So
they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus replied, “What I have told you from the
beginning. I have many things to say and to judge about
you, but the Father who sent me is truthful, and the things I have heard from
him I speak to the world.” (They did not understand
that he was telling them about his Father.)
Then Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of
Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own initiative,
but I speak just what the Father taught me. And the one
who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do those
things that please him.” While he was saying these
things, many people believed in him.
Then
Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my
teaching, you are really my disciples and you will know
the truth, and the truth will set you free.” “We are
descendants of Abraham,” they replied, “and have never been anyone’s slaves!
How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered
them, “I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of
sin. The slave does not remain in the family forever, but
the son remains forever. So if the son sets you free, you
will be really free. I know that you are Abraham’s
descendants. But you want to kill me, because my teaching makes no progress
among you. I am telling you the things I have seen while
with the Father; as for you, practice the things you have heard from the
Father!”
They answered him, “Abraham is our father!”
Jesus replied, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would be doing the deeds of
Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has
told you the truth I heard from God. Abraham did not do this!
You people are doing the deeds of your father.”
Then
they said to Jesus, “We were not born as a result of immorality! We have only
one Father, God himself.” Jesus replied, “If God were
your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. I
have not come on my own initiative, but he sent me. Why
don’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot accept my
teaching. You people are from your father the devil, and
you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning,
and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he
lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the
father of lies. But because I am telling you the truth,
you do not believe me. Who among you can prove me guilty
of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? The one who belongs to God listens and responds to God’s
words. You don’t listen and respond, because you don’t belong to God.”
The Judeans replied, “Aren’t we correct in
saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?”
Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, but I honor my Father – and yet
you dishonor me. I am not trying to get praise for
myself. There is one who demands it, and he also judges.
I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see
death.”
Then the Judeans responded, “Now we know you’re
possessed by a demon! Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say, ‘If
anyone obeys my teaching, he will never experience death.’
You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? And the prophets
died too! Who do you claim to be?” Jesus replied, “If I
glorify myself, my glory is worthless. The one who glorifies me is my Father,
about whom you people say, ‘He is our God.’ Yet you do
not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would
be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his teaching.
Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”
Then
the Judeans replied, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before
Abraham came into existence, I am!” Then they picked up
stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple
area.
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