³⁴You will look for Me, and will not [be able to] find Me; and where I am, you cannot come."

³⁵Then the Jews said among themselves, "Where does this Man intend to go that we will not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion [of Jews scattered and living] among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

³⁶What does this statement of His mean, 'You will look for Me, and will not [be able to] find Me; and where I am, you cannot come'?"

³⁷Now on the last and most important day of the feast, Jesus stood and called out [in a loud voice], "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!

³⁸He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, 'From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.'"

³⁹But He was speaking of the [Holy] Spirit, whom those who believed in Him [as Savior] were to receive afterward. The Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).

⁴⁰Listening to these words, some of the people said, "This is certainly the Prophet!"

⁴¹Others said, "This is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)!" But others said, "Surely the Christ is not going to come out of Galilee, is He?

⁴²Does the Scripture not say that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"

⁴³So the crowd was divided because of Him.

⁴⁴Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

⁴⁵Then the guards went [back] to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why did you not bring Him [here with you]?"

⁴⁶The guards replied, "Never [at any time] has a man talked the way this Man talks!"

⁴⁷Then the Pharisees said to them, "Have you also been deluded and swept off your feet?

⁴⁸Has any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him?

⁴⁹But this [ignorant, contemptible] crowd that does not know the Law is accursed and doomed!"

⁵⁰Nicodemus (the one who came to Jesus before and was one of them) asked,

⁵¹"Does our Law convict someone without first giving him a hearing and finding out what he is [accused of] doing?"

⁵²They responded, "Are you also from Galilee? Search [and read the Scriptures], and see [for yourself] that no prophet comes from Galilee!"

⁵³[And everyone went to his own house.