life principles bible, nkjv

8/12/2019 Life Principles Bible, NKJV

1/40


2/40

THE

CHARLESF. STANLEY

LIFEPRINCIPLES

BIBLE

CHARLES F. STANLEY

GENERAL EDITOR


3/40

THE CHARLES F. STANLEY LIFE PRINCIPLES BIBLE

Copyright 2005 by Charles F. Stanley

Holy Bible, New King James Version,copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The text of the New King James Version(NKJV) may be quoted orreprinted without prior written permission with the following qualifications:

(1) up to and including 1,000 verses may be quoted in printed form as long as theverses quoted amount to less than 50% of a complete book of the Bible and

make up less than 50% of the total work in which they are quoted;(2) all NKJV quotations must conform accurately to the NKJV text.

Any use of the NKJV text must include a proper acknowledgement as follows:

Scripture taken from the New King James Version

.Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.Used by permission.All rights reserved.

However, when quotations from the NKJV text are used in church bulletins,orders of service, Sunday school lessons, church newsletters, andsimilar works in the course of religious instruction or services at

a place of worship or other religious assembly, the followingnotice may be used at the end of each quotation: NKJV.

For quotation requests not covered by the above guidelines, write toThomas Nelson, Inc., Attention: Bible Rights and Permissions,

P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.

Printed in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 15 14 13 12 11 10 09


4/40

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO

JOHN

Different from Matthew, Mark, and Lukeor the Synoptic Gospelswhich pres-ent many of the same stories and sayings of Christ, the Gospel of John presents a

unique account about the Savior and distinctive insights into His person as the Son of God.

The writer of this Gospel was the apostle John, who, along with Peter and James,formed Jesus inner circle of disciples. Interestingly, John never refers to himself by name,but always calls himself the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7,20, 24).

Johns account goes further back in time than any of the other Gospels, when thepre-incarnate Jesus, known as the Word, created the universe (John 1:13). John thushighlights the glory of Christ as the Son of God: from His mission as the Lamb of God(1:29, 36); to His requirements for and the nature of salvation (3); to His extensive in-struction and prayer for believers during the Passover (1317); and to the role of the HolySpirit to teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you(14:26; also 16:13, 14; 20:21, 22).

John mentions life 47 times, emphasizing that in Him was life, and the life was thelight of men (John 1:4). He also wrote that whoever believes in Him should not perishbut have eternal life (3:15)focusing a great deal on the importance of appropriating thesalvation Jesus offers by faith. John uses the word Father 126 times to refer to God andconnects this term of affection with the divine love relationship that we can experience with

Him.John includes an extended eyewitness description of the Upper Room meal and re-cords several events leading up to the Resurrection, the climactic proof that Jesus is who Heclaimed to bethe Son of God.

The Greek title of the fourth Gospel, KataIoannen, means According to John. Ioannesisderived from the Hebrew nameJohanan, Yahweh hasbeen gracious.

Theme:John clearly states his theme and purpose:These are written that you may believe that Jesus is

the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you mayhave life in His name (20:31).

Author:John, the disciple Jesus loved.

Time:John was the last of the four canonical Gospelsto be written. It was likely composed between A.D.80and 100. By then, the rest of the New Testament (otherthan Johns writings), had been completed. It is widelybelieved that John wrote his Gospel in his old age whileliving in Ephesus in Asia Minor, where he served as the

leader of the local church.Structure:Johns Gospel is not just chronological instructure, but it also has topical elements: the incarna-tion of the Word and the inauguration of His ministry(1:12:11); Christs message and work (2:1312:50);His specific instruction to the disciples during the Pass-over and prayer for believers (1317); and His trial,crucifixion, and resurrection (1821).

As you read John, watch forthe life principles that playan important role in thisbook:

30.An eager anticipation of theLords return keeps us livingproductively. See John 5:29;

page 1263.

9.Trusting God means lookingbeyond what we can see to whatGod sees. See John 6:6; 20:29;

pages 1263, 1289.

24.To live the Christian life isto allow Jesus to live His life inand through us. See John 10:10;15:18; pages 1272, 12791280.

26.As children of a sovereignGod, we are never victims of ourcircumstances. See John 19:11;

page 1286.


5/40

1255 J O H N 1 : 2 9

L I F E L E S S O N S

1:5aOr overcome 1:9aOr That was the true Light which,coming into the world, gives light to every man. 1:11aThatis, His own things or domain bThat is, His own people1:16aNU-Text reads For. 1:18aNU-Text reads only begottenGod. 1:23aIsaiah 40:3 1:28aNU-Text and M-Text read

Bethany.

1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and theWord was with God, and the Word was God.

There had been 400 years of silence since God hadspoken through His prophet Malachi. As happens withany prolonged time of quiet, the peoples ears strained fora word. So God sent the Word. But first, He readied theworld for the gospel. Under the influence of Alexanderthe Great, Greekthe language of science, medicine, and

philosophymade communication much easier than it hadever been. Also, because of the roads and general peace(Pax Romana) of the Roman Empire, missionaries couldtravel everywhere with less difficulty. Finally, with all theJews scattered throughout the Roman Empire, evangelistshad many synagogues from which to preach the GoodNews throughout the known world.

1:14 We beheld His glory, the glory as of the onlybegotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus is far more than just a great teacher or a mightyprophet; in fact, He is God with us (Matt. 1:23).Jesus is the express image of Gods nature because Heis God Himself (Heb. 1:3). Whatever Jesus does, He doeswith grace. Whatever He says, He says in truth. If you wantto understand what God is like, look to Jesus (John 1:18;14:9).

1:29 Behold! The Lamb of God who takes awaythe sin of the world!

All the Old Testament sacrifices foreshadowed whatJesus Christ would do on the Cross. Here, John

rightly identified Jesus as our Passover Lamb (Ex. 12), whowillingly paid our sin-debt in full (1 Cor. 5:7). God madeHim who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be-come the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

The Eternal Word

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Wordwas with God, and the Word was God.2 He was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made through Him, andwithout Him nothing was made that was made.4 In Him was life, and the life was the lightof men.5 And the light shines in the darkness, and

the darkness did not comprehendait.

Johns Witness: The True Light6 There was a man sent from God, whosename wasJohn.7 This man came for a witness, to bear wit-ness of the Light, that all through him mightbelieve.8 He was not that Light, but was sentto bearwitness of that Light.9 That was the true Light which gives light to

every man coming into the world.a10 He was in the world, and the world wasmade through Him, and the world did notknow Him.11 He came to His own,aand His ownbdid notreceive Him.12 But as many as received Him, to them Hegave the right to become children of God, to

those who believe in His name:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the willof the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Becomes Flesh14 And the Word became flesh and dweltamong us, and we beheld His glory, the gloryas of the only begotten of the Father, full ofgrace and truth.15 John bore witness of Him and cried out,saying, This was He of whom I said, He whocomes after me is preferred before me, for Hewas before me. 16 Andaof His fullness we have all received,and grace for grace.17 For the law was given through Moses, but

grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has seen God at any time. The onlybegotten Son,awho is in the bosom of the Fa-

ther, He has declared Him.

A Voice in the Wilderness19 Now this is the testimony of John, when

the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusa-lem to ask him, Who are you?

20 He confessed, and did not deny, but con-fessed, I am not the Christ.21 And they asked him, What then? Areyou Elijah? He said, I am not. Are you theProphet? And he answered, No.22 Then they said to him, Who are you, thatwe may give an answer to those who sent us?What do you say about yourself?23 He said: I am

The voice of one crying in the wilderness:Make straight the way of the LORD, a

as the prophet Isaiah said.24 Now those who were sent were from thePharisees.25 And they asked him, saying, Why then doyou baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Eli-

jah, nor the Prophet?26 John answered them, saying, I baptizewith water, but there stands One among youwhom you do not know.27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferredbefore me, whose sandal strap I am not wor-

thy to loose.

28 These things were done in Bethabaraabe-yond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Lamb of God29 The next day John saw Jesus coming to-ward him, and said, Behold! The Lamb ofGod who takes away the sin of the world!


6/40

J O H N 1 : 3 0 1256


1:42aNU-Text readsJohn. 1:51aNU-Text omits hereafter.

know that it was always wise to do what He said.It still is.2:5 Whatever He says to you, do it.

Jesus mother did not understand everything herSon said or did, but she understood enough to

48 Nathanael said to Him, How do You knowme? Jesus answered and said to him, BeforePhilip called you, when you were under the fig

tree, I saw you.49 Nathanael answered and said to Him,Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are theKing of Israel!50 Jesus answered and said to him, BecauseI said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, doyou believe? You will see greater things than

these.51 And He said to him, Most assuredly, I say

to you, hereafterayou shall see heaven open,and the angels of God ascending and des-cending upon the Son of Man.

Water Turned to Wine

2 On the third day there was a wedding inCana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesuswas there.

2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were in-vited to the wedding.3 And when they ran out of wine, the motherof Jesus said to Him, They have no wine.4 Jesus said to her, Woman, what does yourconcern have to do with Me? My hour has notyet come.5 His mother said to the servants, What-ever He says to you, do it.6 Now there were set there six waterpots ofstone, according to the manner of purificationof the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gal-

lons apiece.7 Jesus said to them, Fill the waterpots withwater. And they filled them up to the brim.8 And He said to them, Draw some outnow, and take it to the master of the feast.And they took it.9 When the master of the feast had tasted

the water that was made wine, and did notknow where it came from (but the servantswho had drawn the water knew), the masterof the feast called the bridegroom.10 And he said to him, Every man at the be-ginning sets out the good wine, and when theguestshave well drunk, then the inferior. Youhave kept the good wine until now!11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Canaof Galilee, and manifested His glory; and Hisdisciples believed in Him.12 After this He went down to Capernaum,He, His mother, His brothers, and His disci-ples; and they did not stay there many days.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand,and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

30 This is He of whom I said, After me comesa Man who is preferred before me, for He wasbefore me.31 I did not know Him; but that He should berevealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizingwith water.32 And John bore witness, saying, I saw theSpirit descending from heaven like a dove,and He remained upon Him.33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me

to baptize with water said to me, Upon whomyou see the Spirit descending, and remainingon Him, this is He who baptizes with the HolySpirit.34 And I have seen and testified that this is

the Son of God.

The First Disciples35 Again, the next day, John stood with twoof his disciples.

36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, hesaid, Behold the Lamb of God!37 The two disciples heard him speak, and

they followed Jesus.38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them follow-ing, said to them, What do you seek? Theysaid to Him, Rabbi (which is to say, when

translated, Teacher), where are You staying?39 He said to them, Come and see. Theycame and saw where He was staying, and re-mained with Him that day (now it was about

the tenth hour).

40 One of the two who heard John speak,and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Petersbrother.41 He first found his own brother Simon, andsaid to him, We have found the Messiah(which is translated, the Christ).42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now whenJesus looked at him, He said, You are Simon

the son of Jonah.aYou shall be called Cephas(which is translated, A Stone).

Philip and Nathanael43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to

Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him,Follow Me.44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city ofAndrew and Peter.45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him,We have found Him of whom Moses in thelaw, and also the prophets, wroteJesus ofNazareth, the son of Joseph.46 And Nathanael said to him, Can anythinggood come out of Nazareth? Philip said tohim, Come and see.47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him,

and said of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed,in whom is no deceit!


7/40

1257 J O H N 3 : 1 3


2:17aNU-Text and M-Text read will eat. bPsalm 69:92:22aNU-Text and M-Text omit to them.

true purification. Rather, a persons nature also needs to becleansedor sanctifiedby the indwelling presence of theHoly Spirit (Rom. 8; 1 Cor. 12:13).

3:7 You must be born again.

What did Jesus mean about being born again? Thenew birth is an instantaneous spiritual experience,which occurs when the Holy Spirit leads a person to un-derstand that Jesus Christ died on the Cross to provide for-giveness for their sins. We are born again the moment weaccept that Jesus Christ is the only One who can redeem usand we confess Him as our Savior and Lord (Rom. 10:9).

3:12 If I have told you earthly things and you donot believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenlythings?

Sometimes our idea of heaven is distorted because we

think of it in our earthly terms. Yet heaven is a placefor those who love the Lordwhere everything revolvesaround His majesty, power, glory, and presence (Rev.19:17). Every person there will praise and worship Him.If someone refuses to honor and serve Him here on earth,they wont like heaven at all. In fact, theyll be completelyout of place there.

2:17 Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.

Instead of being surprised and confused at Jesus ac-

tions, the disciples immediately recalled Psalm 69:9about the coming Messiah. The disciples would not havebeen able to remember this text if they were not alreadyfamiliar with it. For God to use His Word to encourage andinstruct us, we have to spend time in it. Then we have con-firmation He is uniquely at work in and around us.

2:22 When He had risen from the dead, His disci-ples remembered that He had said this to them; andthey believed.

S ometimes we hesitate to spend time in Gods Word be-cause we dont feel as though were getting anythingout of it. But often a text does not click in our mindsuntil some time later.

3:5 Unless one is born of water and the Spirit,he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

As a Pharisee, Nicodemus belonged to the mostprominent religious group in Israel and was a highlyrespected teacher. He observed all of the laws of cleanlinessand piety, yet Jesus told Nicodemus that its not enough forone just to be physically cleanwater is not enough for

The New Birth

3 There was a man of the Pharisees namedNicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.2 This man came to Jesus by night and said

to Him, Rabbi, we know thatYou are a teachercome from God; for no one can do these signs

that You do unless God is with him.3 Jesus answered and said to him, Most as-suredly, I say to you, unless one is born again,he cannot see the kingdom of God.4 Nicodemus said to Him, How can a manbe born when he is old? Can he enter a second

time into his mothers womb and be born?5 Jesus answered, Most assuredly, I say toyou, unless one is born of water and the Spirit,he cannot enter the kingdom of God.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh,and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 Do not marvel that I said to you, Youmust be born again.8 The wind blows where it wishes, and youhear the sound of it, but cannot tell where itcomes from and where it goes. So is everyonewho is born of the Spirit.9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him,How can these things be?10 Jesus answered and said to him, Are you the

teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speakwhat We know and testify what We have seen,and you do not receive Our witness.12 If I have told you earthly things and youdo not believe, how will you believe if I tellyou heavenly things?13 No one has ascended to heaven but He

14 And He found in the temple those who soldoxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business.15 When He had made a whip of cords, Hedrove them all out of the temple, with thesheep and the oxen, and poured out the chang-ers money and overturned the tables.16 And He said to those who sold doves,Take these things away! Do not make My Fa-

thers house a house of merchandise!17 Then His disciples remembered that itwas written, Zeal for Your house has eatenaMeup.b

18 So the Jews answered and said to Him,What sign do You show to us, since You do

these things?19 Jesus answered and said to them, De-stroy this temple, and in three days I will raiseit up.20 Then the Jews said, It has taken forty-sixyears to build this temple, and will You raise itup in three days?21 But He was speaking of the temple of Hisbody.22 Therefore, when He had risen from thedead, His disciples remembered that He hadsaid this to them;aand they believed the Scrip-

ture and the word which Jesus had said.

The Discerner of Hearts23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at thePassover, during the feast, many believedin His name when they saw the signs whichHe did.24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them,because He knew all men,25 and had no need that anyone should tes-

tify of man, for He knew what was in man.


8/40

J O H N 3 : 1 4 1258


3:13aNU-Text omits who is in heaven. 3:15aNU-Text omitsnot perish but.

What does it mean to believein Jesus? Does it meanthat intellectually you agree with the fact that Hewas born in Bethlehem of a virgin and that He is a greatteacher? Yes, but theres even more to it than that. To havefaith in Jesus Christ means to believe that He is God (John1:1; 10:30; 14:9) and that He saves you by His crucifixion

(Eph. 2:8, 9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5). If you continue to be-lieve that you can somehow earn your salvation, you havenever been truly born again. However, when you trulyplace your faith in Him, you receive His gift of eternal life(John 6:40; 17:3).

3:14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wil-derness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.

Jesus is referring to the account in Numbers 21. Thepeople of Israel faithlessly complained against the Lord,and He sent poisonous serpents as a judgment. Many of

them died. When the Israelites finally repented, the Lordtold Moses to set a serpent on a staff so that everyone wholooked at it could live. In the same way, those who facethe penalty of death can look upon Christs sacrifice on theCross and receive eternal life.

3:16 God so loved the world that He gave Hisonly begotten Son, that whoever believes in Himshould not perish but have everlasting life.

who came down from heaven, that is,the Sonof Man who is in heaven.a

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in thewilderness, even so must the Son of Man belifted up,15 that whoever believes in Him should notperish butahave eternal life.16 For God so loved the world that He gaveHis only begotten Son, that whoever believesin Him should not perish but have everlastinglife.

man or a simple teacher. Nicodemus ac-knowledged that Jesus is the Son of Godand treated Him with great respect.

We also know that according to theLaw of Moses, no priest was to defile

himself for the dead among his people(Lev. 21:1) because touching the de-ceased body would make him unclean. Yetthat also did not matter to Nicodemus,because he realized that in his new eter-nal life, he was completely unblemished(John 3:16).

Today, Nicodemuss example stillteaches us. We learn from him that Jesus isalways there for us, night or day. We learn

that in Gods perfect timing, He will an-swer our most confounding questions. Welearn that regardless of our status, nothingis more important than the life of Christwithin us. And we learn that no matterhow great our sacrifice, it can never com-pare to Christs sacrifice for us.

See the Life Principles Index for further study:12. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with

God.

N I C O D E M U S

Unclean but UnblemishedJOHN 3:121

It all started at night, whenNicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler ofthe Jews (John 3:1) came to the Light(v. 21). Nicodemus makes three appear-ances in the Book of John (3:121; 7:5052; 19:3942), and by the third time,we see that the truth Jesus planted in hisheart had powerfully taken root. AlthoughJesus had been condemned by Nicode-muss colleagues (Luke 23:1324), it nolonger made a difference to him. He knewJesus was the true Messiahthe hope ofIsrael and the world.

How do we know he arrived at thisdecision? Because normally the bodies ofthose who had been crucified were thrownon the trash heap of the city. Yet afterChrist was removed from the Cross, Jo-seph of Arimathea claimed His body, pre-

pared it for burial, and then placed Him ina brand new tomb. Nicodemus was rightbeside Joseph. He brought myrrh andaloes and assisted in Christs burial (John19:3841). It is believed that the spicesused for the Lords burial were those per-sonally belonging to Nicodemus. Insteadof saving them for his own burial, he gavethem to Jesus as an offering of love anddevotion. John 19:39 tells us these spices

weighed about a hundred pounds,which would have been the amount usedto bury a great kingnot merely a good


9/40

1259 J O H N 4 : 9

L I F E L E S S O N S4:9 How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink

from me, a Samaritan woman? For Jews have nodealings with Samaritans.

Men in biblical times did not generally speak towomen in public. Also, the woman at the well wasa Samaritan and Jesus was a Jewtwo groups who didnt

have anything to do with each other because the Jewsbelieved the Samaritans had been tainted by the pagannations among them (Deut. 7:16; 2 Kin. 17:2431). ButJesus talked to her. Why? Because He never discriminates;rather, He wants allpeople to know Him and be saved(2 Pet. 3:9).

3:17, 18 God did not send His Son into theworld to condemn the world, but that the worldthrough Him might be saved. He who believes in Himis not condemned; but he who does not believe iscondemned already.

While Jesus says that all judgment has been commit-ted to Him (John 5:22), He assures us that He did

not come to earth to judge us but to save us. What thatmeans is that we are alreadyforgiven. When we place ourfaith in Jesus, we are accepting that He has already fullyand successfully taken our punishment upon Himself. Butthose who reject Jesus as Savior also reject His provisionandmust bear the full penalty of their sins (Mark 16:16; John5:24; 2 Thess. 1:8, 9; Heb. 2:2, 3).

30 He must increase, but I mustdecrease.31 He who comes from above is above all;he who is of the earth is earthly and speaksof the earth. He who comes from heaven isabove all.32 And what He has seen and heard, thatHe testifies; and no one receives His testi-

mony.33 He who has received His testimony hascertified that God is true.34 For He whom God has sent speaks thewords of God, for God does not give the Spiritby measure.35 The Father loves the Son, and has givenall things into His hand.36 He who believes in the Son has everlast-ing life; and he who does not believe the Sonshall not see life, but the wrath of God abideson him.

A Samaritan Woman Meets Her Messiah

4 Therefore, when the Lord knew that thePharisees had heard that Jesus made andbaptized more disciples than John2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, butHis disciples),3 He left Judea and departed again to Gali-lee.4 But He needed to go through Samaria.5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is

called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Ja-cob gave to his son Joseph.6 Now Jacobs well was there. Jesus

therefore, being wearied from His journey,sat thus by the well. It was about the sixthhour.7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water.Jesus said to her, Give Me a drink.8 For His disciples had gone away into thecity to buy food.9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him,How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink

from me, a Samaritan woman? For Jews haveno dealings with Samaritans.

17 For God did not send His Son into theworld to condemn the world, but that theworld through Him might be saved.18 He who believes in Him is not con-demned; but he who does not believe is con-demned already, because he has not believedin the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that thelight has come into the world, and men loveddarkness rather than light, because theirdeeds were evil.20 For everyone practicing evil hates thelight and does not come to the light, lest hisdeeds should be exposed.21 But he who does the truth comes to thelight, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that

they have been done in God.

John the Baptist Exalts Christ

22 After these things Jesus and His disciplescame into the land of Judea, and there He re-mained with them and baptized.23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenonnear Salim, because there was much water

there. And they came and were baptized.24 For John had not yet been thrown intoprison.25 Then there arose a dispute between someof Johns disciples and the Jews about purifi-cation.26 And they came to John and said to him,

Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jor-dan, to whom you have testifiedbehold, Heis baptizing, and all are coming to Him!27 John answered and said, A man can re-ceive nothing unless it has been given to himfrom heaven.28 You yourselves bear me witness, that Isaid, I am not the Christ, but, I have beensent before Him.29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom;but the friend of the bridegroom, who standsand hears him, rejoices greatly because of the

bridegrooms voice. Therefore this joy of mineis fulfilled.


10/40

J O H N 4 : 1 0 1260

L I F E L E S S O N Sthe woman for a drink of water so He could offer her livingwater.4:10 You would have asked Him, and He would

have given you living water.

Even when God asks us to do certain things, its really aninvitation to receive greater things from Him. Jesus asked

10 Jesus answered and said to her, If youknew the gift of God, and who it is who says toyou, Give Me a drink, you would have askedHim, and He would have given you living wa-

ter.11 The woman said to Him, Sir, You havenothing to draw with, and the well is deep.Where then do You get that living water?12 Are You greater than our father Jacob,

A N SW E R STO LIFES

QUESTIONS

How can I know if my worshippleases God?

JOHN 4:526

Have you ever wondered if yourworship pleases God? Perhaps youve readabout the Old Testament regulations for theMosaic sacrificial system and have wonderedwhat youre required to do now that Jesus hasfulfilled the Law. Its important to rememberthat whenever you worship, Gods priority isyour heart (1 Chr. 28:9; Ps. 51:17; Joel 2:13).

But, what exactly does that mean? Whatcharacterizes a heart that is lovely to the Lord?Jesus tells us, True worshipers will worshipthe Father in spirit and truth; for the Father isseeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, andthose who worship Him must worship in spiritand truth (John 4:23, 24). The heart that isled by Gods Spirit and filled with His truth

is pleasing to Himand the only one actuallyequipped to really adore Him.

Jesus was unimpressed by those whodisplayed their devotion in a pompous,attention-getting manner. Their worshipwas not characterized by love for Him andthe desire to do His will; rather, they weremotivated by their own fleshly agendas andgoals. Therefore, He instructed us, When youpray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. Forthey love to pray standing in the synagoguesand on the corners of the streets, that they maybe seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, theyhave their reward. But you, when you pray, gointo your room, and when you have shut yourdoor, pray to your Father who is in the secretplace; and your Father who sees in secret willreward you openly (Matt. 6:5, 6).

Authentic service to God begins withthe wholehearted trust that nothing escapesHis loving and sovereign eye (Heb. 6:10;

11:6) and that He assumes full responsibilityfor our needs when we obey Him. This wasillustrated one day when, sitting in the temple,Jesus watched the people who presented theirofferings. Some rich people put large amountsinto the treasury, making quite a scene. Then a

poor widow put in what amounted to one cent.Jesus told His disciples, Assuredly, I say toyou that this poor widow has put in more thanall those who have given to the treasury; forthey all put in out of their abundance, but sheout of her poverty put in all that she had, herwhole livelihood (Mark 12:43, 44).

Are you noticing what is important to theLord? Its not the size of your offering thatmatters; it is the trust of your heart to giveeverything you are and dedicate everythingyou have to Him. It is not the beauty of yourpraising, giving thanks, singing, praying, orgiving financially that moves Him; its yourmotivationyour true feelings of love andadoration for the Lord.

As you prepare to worship God in spiritand in truth, examine the reason you areapproaching His throne. Is it to further yourgoals or to experience His loving presence? Isit to get something you want or to give Him

your utmost devotion? As Philippians 3:3instructs, Worship God in the Spirit, rejoicein Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in theflesh. It will not only satisfy your being butwill also build intimacy in your relationshipwith Him.

See the Life Principles Index for further study: 1. Our intimacy with GodHis highest pri-

ority for our livesdetermines the impactof our lives.

12. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with

God.


11/40

1261 J O H N 4 : 4 5


4:42aNU-Text omits the Christ.

4:42 Now we believe, not because of what yousaid, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know

that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

Each of us has to make the faith our own. Our faith inthe truth and power of the gospel must be deeply per-sonal, genuine, and an authentic expression of our hearts(Rom. 10:9).

4:23 True worshipers will worship the Father in

spirit and truth.

God is SpiritHis divine nature is pure and holy. Heis absolutely worthy of our worship. However, weshould never address Him in the way the world shows itsadorationtrying to earn His favor and making sacrificesHe never asked for. Instead, the Lord actively seeks men andwomen who will eagerly worship Him according to the truthof Scripture and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

29 Come, see a Man who told me all thingsthat I ever did. Could this be the Christ?30 Then they went out of the city and came

to Him.31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him,saying, Rabbi, eat.32 But He said to them, I have food to eat ofwhich you do not know.33 Therefore the disciples said to one an-other, Has anyone brought Him anythingtoeat?34 Jesus said to them, My food is to do thewill of Him who sent Me, and to finish Hiswork.35 Do you not say, There are still fourmonths and thencomes the harvest? Behold,I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at thefields, for they are already white for harvest!36 And he who reaps receives wages, andgathers fruit for eternal life, that both he whosows and he who reaps may rejoice together.37 For in this the saying is true: One sowsand another reaps.38 I sent you to reap that for which you havenot labored; others have labored, and youhave entered into their labors.

The Savior of the World39 And many of the Samaritans of that citybelieved in Him because of the word of thewoman who testified, He told me all that Ieverdid.40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him,

they urged Him to stay with them; and Hestayed there two days.41 And many more believed because of Hisown word.42 Then they said to the woman, Now webelieve, not because of what you said, for weourselves have heard Himand we know that

this is indeed the Christ,a the Savior of theworld.

Welcome at Galilee43 Now after the two days He departed from

there and went to Galilee.44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophethas no honor in his own country.45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans

who gave us the well, and drank from it him-self, as well as his sons and his livestock?13 Jesus answered and said to her, Whoeverdrinks of this water will thirst again,14 but whoever drinks of the water that Ishall give him will never thirst. But the wa-

ter that I shall give him will become in him afountain of water springing up into everlast-ing life.15 The woman said to Him, Sir, give me thiswater, that I may not thirst, nor come here todraw.16 Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband,and come here.17 The woman answered and said, I have nohusband. Jesus said to her, You have wellsaid, I have no husband,18 for you have had five husbands, and theone whom you now have is not your husband;in that you spoke truly.19 The woman said to Him, Sir, I perceive

that You are a prophet.20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain,and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is theplace where one ought to worship.21 Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, thehour is coming when you will neither on thismountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Fa-

ther.22 You worship what you do not know; weknow what we worship, for salvation is of theJews.23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when

the true worshipers will worship the Father inspirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such

to worship Him.24 God isSpirit, and those who worship Himmust worship in spirit and truth.25 The woman said to Him, I know that Mes-siah is coming (who is called Christ). WhenHe comes, He will tell us all things.26 Jesus said to her, I who speak to youam He.

The Whitened Harvest27 And at this pointHis disciples came, and

they marveled that He talked with a woman;yet no one said, What do You seek? or, Whyare You talking with her?28 The woman then left her waterpot, wenther way into the city, and said to the men,


12/40

J O H N 4 : 4 6 1262


5:2aNU-Text reads Bethzatha. 5:4aNU-Text omits waitingfor the moving of the water at the end of verse 3, and all ofverse 4. 5:16aNU-Text omits and sought to kill Him.

5:18 The Jews sought all the more to kill Him, be-cause He . . . said that God was His Father, making

Himself equal with God.

Instead of being joyful to have God in their presence,His opponents became angry and murderous becauseof their jealousy and desire for power. How do you reactto Gods presence? Do you rejoice that He is with you andobey His commands, or do you struggle with Him for con-trol? Youll never lose by obeying God, but you may forfeiteverything by standing against Him, so choose wisely.

5:6 Do you want to be made well?

Sometimes our troubles and infirmities become sucha part of our lives and identity that we have difficulty

letting them go and allowing God to handle them. Haveyou been holding on to a painful experience or problem?You must choose to let it go. God offers you His healing, sothere are no more excuses. You must decide what is moreimportant to yougetting better or having a reason to say,Woe is me.

long time, He said to him, Do you want to bemade well?7 The sick man answered Him, Sir, I haveno man to put me into the pool when the wa-

ter is stirred up; but while I am coming, an-other steps down before me.8 Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bedand walk.9 And immediately the man was made well,

took up his bed, and walked. And that daywas the Sabbath.10 The Jews therefore said to him who wascured, It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful foryou to carry your bed.11 He answered them, He who made me wellsaid to me, Take up your bed and walk. 12 Then they asked him, Who is the Man whosaid to you, Take up your bed and walk?13 But the one who was healed did not knowwho it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multi-

tude being in thatplace.14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple,and said to him, See, you have been madewell. Sin no more, lest a worse thing comeupon you.15 The man departed and told the Jews that itwas Jesus who had made him well.

Honor the Father and the Son16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus,and sought to kill Him,abecause He had done

these things on the Sabbath.

17 But Jesus answered them, My Fatherhas been working until now, and I have beenworking.18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more tokill Him, because He not only broke the Sab-bath, but also said that God was His Father,making Himself equal with God.19 Then Jesus answered and said to them,Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can donothing of Himself, but what He sees the Fa-

ther do; for whatever He does, the Son alsodoes in like manner.

20 For the Father loves the Son, and showsHim all things that He Himself does; and Hewill show Him greater works than these, thatyou may marvel.

received Him, having seen all the things Hedid in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also hadgone to the feast.

A Noblemans Son Healed46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Gali-lee where He had made the water wine. And

there was a certain nobleman whose son wassick at Capernaum.47 When he heard that Jesus had come outof Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and im-plored Him to come down and heal his son,for he was at the point of death.48 Then Jesus said to him, Unless you peoplesee signs and wonders, you will by no meansbelieve.49 The nobleman said to Him, Sir, comedown before my child dies!50 Jesus said to him, Go your way; your sonlives. So the man believed the word that Je-sus spoke to him, and he went his way.51 And as he was now going down, his ser-

vants met him and told him,saying, Your sonlives!52 Then he inquired of them the hour whenhe got better. And they said to him, Yesterdayat the seventh hour the fever left him.53 So the father knew that it wasat the samehour in which Jesus said to him, Your sonlives. And he himself believed, and his wholehousehold.54 This again is the second sign Jesus didwhen He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

A Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda

5 After this there was a feast of the Jews,and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the SheepGate a pool, which is called in Hebrew,Bethesda,ahaving five porches.3 In these lay a great multitude of sick peo-ple, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for themoving of the water.4 For an angel went down at a certain timeinto the pool and stirred up the water; then who-ever stepped in first, after the stirring of the wa-

ter, was made well of whatever disease he had.a

5 Now a certain man was there who had aninfirmity thirty-eight years.6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew

that he already had been in that conditiona


13/40

1263 J O H N 6 : 6

L I F E L E S S O N S23). This begins by asking whether we seek after our owngoals or the will of God. As believers, weve been called toallow Jesus to live His life through us so that others can besavedand thats just what we must do.

6:6 This He said to test him, for He Himself knewwhat He would do.

The disciples learned firsthand that God is greater thanthe needs of 5,000 people, and this gave them confi-

dence that they could trust Him for their own daily needs.Likewise, at times, the Lord will set a seemingly impossibletask before us to test us and see whether we react in fearor faith. This is because He is training us to have faith inHim, and trusting Him means looking beyond what we cansee and do to what He is able to accomplish.

5:29 Those who have done good, to the resur-rection of life, and those who have done evil, to theresurrection of condemnation.

Every person who has ever lived will one day standbefore God at the judgment, either to receive rewardsfor their Spirit-empowered activity and faith in Christ, or toreceive condemnation for self-focused behavior. An eageranticipation of the Lords return keeps us living productively.

5:30 I do not seek My own will but the will ofthe Father who sent Me.

We have the wonderful opportunity to glorify the Lordwith our lives (1 Cor. 6:20)to walk in His footsteps(Eph. 5:1, 2) and resemble Him in our characters (Gal. 5:22,

36 But I have a greater witness than Johns;for the works which the Father has given Me

to finishthe very works that I dobear wit-ness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has

testified of Me. You have neither heard Hisvoice at any time, nor seen His form.38 But you do not have His word abiding inyou, because whom He sent, Him you do notbelieve.39 You search the Scriptures, for in themyou think you have eternal life; and these are

they which testify of Me.40 But you are not willing to come to Me

that you may have life.41 I do not receive honor from men.42 But I know you, that you do not have thelove of God in you.43 I have come in My Fathers name, andyou do not receive Me; if another comes in his

own name, him you will receive.44 How can you believe, who receive honorfrom one another, and do not seek the honor

that comesfrom the only God?45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to theFather; there is onewho accuses youMoses,in whom you trust.46 For if you believed Moses, you would be-lieve Me; for he wrote about Me.47 But if you do not believe his writings, howwill you believe My words?

Feeding the Five Thousand

6 After these things Jesus went over the Seaof Galilee, which is the Seaof Tiberias.2 Then a great multitude followed Him, be-cause they saw His signs which He performedon those who were diseased.3 And Jesus went up on the moun tain, and

there He sat with His disciples.4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, wasnear.5 Then Jesus lifted up Hiseyes, and seeing agreat multitude coming toward Him, He said

to Philip, Where shall we buy bread, thatthese may eat?6 But this He said to test him, for He Himselfknew what He would do.

21 For as the Father raises the dead andgives life to them,even so the Son gives life towhom He will.22 For the Father judges no one, but hascommitted all judgment to the Son,23 that all should honor the Son just as theyhonor the Father. He who does not honor the

Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.Life and Judgment Are Through the Son24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hearsMy word and believes in Him who sent Me haseverlasting life, and shall not come into judg-ment, but has passed from death into life.25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour iscoming, and now is, when the dead will hear

the voice of the Son of God; and those whohear will live.26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so Hehas granted the Son to have life in Himself,27 and has given Him authority to execute

judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is com-ing in which all who are in the graves willhear His voice29 and come forththose who have donegood, to the resurrection of life, and thosewho have done evil, to the resurrection of con-demnation.30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I

judge; and My judgment is righteous, becauseI do not seek My own will but the will of theFather who sent Me.

The Fourfold Witness31 If I bear witness of Myself, My witness isnot true.32 There is another who bears witness ofMe, and I know that the witness which He wit-nesses of Me is true.33 You have sent to John, and he has bornewitness to the truth.34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man,but I say these things that you may be saved.35 He was the burning and shining lamp,and you were willing for a time to rejoice inhis light.


14/40

J O H N 6 : 7 1264


6:11aNU-Text omits to the disciples, and the disciples.6:19aLiterally twenty-five or thirty stadia 6:22aNU-Textomits that and which His disciples had entered.6:31aExodus 16:4; Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 78:24

ther can you lose it once you accept Christ as your Savior(John 5:29; 10:28, 29). On the Cross, Jesus literally becameyour Sin-Bearer and gave you His righteousness in return(2 Cor. 5:21). This is a permanent, eternal transaction thatcannot be undone.

6:37 The one who comes to Me I will by nomeans cast out.

This is the basis of eternal securityJesus will neverreject the one who authentically believes in Him. Youcannot earn your salvation (Eph. 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5), so nei-

Jesus had not entered the boat with His disci-ples, but His disciples had gone away alone23 however, other boats came from Tiberias,near the place where they ate bread after theLord had given thanks24 when the people therefore saw that Jesuswas not there, nor His disciples, they also gotinto boats and came to Capernaum, seekingJesus.25 And when they found Him on the otherside of the sea, they said to Him, Rabbi, whendid You come here?26 Jesus answered them and said, Most as-suredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not becauseyou saw the signs, but because you ate of theloaves and were filled.27 Do not labor for the food which perishes,but for the food which endures to everlast-ing life, which the Son of Man will give you,because God the Father has set His seal onHim.28 Then they said to Him, What shall we do,

that we may work the works of God?29 Jesus answered and said to them, Thisis the work of God, that you believe in Himwhom He sent.30 Therefore they said to Him, What signwill You perform then, that we may see it andbelieve You? What work will You do?31 Our fathers ate the manna in the des-ert; as it is written, He gave them bread fromheaven to eat. a

32 Then Jesus said to them, Most assuredly,I say to you, Moses did not give you the breadfrom heaven, but My Father gives you the truebread from heaven.33 For the bread of God is He who comesdown from heaven and gives life to theworld.34 Then they said to Him, Lord, give us thisbread always.35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread oflife. He who comes to Me shall never hunger,and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.36 But I said to you that you have seen Meand yet do not believe.37 All that the Father gives Me will come toMe, and the one who comes to Me I will by nomeans cast out.38 For I have come down from heaven, not

7 Philip answered Him, Two hundred den-arii worth of bread is not sufficient for them,

that every one of them may have a little.8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Pe-

ters brother, said to Him,9 There is a lad here who has five barleyloaves and two small fish, but what are theyamong so many?10 Then Jesus said, Make the people sitdown. Now there was much grass in theplace. So the men sat down, in number aboutfive thousand.11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when Hehad given thanks He distributed themto thedisciples, and the disciplesa to those sittingdown; and likewise of the fish, as much as

they wanted.12 So when they were filled, He said to Hisdisciples, Gather up the fragments that re-main, so that nothing is lost.13 Therefore they gathered them up, andfilled twelve baskets with the fragments of

the five barley loaves which were left over bythose who had eaten.14 Then those men, when they had seen thesign that Jesus did, said, This is truly theProphet who is to come into the world.

Jesus Walks on the Sea15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that theywere about to come and take Him by force

to make Him king, He departed again to themountain by Himself alone.16 Now when evening came, His discipleswent down to the sea,17 got into the boat, and went over the sea

toward Capernaum. And it was already dark,and Jesus had not come to them.18 Then the sea arose because a great windwas blowing.19 So when they had rowed about three orfour miles,a they saw Jesus walking on thesea and drawing near the boat; and they wereafraid.20 But He said to them, It is I; do not beafraid.21 Then they willingly received Him into theboat, and immediately the boat was at theland where they were going.

The Bread from Heaven22 On the following day, when the people whowere standing on the other side of the sea saw

that there was no other boat there, except thatone which His disciples had entered,aand that


15/40

1265 J O H N 6 : 6 8


6:45aIsaiah 54:13 bM-Text reads hears and has learned.6:47aNU-Text omits in Me. 6:55aNU-Text reads true foodand true drink.

that they would reconsider their relationship to Him. Hewants eager followers who understand the cost of follow-ing Him.

6:68 Lord, to whom shall we go? You have thewords of eternal life.

Times come for all of us when a life of faith in Christ

seems more difficult than we expected. Here is thequestion each of us must answer: Where else can we go?Jesus alone promises us eternal life. And although we facetroubles for a little while here on earth, because of Him,The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to becompared with the glory which shall be revealed in us(Rom. 8:18).

6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Fatherwho sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at thelast day.

Who took the initiative in your salvation? You mayhave confessed Jesus as your Lord and Savior; how-ever, to do so was not initially your idea. The Lord createda longing within you for His love and presence and alloweddifficulty to enter your life so that you would open up toHim. God took the initiative and you chose to cooperatewith Himwhich is the very definition of the Christian life.

6:67 Do you also want to go away?

Jesus did not try to talk unwilling disciples into stayingwith Him, nor did He make things easier for them so

of Man and drink His blood, you have no lifein you.54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks Myblood has eternal life, and I will raise him upat the last day.55 For My flesh is food indeed,a and Myblood is drink indeed.56 He who eats My flesh and drinks Myblood abides in Me, and I in him.57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live be-cause of the Father, so he who feeds on Mewill live because of Me.58 This is the bread which came down fromheavennot as your fathers ate the manna,and are dead. He who eats this bread will liveforever.59 These things He said in the synagogue asHe taught in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Turn Away60 Therefore many of His disciples, when

they heard this,said, This is a hard saying;who can understand it?61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His dis-ciples complained about this, He said to them,Does this offend you?62 What then if you should see the Son ofMan ascend where He was before?63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the fleshprofits nothing. The words that I speak to youare spirit, and theyare life.64 But there are some of you who do notbelieve. For Jesus knew from the beginningwho they were who did not believe, and whowould betray Him.65 And He said, Therefore I have said to you

that no one can come to Me unless it has beengranted to him by My Father.66 From that timemany of His disciples wentback and walked with Him no more.67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, Do youalso want to go away?68 But Simon Peter answered Him, Lord,

to do My own will, but the will of Him whosent Me.39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me,

that of all He has given Me I should lose noth-ing, but should raise it up at the last day.40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me,

that everyone who sees the Son and believesin Him may have everlasting life; and I willraise him up at the last day.

Rejected by His Own41 The Jews then complained about Him, be-cause He said, I am the bread which camedown from heaven.42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son ofJoseph, whose father and mother we know?How is it then that He says, I have come downfrom heaven?43 Jesus therefore answered and said to

them, Do not murmur among yourselves.44 No one can come to Me unless the Fatherwho sent Me draws him; and I will raise himup at the last day.45 It is written in the prophets, And theyshall all be taught by God.aTherefore every-one who has heard and learnedbfrom the Fa-ther comes to Me.46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, ex-cept He who is from God; He has seen the Fa-

ther.47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who be-lieves in Meahas everlasting life.48 I am the bread of life.49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilder-ness, and are dead.50 This is the bread which comes down fromheaven, that one may eat of it and not die.51 I am the living bread which came downfrom heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, hewill live forever; and the bread that I shallgive is My flesh, which I shall give for the lifeof the world.52 The Jews therefore quarreled among

themselves, saying, How can this Man giveus Hisflesh to eat?53 Then Jesus said to them, Most assuredly,I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son


16/40

J O H N 6 : 6 9 1266


6:69aNU-Text reads You are the Holy One of God.7:1aThat is, the ruling authorities 7:8aNU-Text omitsyet.7:16aNU-Text and M-Text read So Jesus. 7:26aNU-Textomits truly. 7:29aNU-Text and M-Text omit But.

7:30 They sought to take Him; but no one laid ahand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

Several times Jesus opponents wanted to take Him byforce or eliminate Him, but God did not permit any oftheir plans to succeed until they fit His timing. His sovereignwill controls all of history.

7:5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

Jesus younger brothers had grown up with Him inNazareth, and while they might have heard about Hisextraordinary birth, they did not believe in Him until afterthe Resurrection. Only then did they come to faith.

17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shallknow concerning the doctrine, whether it isfrom God or whetherI speak on My own au-thority.18 He who speaks from himself seeks hisown glory; but He who seeks the glory of theOne who sent Him is true, and no unrigh-

teousness is in Him.19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet noneof you keeps the law? Why do you seek tokill Me?20 The people answered and said, You havea demon. Who is seeking to kill You?21 Jesus answered and said to them, I didone work, and you all marvel.22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision(not that it is from Moses, but from the fa-

thers), and you circumcise a man on the Sab-bath.

23 If a man receives circumcision on theSabbath, so that the law of Moses should notbe broken, are you angry with Me because Imade a man completely well on the Sabbath?24 Do not judge according to appearance,but judge with righteous judgment.

Could This Be the Christ?25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said,Is this not He whom they seek to kill?26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they saynothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed

that this is trulyathe Christ?27 However, we know where this Man isfrom; but when the Christ comes, no oneknows where He is from.28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the

temple, saying, You both know Me, and youknow where I am from; and I have not comeof Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whomyou do not know.29 ButaI know Him, for I am from Him, andHe sent Me.30 Therefore they sought to take Him; but noone laid a hand on Him, because His hour hadnot yet come.31 And many of the people believed in Him,and said, When the Christ comes, will He domore signs than these which this Man hasdone?

to whom shall we go? You have the words ofeternal life.69 Also we have come to believe and know

that You are the Christ, the Son of the livingGod.a

70 Jesus answered them, Did I not chooseyou, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the sonof Si-mon, for it was he who would betray Him, be-ing one of the twelve.

Jesus Brothers Disbelieve

7 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee;for He did not want to walk in Judea, be-cause the Jewsasought to kill Him.2 Now the Jews Feast of Tabernacles was athand.3 His brothers therefore said to Him, Departfrom here and go into Judea, that Your disci-ples also may see the works that You are do-ing.4 For no one does anything in secret whilehe himself seeks to be known openly. If You do

these things, show Yourself to the world.5 For even His brothers did not believein Him.6 Then Jesus said to them, My time has notyet come, but your time is always ready.7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Mebecause I testify of it that its works are evil.8 You go up to this feast. I am not yetagoingup to this feast, for My time has not yet fullycome.9 When He had said these things to them, Heremained in Galilee.

The Heavenly Scholar10 But when His brothers had gone up, thenHe also went up to the feast, not openly, but asit were in secret.11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast,and said, Where is He?12 And there was much complaining among

the people concerning Him. Some said, He isgood; others said, No, on the contrary, Hedeceives the people.13 However, no one spoke openly of Him forfear of the Jews.14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesuswent up into the temple and taught.15 And the Jews marveled, saying, Howdoes this Man know letters, having neverstudied?16 Jesusaanswered them and said, My doc-

trine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.


17/40

1267 J O H N 8 : 1 0


7:33aNU-Text and M-Text omit to them. 7:39aNU-Text

reads who believed. bNU-Text omits Holy. 7:40aNU-Textreadssome. 7:50aNU-Text reads before. 7:52aNU-Textreads is to rise. 7:53aThe wordsAnd everyone through

sin no more (8:11) are bracketed by NU-Text as not original.They are present in over 900 manuscripts. 8:2aM-Textreads very early. 8:4aM-Text reads we found this woman.8:5aM-Text reads in our law Moses commanded. bNU-Textand M-Text read to stone such. cM-Text adds about her.8:6aNU-Text and M-Text omit as though He did not hear.8:7aM-Text reads He looked up. 8:9aNU-Text and M-Textomit being convicted by their conscience. 8:10aNU-Textomits and saw no one but the woman; M-Text reads He sawher and said. bNU-Text and M-Text omit of yours.

else but in Him. Jesus offers the only satisfaction for spiri-tual thirst.7:37 If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and

drink.

Because God made us for an intimate relationship withHimself, our deepest needs cannot be met anywhere

50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus bynight,abeing one of them) said to them,51 Does our law judge a man before it hearshim and knows what he is doing?52 They answered and said to him, Are youalso from Galilee? Search and look, for noprophet has arisenaout of Galilee.

An Adulteress Faces the Light of the World53 And everyone went to his ownhouse.a

8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2 Now earlya in the morning He cameagain into the temple, and all the people came

to Him; and He sat down and taught them.3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought toHim a woman caught in adultery. And when

they had set her in the midst,4 they said to Him, Teacher, this womanwas caughtain adultery, in the very act.

5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded

a

usthat such should be stoned.bBut what do Yousay?c

6 This they said, testing Him, that they mighthave somethingof which to accuse Him. ButJesus stooped down and wrote on the groundwith Hisfinger, as though He did not hear.a

7 So when they continued asking Him, Heraised Himself upaand said to them, He whois without sin among you, let him throw astone at her first.8 And again He stooped down and wrote on

the ground.9 Then those who heard it,being convictedby theirconscience,awent out one by one, be-ginning with the oldest evento the last. AndJesus was left alone, and the woman standingin the midst.10 When Jesus had raised Himself up andsaw no one but the woman, He said to her,aWoman, where are those accusers of yours?bHas no one condemned you?

Jesus and the Religious Leaders32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmur-ing these things concerning Him, and thePharisees and the chief priests sent officers to

take Him.33 Then Jesus said to them,aI shall be withyou a little while longer, and thenI go to Himwho sent Me.34 You will seek Me and not find Me, andwhere I am you cannot come.35 Then the Jews said among themselves,Where does He intend to go that we shall notfind Him? Does He intend to go to the Disper-sion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?36 What is this thing that He said, You willseek Me and not find Me, and where I am youcannot come?

The Promise of the Holy Spirit37 On the last day, that great dayof the feast,

Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyonethirsts, let him come to Me and drink.38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripturehas said, out of his heart will flow rivers of liv-ing water.39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit,whom those believingain Him would receive;for the HolybSpirit was not yet given,becauseJesus was not yet glorified.

Who Is He?40 Therefore manya from the crowd, when

they heard this saying, said, Truly this is theProphet.41 Others said, This is the Christ. But somesaid, Will the Christ come out of Galilee?42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christcomes from the seed of David and from the

town of Bethlehem, where David was?43 So there was a division among the peoplebecause of Him.44 Now some of them wanted to take Him,but no one laid hands on Him.

Rejected by the Authorities45 Then the officers came to the chief priestsand Pharisees, who said to them, Why haveyou not brought Him?46 The officers answered, No man everspoke like this Man!47 Then the Pharisees answered them, Areyou also deceived?48 Have any of the rulers or the Phariseesbelieved in Him?49 But this crowd that does not know thelaw is accursed.


18/40

J O H N 8 : 1 1 1268


8:11aNU-Text and M-Text add from now on.

His Father, and He gives us the spiritual resources we needto walk in righteousness.8:11 Go and sin no more.

Jesus is gracious and merciful, but He never ceases to beholy. He calls us to a life of holiness and obedience to

11 She said, No one, Lord. And Jesus saidto her, Neither do I condemn you; go andasinno more.12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, Iam the light of the world. He who follows Me

A N SW E R STO LIFES

QUESTIONS

What does it mean to be set freein Christ?

JOHN 8:136

The scribes and Pharisees were intent ontrapping Jesus, so they brought Him a womanwho had been caught in the act of adulteryand said, Teacher, this woman was caught inadultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law,commanded us that such should be stoned. Butwhat do You say? (John 8:4, 5).

Instead of being ensnared by their words,Jesus turned the situation into an opportunityto teach the crowd about His liberating lovein action. He said, He who is without sinamong you, let him throw a stone at her first. . . Woman, where are those accusers of yours?Has no one condemned you? . . . Neither do Icondemn you; go and sin no more (John 8:7,10, 11). The woman walked away forgiven, free,

and saved from certain doom.A little later, Jesus proclaimed: If you abidein My word, you are My disciples indeed. Andyou shall know the truth, and the truth shallmake you free (John 8:31, 32). Consider theseverses the believers emancipation proclamation.In verses 3436, Jesus explains: Most assuredly,I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave ofsin. And a slave does not abide in the houseforever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if theSon makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

How are we liberated to live in Christ?Through Jesus death on the Cross and

resurrection, we are freed from thepenalty ofsin. Like the woman caught in adultery, we areno longer condemned for what weve done.Christ pays our sin-debt in full so that we canbe reconciled to the Father (Rom. 5:10; 6:23;Col. 1:1922).

We are released from thepowerof sin. Our sinnature no longer dominates usleading us

from one unsatisfying and destructive

transgression to another. Rather, we are free toseek and know God through the power andpresence of His Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:217).Jesus told the woman, Go and sin no more(John 8:11), not as a terrible requirement forearning His forgiveness, but as a declaration of

what is possible when we follow Him (1 Cor.6:1120).

We are liberated from thepurposeof sin. James1:15 tells us, When desire has conceived, itgives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. The goal of ouriniquity is usually to exalt ourselves or meetour own needs, but the outcome is alwaysruination. Perhaps this woman was seekinglove, acceptance, or security, yet she wasobviously going about getting it in the wrongwaydestroying herself and her dignity.However, Christ sets us free to becomeeverything God created us to be to His honorand glory (John 10:10; Eph. 2:10).

We are unshackled from thepersonalityof sin.To the scribes and the Pharisees, this womanwould always be known by the name sinner,and perhaps that is how she thought of herselfas well. However, when Jesus comes into ourlives, we are no longer known for our iniquities.

Rather, we are recognized as belonging to theOne who has covered our iniquities with Hisblood. Our transgressions are no longer ouridentity because Christ makes us into a newcreation (Rom. 8:1; 2 Cor. 5:17).

What can you do to begin living in thefreedom Jesus purchased for you on the Cross?There is no formula for discovering the richnessof His truth. But by obeying and trusting inHim, youll be on the road to the liberated lifeHe designed for you.

See the Life Principles Index for further study:21. Obedience always brings blessings. 5. God does not require us to understand His

will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.


19/40

1269 J O H N 8 : 4 4


8:38aNU-Text reads heard from.

shows us how to become everything we were created to beand to embrace every blessing that is ours because of ourposition in Him (Eph. 1). He also guides us in living the verybest life possibleone that gives us joy and glorifies Him(John 16:1315; 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:1).

8:32 You shall know the truth, and the truthshall make you free.

How does the truth set us free? Because through it,the Lord breaks the bonds of enslavement that sinhas over us (John 8:36; Rom. 7:1425; 8:2, 20, 21). He

He,and thatI do nothing of Myself; but as MyFather taught Me, I speak these things.29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Fa-

ther has not left Me alone, for I always dothose things that please Him.30 As He spoke these words, many believedin Him.

The Truth Shall Make You Free31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who be-lieved Him, If you abide in My word, you areMy disciples indeed.32 And you shall know the truth, and the

truth shall make you free.33 They answered Him, We are Abrahamsdescendants, and have never been in bondage

to anyone. How canYou say, You will be madefree?34 Jesus answered them, Most assuredly,I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slaveof sin.35 And a slave does not abide in the houseforever, buta son abides forever.36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, youshall be free indeed.

Abrahams Seed and Satans37 I know that you are Abrahams descen-dants, but you seek to kill Me, because Myword has no place in you.38 I speak what I have seen with My Father,and you do what you have seen withayour fa-

ther.39 They answered and said to Him, Abra-ham is our father. Jesus said to them, If youwere Abrahams children, you would do theworks of Abraham.40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man whohas told you the truth which I heard from God.Abraham did not do this.41 You do the deeds of your father. Then

they said to Him, We were not born of forni-cation; we have one FatherGod.42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Fa-

ther, you would love Me, for I proceeded forthand came from God; nor have I come of My-self, but He sent Me.43 Why do you not understand My speech?Because you are not able to listen to Myword.44 You are of yourfather the devil, and thedesires of your father you want to do. He wasa murderer from the beginning, and does not

shall not walk in darkness, but have the lightof life.

Jesus Defends His Self-Witness13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, Youbear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not

true.14 Jesus answered and said to them, Even ifI bear witness of Myself, My witness is true,for I know where I came from and where Iam going; but you do not know where I comefrom and where I am going.15 You judge according to the flesh; I judgeno one.16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true;for I am not alone, but I amwith the Fatherwho sent Me.17 It is also written in your law that the tes-

timony of two men is true.18 I am One who bears witness of Myself,and the Father who sent Me bears witnessof Me.19 Then they said to Him, Where is Your Fa-

ther? Jesus answered, You know neitherMe nor My Father. If you had known Me, youwould have known My Father also.20 These words Jesus spoke in the trea-sury, as He taught in the temple; and no onelaid hands on Him, for His hour had not yetcome.

Jesus Predicts His Departure21 Then Jesus said to them again, I am go-ing away, and you will seek Me, and will die inyour sin. Where I go you cannot come.22 So the Jews said, Will He kill Himself,because He says, Where I go you cannotcome?23 And He said to them, You are from be-neath; I am from above. You are of this world;I am not of this world.24 Therefore I said to you that you will diein your sins; for if you do not believe that I amHe,you will die in your sins.25 Then they said to Him, Who are You?And Jesus said to them, Just what I have beensaying to you from the beginning.26 I have many things to say and to judgeconcerning you, but He who sent Me is true;and I speak to the world those things which Iheard from Him.27 They did not understand that He spoke to

them of the Father.28 Then Jesus said to them, When you lift up

the Son of Man, then you will know that I am


20/40

J O H N 8 : 4 5 1270


8:54aNU-Text and M-Text read our. 8:59aNU-Text omitsthe rest of this verse. 9:4aNU-Text reads We. 9:8aNU-Textreads a beggar. 9:9aNU-Text reads No, but he is like him.9:11aNU-Text omits the pool of.

Jesus is God in the flesh. Here, He calls Himself by thedivine name, I AM (Ex. 3:14; Is. 42:8; 43:10, 13), andaffirms that He existed long before Abraham lived. Why isthis important? Because the Jews continued to cling to menand issues that were temporary, instead of the Son of God,who is eternal.

9:3 Neither this man nor his parents sinned, butthat the works of God should be revealed in him.

It is always dangerous to assume that some sin is toblame for a physical ailment. In this case, Jesus saidthat God designed the mans blindness to provide a plat-form for demonstrating His glory.

8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see Myday, and he saw it and was glad.

The Jewish identity is based on the fact that they are

Abrahams descendants (John 8:33, 39), and thereforeheirs to all of Gods promises to him (Gen. 12:13). YetJesus demonstrates that the Jews were not living as theirforefather would because Abraham acknowledged God,had faith in Him, and obeyed Him (John 8:39, 40). In otherwords, Abraham would have acknowledged that Jesus isthe Messiah.

8:58 Before Abraham was, I AM.

2 And His disciples asked Him, saying,Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,

that he was born blind?3 Jesus answered, Neither this man norhis parents sinned, but that the works of Godshould be revealed in him.4 Iamust work the works of Him who sentMe while it is day; thenight is coming whenno one can work.5 As long as I am in the world, I am the lightof the world.6 When He had said these things, He spat on

the ground and made clay with the saliva; andHe anointed the eyes of the blind man with

the clay.7 And He said to him, Go, wash in the poolof Siloam (which is translated, Sent). So hewent and washed, and came back seeing.8 Therefore the neighbors and those whopreviously had seen that he was blinda said,Is not this he who sat and begged?9 Some said, This is he. Others said,He islike him.aHe said, I am he.10 Therefore they said to him, How wereyour eyes opened?11 He answered and said, A Man called Je-sus made clay and anointed my eyes and said

to me, Go to the pool ofaSiloam and wash. SoI went and washed, and I received sight.12 Then they said to him, Where is He? Hesaid, I do not know.

The Pharisees Excommunicate theHealed Man13 They brought him who formerly was blind

to the Pharisees.14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made

the clay and opened his eyes.15 Then the Pharisees also asked him againhow he had received his sight. He said to

them, He put clay on my eyes, and I washed,and I see.16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said,This Man is not from God, because He does

not keep the Sabbath. Others said, How can

stand in the truth, because there is no truth inhim. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from hisown resources,for he is a liar and the fatherof it.45 But because I tell the truth, you do not be-lieve Me.46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I

tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?47 He who is of God hears Gods words;

therefore you do not hear, because you are notof God.

Before Abraham Was, I AM48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him,Do we not say rightly that You are a Samari-

tan and have a demon?49 Jesus answered, I do not have a demon;but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.50 And I do not seek My ownglory; there isOne who seeks and judges.

51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyonekeeps My word he shall never see death.52 Then the Jews said to Him, Now we know

that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, andthe prophets; and You say, If anyone keepsMy word he shall never taste death.53 Are You greater than our father Abraham,who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Whodo You make Yourself out to be?54 Jesus answered, If I honor Myself, Myhonor is nothing. It is My Father who honorsMe, of whom you say that He is youraGod.

55 Yet you have not known Him, but I knowHim. And if I say, I do not know Him, I shallbe a liar like you; but I do know Him and keepHis word.56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see Myday, and he saw itand was glad.57 Then the Jews said to Him, You are not yetfifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?58 Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, I say

to you, before Abraham was, I AM.59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him;but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the

temple,agoing through the midst of them, andso passed by.

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

9 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a manwho was blind from birth.


21/40

1271 J O H N 1 0 : 8


9:35aNU-Text reads Son of Man. 10:8aM-Text omitsbefore Me.

ousy, and sin (John 9:41). It is a terrible thing to think weknow better than God because it shows that pride is deeplyrooted in our hearts. We must always be careful to ac-knowledge the Lords work around us, because if we refuseto obey Him, we, too, will become blinded to His matchlesspresence by our sin.

9:30 Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you donot know where He is from; yet He has opened myeyes!

The healed man may have been born without sight, butthe Pharisees were blinded by their own pride, jeal-

34 They answered and said to him, You werecompletely born in sins, and are you teachingus? And they cast him out.

True Vision and True Blindness35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out;and when He had found him, He said to him,Do you believe in the Son of God?a

36 He answered and said, Who is He, Lord,that I may believe in Him?37 And Jesus said to him, You have both seenHim and it is He who is talking with you.38 Then he said, Lord, I believe! And heworshiped Him.39 And Jesus said, For judgment I havecome into this world, that those who do notsee may see, and that those who see may bemade blind.40 Then someof the Pharisees who were withHim heard these words, and said to Him, Arewe blind also?41 Jesus said to them, If you were blind, youwould have no sin; but now you say, We see.Therefore your sin remains.

Jesus the True Shepherd

10 Most assuredly, I say to you, he whodoes not enter the sheepfold by thedoor, but climbs up some other way, the sameis a thief and a robber.2 But he who enters by the door is the shep-herd of the sheep.3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and thesheep hear his voice; and he calls his ownsheep by name and leads them out.4 And when he brings out his own sheep,he goes before them; and the sheep followhim, for they know his voice.5 Yet they will by no means follow astranger, but will flee from him, for they donot know the voice of strangers.6 Jesus used this illustration, but they didnot understand the things which He spoke to

them.

Jesus the Good Shepherd7 Then Jesus said to them again, Most as-suredly, I say to you, I am the door of thesheep.8 All who evercame before Meaare thievesand robbers, but the sheep did not hear

them.

a man who is a sinner do such signs? Andthere was a division among them.17 They said to the blind man again, Whatdo you say about Him because He openedyour eyes? He said, He is a prophet.18 But the Jews did not believe concerninghim, that he had been blind and received his

sight, until they called the parents of him whohad received his sight.19 And they asked them, saying, Is this yourson, who you say was born blind? How thendoes he now see?20 His parents answered them and said, Weknow that this is our son, and that he wasborn blind;21 but by what means he now sees we donot know, or who opened his eyes we do notknow. He is of age; ask him. He will speak forhimself.

22 His parents said these thingsbecause theyfeared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed al-ready that if anyone confessed that He wasChrist, he would be put out of the synagogue.23 Therefore his parents said, He is of age;ask him.24 So they again called the man who wasblind, and said to him, Give God the glory!We know that this Man is a sinner.25 He answered and said, Whether He is asinner or notI do not know. One thing I know:

that though I was blind, now I see.

26 Then they said to him again, What did Hedo to you? How did He open your eyes?27 He answered them, I told you already, andyou did not listen. Why do you want to hear itagain? Do you also want to become His dis-ciples?28 Then they reviled him and said, You areHis disciple, but we are Moses disciples.29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as

for this fellow,we do not know where He isfrom.30 The man answered and said to them,

Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you donot know where He is from; yet He has openedmy eyes!31 Now we know that God does not hearsinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of Godand does His will, He hears him.32 Since the world began it has been un-heard of that anyone opened the eyes of onewho was born blind.33 If this Man were not from God, He coulddo nothing.


22/40

J O H N 1 0 : 9 1272


10:26aNU-Text omits as I said to you. 10:34aPsalm 82:6

10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shep-

herd gives His life for the sheep.

Jesus willingly gave His life to save ours, so how can wethink He would ever keep back from us anything thatwould truly benefit us or allow anything in our lives thatdoesnt have some eternal purpose (Rom. 8:32)? Instead,we must always remember that He is the GoodShepherd.He has all of our problems, pressures, and provisions underHis control, and nothing we face is ever too difficult for Himto handle. So cast your cares upon Him because you can besure that He will help you.

10:30 I and My Father are one.

In this verse, Jesus proclaimed His unity of nature and

equality in the Godhead (Deut. 6:4). Based on His asser-tion, we must make a decision: either we believe He reallyis God, or we must reject everything He saysthere is nomiddle ground. As believers, we know that there is only oneGod and that He is three PersonsFather, Son, and HolySpirit. We also know that everything Jesus said is absolutelytrue because He is the truth (John 14:6).

10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, hewill be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

There is only one door to heaven. Jesus is not oneroute among several to an intimate relationship withGod, but the onlyway. Some may think, That is verynarrow-minded. However, it was the greatest mind, themost profound wisdom, and the deepest thoughts thatever existed that implemented the plan of how you and Iwould be reconciled to God and have a home in heaven.The Lord, who created us, is the One who decides how wecan know Himand that way is through Jesus Christ.

10:10 I have come that they may have life, andthat they may have it more abundantly.

Do you know how Jesus gives us abundant life? Hedoes so by giving us Himself! You could have all themoney, relationships, wealth, and power, but you would stillhave a deep sense of emptiness because life isnt found inthese things. The only One who can truly satisfy you is JesusChrist. To live the abundant Christian life is to allow Jesus tolive His life through us. His love motivates and empowers us,so we obey Him out of joy and thankfulness.

23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Sol-omons porch.24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said

to Him, How long do You keep us in doubt? IfYou are the Christ, tell us plainly.25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and youdo not believe. The works that I do in My Fa-

thers name, they bear witness of Me.26 But you do not believe, because you arenot of My sheep, as I said to you.a

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I knowthem, and they follow Me.28 And I give them eternal life, and they shallnever perish; neither shall anyone snatch

them out of My hand.29 My Father, who has given themto Me, isgreater than all; and no one is able to snatchthemout of My Fathers hand.30 I andMyFather are one.

Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus31 Then the Jews took up stones again tostone Him.32 Jesus answered them, Many good worksI have shown you from My Father. For whichof those works do you stone Me?33 The Jews answered Him, saying, For agood work we do not stone You, but for blas-phemy, and because You, being a Man, makeYourself God.34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written inyour law, I said, You are gods?a

35 If He called them gods, to whom the wordof God came (and the Scripture cannot bebroken),36 do you say of Him whom the Father sancti-fied and sent into the world, You are blasphem-ing, because I said, I am the Son of God?

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, hewill be saved, and will go in and out and findpasture.10 The thief does not come except to steal,and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that

they may have life, and that they may have itmore abundantly.11 I am the good shepherd. The good shep-herd gives His life for the sheep.12 But a hireling, he who isnot the shepherd,one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolfcoming and leaves the sheep and flees; and

the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.13 The hireling flees because he is a hirelingand does not care about the sheep.14 I am the good shepherd; and I know Mysheep,and am known by My own.15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know theFather; and I lay down My life for the sheep.16 And other sheep I have which are not of

this fold; them also I must bring, and they willhear My voice; and there will be one flock andone shepherd.17 Therefore My Father loves Me, because Ilay down My life that I may take it again.18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it downof Myself. I have power to lay it down, and Ihave power to take it again. This command Ihave received from My Father.19 Therefore there was a division againamong the Jews because of these sayings.20 And many of them said, He has a demonand is mad. Why do you listen to Him?21 Others said, These are not the words ofone who has a demon. Can a demon open theeyes of the blind?

The Shepherd Knows His Sheep22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Je-rusalem, and it was winter.


23/40

1273 J O H N 1 1 : 2 8


10:38aNU-Text reads understand. 11:18aLiterally fifteenstadia

Jesus was glad that He was not present with them atLazaruss death because it provided Him the perfectopportunity to mature their faith and teach them about Hisresurrection power. God is far more concerned with growing

our trust in Him and deepening our relationship with Himthan with making us comfortable. Adversity can be a bridgeto a deeper relationship with the Lord, if we will trust thatHe can work every detail of our liveseven the bad onestogether for good (Rom. 8:18, 28; 2 Cor. 4:1618).

11:4 This sickness is not unto death, but for theglory of God, that the Son of God may be glorifiedthrough it.

Jesus did not mean that Lazarus would not diehe did(John 11:14)but that he would not endin death.

When Jesus is involved, death does not have the final victory.As the Lord of life, He has triumphed over the grave eternallyfor all who trust in Him (Rom. 6:8, 9; 1 Cor. 15:5457).

11:14, 15 Lazarus is dead. And I am glad foryour sakes that I was not there, that you maybelieve.

12 Then His disciples said, Lord, if he sleepshe will get well.13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but

they thought th

life principles bible, nkjv

Documents