Introduction to the Gospel of John

Outline of the Gospel of John

Introduction about who Jesus is (1:1-18)
Jesus is baptized, and he chooses twelve disciples (1:19-51)
Jesus preaches, teaches, and heals people (2-11)
The seven days before Jesus's death (12-19)
- Mary anoints the feet of Jesus (12:1-11)
- Jesus rides a donkey into Jerusalem (12:12-19)
- Some Greek men want to see Jesus (12:20-36)
- The Jewish leaders reject Jesus (12:37-50)
- Jesus teaches his disciples (13-17)
- Jesus is arrested and undergoes trial (18:1-19:15)
- Jesus is crucified and buried (19:16-42)
Jesus rises from the dead (20:1-29)
John says why he wrote his gospel (20:30-31)
Jesus meets with the disciples (21)

What is the Gospel of John about?

The Gospel of John is one of four books in the New Testament that describe some of the life of Jesus Christ. The authors of the gospels wrote about different aspects of who Jesus was and what he did. John said that he wrote his gospel "so that people might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God" (20:31).

John's Gospel is very different from the other three Gospels. John does not include some of the teachings and events that the other writers included in their gospels. Also, John wrote about some teachings and events that are not in the other gospels.

John wrote much about the signs Jesus did to prove that what Jesus said about himself was true.

Who wrote the Gospel of John?

This book does not give the name of the author. However, since early Christian times, most Christians have thought that the Apostle John was the author.

John

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.²This one was in the beginning with God.³All things were made through him, and without him there was not one thing made that has been made.

⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of men.⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

⁶There was a man who was sent from God, whose name was John.⁷He came as a witness to testify about the light, that all might believe through him.⁸John was not the light, but came that he might testify about the light.

⁹The true light, which gives light to all men, was coming into the world.

¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him.¹¹He came to his own, and his own did not receive him.

¹²But to as many as received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.¹³These were not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴The Word became flesh and lived among us. We have seen his glory, glory as of the one and only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.¹⁵John testified about him and cried out, saying, "This was the one of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is greater than I am, for he was before me.'"

¹⁶For from his fullness we have all received grace after grace.¹⁷For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.¹⁸No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made God known.

¹⁹This is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"²⁰He confessed—he did not deny, but confessed—"I am not the Christ."²¹So they asked him, "What are you then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." They said, "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No."

²²Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"²³He said, "I am a voice, crying in the wilderness: 'Make the way of the Lord straight,' just as Isaiah the prophet said."

²⁴Now some from the Pharisees were sent,²⁵and they asked him and said to him, "Why do you baptize, then, if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor the prophet?"

²⁶John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water. But among you stands someone you do not know.²⁷He is the one who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."²⁸These things were done in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Look, there is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!³⁰This is the one of whom I said, 'The one who comes after me is more than me, for he was before me.'³¹I did not know him, but it was so that he could be revealed to Israel that I came baptizing with water."

³²John testified, saying, "I saw the Spirit coming down like a dove from heaven, and it stayed upon him.³³I did not recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'³⁴I have both seen and testified that this is the Son of God."

³⁵Again, the next day, as John was standing with two of his disciples,³⁶they saw Jesus walking by, and John said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

³⁷His two disciples heard him say this and they followed Jesus.³⁸Then Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They replied, "Rabbi" (which is translated "Teacher"), "where are you staying?"³⁹He said to them, "Come and see." Then they came and saw where he was staying; they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

⁴⁰One of the two who heard John speak and then followed Jesus was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter.⁴¹He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated "Christ").⁴²He brought him to Jesus, and Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which is translated "Peter").

⁴³The next day, when Jesus wanted to leave to go to Galilee, he found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."⁴⁴Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.⁴⁵Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, "He of whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets, we have found him: Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth."

⁴⁶Nathaniel said to him, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."⁴⁷Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him and said about him, "See, a true Israelite, in whom is no deceit!"⁴⁸Nathaniel said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

⁴⁹Nathaniel replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"⁵⁰Jesus replied and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you underneath the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than this."⁵¹Then he said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

John 1:1

In the beginning

This refers to the very earliest time before God created the heavens and the earth.

the Word

This refers to Jesus. Translate as "the Word" if possible. If "Word" is feminine in your language, it could be translated as "the one who is called the Word."

John 1:3

All things were made through him

"God made all things through him"

without him there was not one thing made that has been made

"God did not make anything without him" or "with him there was every thing made that has been made" or "God made with him every thing that God has made"

John 1:4

In him was life, and the life was the light of men

"He is the one who caused everything to live. And he revealed to people what is true about God"

In him

Here "him" refers to the one who is called the Word.

life

Here use a general term for "life." If you must be more specific, translate as "spiritual life."

John 1:5

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it

"The truth is like a light shining into a dark place, and no one in the dark place could put out the light"

John 1:7

testify about the light

"show how Jesus is like the true light of God"

John 1:9

The true light

Here light represents Jesus as the one who both reveals the truth about God and is himself that truth.

John 1:10

the world did not know him

"the people did not know who he really was"

John 1:11

He came to his own, and his own did not receive him

"He came to his own fellow countrymen, and his own fellow countrymen did not accept him either"

John 1:12

believed in his name

"believed in him"

he gave the right

"he gave them the authority" or "he made it possible for them"

children of God

The word "children" is a metaphor that represents our relationship to God, which is like children to a father.

John 1:14

The Word

This refers to Jesus. Translate as "the Word" if possible. See how you translated this in John 1:1.

became flesh

"became human" or "became a human being"

the one and only who came from the Father

"the unique Son of the Father" or "the only Son of the Father"

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 1:15

He who comes after me

John is speaking about Jesus. The phrase "comes after me" means that John's ministry has already started and Jesus's ministry will start later.

is greater than I am

"is more important than I am" or "has more authority than I have"

for he was before me

Jesus is greater and more important than John because he is God the Son, who has always been alive.

John 1:16

grace after grace

"blessing after blessing"

John 1:18

the only God

"the only Son, who is himself God"

the only God

"the only begotten God" or "the only begotten Son, who is himself God" or "the only Son who proceeds from God and is himself God"

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 1:19

the Jews sent

"the Jewish leaders sent"

John 1:20

He confessed—he did not deny, but confessed

This means that John was telling the truth and was strongly stating that he was not the Christ. Your language may have a different way of doing this.

John 1:21

What are you then?

"What then is the case, if you are not the Messiah?" or "What then is going on?" or "What then are you doing?"

John 1:22

they said to him

"the priests and Levites said to John"

John 1:23

He said

"John said"

I am a voice, crying in the wilderness

"I am the one calling out in the wilderness"

Make the way of the Lord straight

"Prepare yourselves for the Lord's arrival the same way that people prepare the road for an important person to use"

John 1:27

who comes after me

John is speaking about Jesus. The phrase "comes after me" means that John's ministry has already started and Jesus's ministry will start later.

me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie

"me, whom I am not worthy to serve in even the most unpleasant way" or "me. I am not even worthy to untie the strap of his sandal"

John 1:29

Lamb of God

Jesus is called the "Lamb of God" because he was sacrificed to pay for people's sins.

world

The word "world" refers to all the people in the world.

John 1:32

like a dove

Possible meanings: 1) the Spirit descended in the form of a dove or 2) the Spirit descended in the way a dove descends.

heaven

The word "heaven" refers to the "sky."

John 1:33

The one on whom

"The one upon whom"

he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit

"he is the one who will baptize in the Holy Spirit"

John 1:34

the Son of God

Some copies of this text say "Son of God"; others say "chosen one of God."

Son of God

This refers to Jesus, the Son of God. It is best to translate “Son” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human son.

John 1:35

Again, the next day

This is another day. It is the second day that John sees Jesus.

John 1:39

tenth hour

"hour 10." This phrase indicates a time in the afternoon, before dark, at which it would be too late to start traveling to another town, possibly around 4 p.m.

John 1:42

son of John

This is not John the Baptist. "John" was a very common name.

John 1:46

Nathaniel said to him

"Nathaniel said to Philip"

Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?

"No good thing can come out of Nazareth!"

John 1:47

in whom is no deceit

"a completely truthful man"

John 1:49

Son of God

This refers to Jesus, the Son of God. It is best to translate “Son” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human son.

John 1:50

Because I said to you, 'I ... tree,' do you believe?

"You believe only because I said, 'I ... tree'!"

John 1:51

Truly, truly

Translate this the way your language emphasizes that what follows is important and true.

¹Three days later, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.²Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding.

³When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."⁴Jesus said to her, "Woman, why do you come to me? My time has not yet come."⁵His mother said to the servants, "Whatever he says to you, do it."

⁶Now there were six stone water pots there used for the Jewish ceremonial washing, each containing two to three metretes.⁷Jesus said to them, "Fill the water pots with water." So they filled them up to the brim.⁸Then he told the servants, "Take some out now and take it to the head waiter." So they did.

⁹The head waiter tasted the water that had become wine, but he did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew). Then he called the bridegroom¹⁰and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first and then the cheaper wine when they are drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now."

¹¹This first sign Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

¹²After this Jesus, his mother, his brothers, and his disciples went down to Capernaum and they stayed there for a few days.

¹³Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.¹⁴He found sellers of oxen and sheep and pigeons in the temple, and the money changers were sitting there.

¹⁵So he made a whip of cords and drove all of them out from the temple, including both the sheep and the cattle. He scattered the coins of the money changers and turned their tables over.¹⁶To the pigeon sellers he said, "Take these things away from here. Stop making the house of my Father a marketplace."

¹⁷His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."

¹⁸Then the Jewish authorities responded and said to him, "What sign will you show us, since you are doing these things?"¹⁹Jesus replied, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

²⁰Then the Jewish authorities said, "This temple was built in forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?"²¹However, he was speaking about the temple of his body.²²After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the scripture and this statement that Jesus had spoken.

²³Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover festival, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he did.²⁴But Jesus did not trust in them because he knew them all,²⁵because he did not need anyone to testify to him about man, for he knew what was in man.

John 2:1

Three days later

Most interpreters read this as on the third day after Jesus called Philip and Nathaniel to follow him.

John 2:2

Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding

"Someone invited Jesus and his disciples to the wedding"

John 2:4

Woman

This refers to Mary. If it is impolite for a son to call his mother "woman" in your language, use another word that is polite, or leave it out.

why do you come to me?

"this has nothing to do with me." or "you should not tell me what to do."

My time has not yet come

"It is not yet the right time for me to perform a mighty act"

John 2:6

two to three metretes

"75 to 115 liters"

John 2:7

to the brim

This means "to the very top" or "completely full."

John 2:8

the head waiter

This refers to the person in charge of the food and drink.

John 2:10

drunk

unable to tell the difference between cheap wine and expensive wine because of drinking too much alcohol

John 2:11

Cana

This is a place name.

revealed his glory

"showed his power"

John 2:12

went down

This indicates that they went from a higher place to a lower place. Capernaum is northeast of Cana and is at a lower elevation.

his brothers

The word "brothers" includes both brothers and sisters. All Jesus's brothers and sisters were younger than he was.

John 2:13

went up to Jerusalem

This indicates that he went from a lower place to a higher place. Jerusalem is built on a hill.

John 2:14

were sitting there

The next verse makes it clear that these people are in the temple courtyard. That area was intended for worship and not for commerce.

sellers of oxen and sheep and pigeons

People are buying animals in the temple courtyard to sacrifice them to God.

money changers

Jewish authorities required people who wanted to buy animals for sacrifices to exchange their money for special money from the "money changers."

John 2:15

So

This word marks an event that happens because of something else that has happened first. In this case, Jesus has seen the money changers sitting in the temple.

John 2:16

Stop making the house of my Father a marketplace

"Stop buying and selling things in my Father's house"

the house of my Father

This is a phrase Jesus uses to refer to the temple.

my Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 2:17

your house

This term refers to the temple, God's house.

consume

Jesus's love for the temple is like a fire that burns within him.

John 2:18

sign

This refers to an event that proves something is true.

these things

This refers to Jesus's actions against the money changers in the temple.

John 2:19

Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up

"If you destroy this temple, I will rebuild it in three days"

John 2:20

you will raise it up in three days?

"you will rebuild it in three days?" or "you cannot possibly rebuild it in three days!"

John 2:23

Now when he was in Jerusalem

The word "now" introduces us to a new event in the story.

believed in his name

"believed in him" or "trusted in him"

the signs that he did

Miracles can also be called "signs" because they are used as evidence that God is the all-powerful one who has complete authority over the universe.

John 2:25

about man, for he knew what was in man

"about people, for he knew what was in people"

¹Now there was a Pharisee whose name was Nicodemus, a Jewish leader.²This man came to Jesus at night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher that came from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."

³Jesus replied to him, "Truly, truly, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

⁴Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"

⁵Jesus replied, "Truly, truly, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

⁷Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'⁸The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

⁹Nicodemus replied and said to him, "How can these things be?"¹⁰Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?¹¹Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak what we know, and we testify about what we have seen. Yet you do not accept our testimony.

¹²If I told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?¹³No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.

¹⁴Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,¹⁵so that all who believe in him may have eternal life.

¹⁶"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.¹⁷For God did not send the Son into the world in order to condemn the world, but in order to save the world through him.¹⁸He who believes in him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is already condemned because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

¹⁹This is the reason for the judgment: The light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.²⁰For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, so that his deeds will not be exposed.²¹However, he who practices the truth comes to the light so that it may be plainly seen that his deeds have been done in God."

²²After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea. There he spent some time with them and baptized.²³Now John was also baptizing in Aenon near to Salim because there was much water there. People were coming to him and were being baptized,²⁴for John had not yet been thrown in prison.

²⁵Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and a Jew about ceremonial washing.²⁶They went to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, about whom you have testified, look, he is baptizing, and they are all going to him."

²⁷John replied, "A man cannot receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.²⁸You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but instead, 'I have been sent before him.'

²⁹The bride belongs to the bridegroom. Now the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the voice of the bridegroom. This, then, is my joy made complete.³⁰He must increase, but I must decrease.

³¹"He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth is from the earth and speaks about the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.³²He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.³³He who has received his testimony has confirmed that God is true.

³⁴For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God. For he does not give the Spirit by measure.³⁵The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.³⁶He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God stays on him."

John 3:1

Now

This word is used here to mark a new part of the story and to introduce Nicodemus.

John 3:3

Truly, truly

Translate this the way your language emphasizes that what follows is important and true. See how you translated this in John 1:51

born again

"born from above" or "born of God"

he cannot see the kingdom of God

Possible meanings of seeing the kingdom of God are 1) seeing the place God rules over or 2) knowing what God's kingdom is like or 3) belonging to the kingdom of God.

John 3:4

How can a man be born when he is old?

"A man certainly cannot be born again when he is old!"

He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?

"Certainly, he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb!

womb

the part of a woman's body where a baby grows

John 3:5

born of water and the Spirit

There are two possible meanings: 1) "baptized in water and in the Spirit" or 2) "born physically and spiritually"

he cannot enter into the kingdom of God

"he cannot belong to the kingdom of God"

John 3:8

The wind blows wherever it wishes

"The Holy Spirit is like a wind that blows wherever it wants"

John 3:9

How can these things be?

"This cannot be!" or "This is not able to happen!"

John 3:10

Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

"You are a teacher of Israel, so I am surprised you do not understand these things!" or "You are a teacher of Israel, so you should understand these things!"

John 3:11

you do not accept

The word "you" is plural and refers either the Pharisees or to the Jewish leaders or to the Jews in general.

we speak

When Jesus said "we," he was not including Nicodemus.

John 3:12

I told you ... you do not believe ... how will you believe if I tell you

In all three places "you" is plural and refers to Jews in general.

how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

"you certainly will not believe if I tell you about spiritual things!"

John 3:13

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven

"The only one who has ascended into heaven is he who descended from heaven"

John 3:14

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up

Some people will "lift up" Jesus just as Moses "lifted up" the bronze serpent in the place where Moses and the Israelites walked around for forty years.

John 3:16

God so loved the world

Here "world" refers to everyone in the world.

loved

The kind of love that comes from God is focused on having good things happen to others even when those good things do not happen to the one who loves. God himself is love and is the source of true love.

John 3:17

For God did not send the Son into the world in order to condemn the world, but in order to save the world through him

God""'s real reason for sending his Son into the world was to save it"

to condemn

"to punish." Usually "punish" implies that the person who has been punished is then accepted by God. When a person is condemned, he is punished but never accepted by God.

John 3:18

Son of God

This refers to Jesus, the Son of God. It is best to translate “Son” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human son.

John 3:19

The light has come into the world

"The one who is like a light has revealed God's truth to all people" or "I, who am like a light, have come into the world"

men loved the darkness

Here "darkness" means evil.

John 3:20

so that his deeds will not be exposed

"so that the light will not show the things he does" or "so that the light does not make clear his deeds"

John 3:21

plainly seen that his deeds

"people may clearly see his deeds" or "everyone may clearly see the things he does"

John 3:22

After this

This refers to after Jesus had spoken with Nicodemus.

John 3:23

Aenon

This word means "springs," as of water.

Salim

a village or town next to the Jordan River

were being baptized

"John was baptizing them" or "he was baptizing them"

John 3:25

Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and a Jew

"Then John's disciples and a Jew began to fight with each other using words"

John 3:26

you have testified, look, he is baptizing,

"you have testified, 'Look! He is baptizing,'" or "you have testified. 'Look at that! He is baptizing,'"

John 3:27

A man cannot receive anything unless

"Nobody has any power unless"

it has been given to him from heaven

"God has given it to him"

John 3:28

You yourselves

"You all" or "All of you"

I have been sent before him

"God sent me to arrive before him"

John 3:29

The bride belongs to the bridegroom

Jesus is like the "bridegroom" and John is like the friend of the "bridegroom."

This, then, is my joy made complete

"So then I rejoice greatly" or "So I rejoice much"

my joy

The word "my" refers to John the Baptist, the one who is speaking.

John 3:30

He must increase

"He" refers to the bridegroom, Jesus, who will continue to grow in importance.

John 3:31

He who comes from above is above all

"He who comes from heaven is more important than anyone else"

He who is from the earth is from the earth and speaks about the earth

"He who is born in this world is like everyone else who lives in the world and he speaks about what happens in this world"

John 3:32

He testifies about what he has seen and heard

"The one from heaven tells about what he has seen and heard in heaven"

no one accepts his testimony

"very few people believe him"

John 3:33

He who has received his testimony

"Anyone who believes what Jesus says"

has confirmed

"proves" or "agrees"

John 3:34

For the one whom God has sent speaks

"This Jesus, whom God has sent to represent him, speaks"

For he does not give the Spirit by measure

"For he is the one to whom God gave all the power of his Spirit"

John 3:35

Father ... Son

These are important titles that describe the relationship between God and Jesus. It is best to translate “Father” and “Son” with the same words that your language uses to refer to a human father and a human son.

given ... into his hand

This means to be put in his power or control.

John 3:36

He who believes

"A person who believes" or "Anyone who believes"

the wrath of God stays on him

"God will continue to punish him"

¹Now when Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard that he was making and baptizing more disciples than John²(although Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were),³he left Judea and went back again to Galilee.

⁴But it was necessary for him to go through Samaria.⁵So he came to a town of Samaria, called Sychar, near the piece of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

⁶The well of Jacob was there. Jesus was tired from his journey and sat by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

⁷A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me some water to drink."⁸For his disciples had gone away into the town to buy food.

⁹Then the Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, being a Jew, are asking me, being a Samaritan woman, for something to drink?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

¹⁰Jesus answered and said to her, "If you had known the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."

¹¹The woman said to him, "Sir, you do not have a bucket and the well is deep. Where then do you have the living water?¹²You are not greater, are you, than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock?"

¹³Jesus replied and said to her, "Everyone who drinks from this water will be thirsty again,¹⁴but whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will not ever be thirsty again. Instead, the water that I will give him will become a fountain of water in him, springing up to eternal life."

¹⁵The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I may not become thirsty and not have to come here to draw water."

¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come back here."

¹⁷The woman answered and said to him, "I do not have a husband."

Jesus replied, "You have said correctly, 'I have no husband,'

¹⁸for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true."

¹⁹The woman said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet.²⁰Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that Jerusalem is the place where people have to worship."

²¹Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, that an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.²²You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

²³However, the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to be his worshipers.²⁴God is Spirit, and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

²⁵The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming (the one called Christ). When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

²⁶Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one speaking to you."

²⁷At that moment his disciples returned. Now they were wondering why he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, "What are you looking for?" or "Why are you speaking with her?"

²⁸So the woman left her water pot, went back to the town, and said to the people,²⁹"Come, see a man who told me everything that I have ever done. This could not be the Christ, could it?"³⁰They left the town and came to him.

³¹In the meantime, the disciples were urging him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."³²But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about."³³So the disciples said to each other, "No one has brought him anything to eat, have they?"

³⁴Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.³⁵Do you not say, 'There are four more months and then the harvest comes'? I am saying to you, look up and see the fields, for they are already ripe for harvest!³⁶He who is harvesting receives wages and gathers fruit for everlasting life, so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

³⁷For in this the saying, 'One sows, and another reaps,' is true.³⁸I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

³⁹Many of the Samaritans in that city believed in him because of the report of the woman who was testifying, "He told me everything that I have done."⁴⁰So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.

⁴¹Many more believed because of his word.⁴²They said to the woman, "We no longer believe because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard, and we know that this one is indeed the Savior of the world."

⁴³After those two days, he departed from there for Galilee.⁴⁴For Jesus himself declared that a prophet has no honor in his own country.⁴⁵When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all the things that he had done in Jerusalem at the festival, for they had also gone to the festival.

⁴⁶Now he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. There was a certain royal official whose son in Capernaum was ill.⁴⁷When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to Jesus and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was about to die.

⁴⁸Jesus then said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe."⁴⁹The royal official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."⁵⁰Jesus said to him, "Go. Your son lives." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went away.

⁵¹While he was going down, his servants met him, saying that his son was living.⁵²So he asked them the hour when he began to improve. They replied to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."

⁵³Then the father realized that it was at that hour that Jesus had said to him, "Your son lives." So he himself and his whole household believed.⁵⁴This was the second sign that Jesus did when he came out of Judea to Galilee.

John 4:1

Now when Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard that he was making and baptizing more disciples than John

"Now Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John. When he knew that the Pharisees had heard that he was doing this"

John 4:2

Jesus himself was not baptizing

It was not Jesus who was baptizing, but his disciples.

John 4:3

he left Judea and went back again to Galilee

When Jesus knew that the Pharisees learned what he was doing, he left Judea and went back again to Galilee"

John 4:8

For his disciples had gone

He did not ask his disciples to draw water for him because they had gone.

John 4:9

Then the Samaritan woman said to him

The word "him" refers to Jesus.

How is it that you, being a Jew, are asking me, being a Samaritan woman, for something to drink?

"I cannot believe that you, being a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink!"

have no dealings with

"do not associate with"

John 4:10

living water

“Living water” to refer to the Holy Spirit, who works in a person to transform and bring new life.

John 4:12

You are not greater, are you, than our father Jacob ... livestock?

You are not greater than our father Jacob ... livestock!"

our father Jacob

"our ancestor Jacob"

drank from it

"drank water that came from it"

John 4:13

will be thirsty again

"will need to drink water again"

John 4:14

the water that I will give him will become a fountain of water in him

"the water that I will give him will become like a spring of water in him"

eternal life

Here "life" refers to the "spiritual life" that only God can give.

John 4:15

Sir

In this context, the Samaritan woman is addressing Jesus as "Sir," which is a term of respect or politeness.

draw water

"get water" or "pull water up from the well" using a container and rope

John 4:17

You have said correctly

Jesus is acknowledging that what she had said was strictly true but was hiding a fact about her that she expected Jesus to disapprove of. He was saying neither that it was a good thing that she had no husband nor that her answer showed that she was morally good.

John 4:18

What you have said is true

Jesus said this to emphasize the words "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'" in verse 17. He wanted the woman to know that he knew she was telling the truth.

John 4:19

I see that you are a prophet

"I can understand that you are a prophet"

John 4:20

Our fathers

"Our forefathers" or "Our ancestors"

John 4:21

Believe me

To believe someone is to acknowledge what the person has said is true.

you will worship the Father

Eternal salvation from sin comes from God the Father, who is Yahweh, the God of the Jews.

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 4:22

You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know

Jesus means that God revealed himself and his commands to the Jewish people, not to the Samaritans. Through the Scriptures the Jewish people know who God is better than the Samaritans.

salvation is from the Jews

Eternal salvation from sin comes from God the Father, who is Yahweh, the God of the Jews.

John 4:23

However, the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will

"However, it is now the right time for true worshipers to"

the Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

in spirit and truth

"with the Spirit's help in thinking correctly of what is true about God"

John 4:25

I know that the Messiah ... Christ

Both of these words mean "God's promised king."

he will explain everything to us

"he will tell us everything we need to know"

John 4:27

Now they were wondering why he was speaking with a woman

It was very unusual for a Jew to speak with a woman he did not know, especially if that woman was a Samaritan.

no one said, "What ... looking for?" or "Why ... her?"

Possible meanings are 1) "no one asked Jesus, 'What ... looking for?' or 'Why ... her?'" or 2) "no one asked the woman, 'What ... looking for?' or asked Jesus, 'Why ... her?'"

John 4:29

Come, see a man who told me everything that I have ever done

"Come see a man who knows very much about me, even though I have never met him before"

This could not be the Christ, could it?

The woman is not sure that Jesus is the Christ, so she asks a question that expects "no" for an answer, but she also asks a question instead of making a statement because she wants the people to decide for themselves.

John 4:31

In the meantime

"While the woman was going into town"

John 4:32

I have food to eat that you do not know about

Here Jesus is not talking about literal "food," but is preparing his disciples for a spiritual lesson in John 4:34.

John 4:33

No one has brought him anything to eat, have they?

"Surely no one brought him any food while we were in town!"

John 4:34

My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work

"Just as food satisfies a hungry person, obeying God's will is what satisfies me"

John 4:35

Do you not say

"Is this not one of your popular sayings"

look up and see the fields, for they are already ripe for harvest

"look up and see the the people! They are ready to believe my message, like crops in the fields that are ready for people to harvest them"

John 4:36

and gathers fruit for everlasting life

"and the people who believe the message and receive eternal life are like the fruit that a harvester gathers"

John 4:37

One sows, and another reaps

"One person plants the seeds, and another person reaps the crops"

John 4:38

you have entered into their labor

"you are now joining in their work"

John 4:39

believed in him

To "believe in" someone means to "trust in" that person. Here this also means that they believed he was the Son of God.

He told me everything that I have done

"He told me many things about my life"

John 4:41

his word

"his message"

John 4:42

world

"all the believers in the world"

John 4:44

a prophet has no honor in his own country

"people do not show respect or honor to a prophet of their own country" or "a prophet is not respected by the people in his own community"

John 4:45

at the festival

Here the festival is the Passover.

John 4:46

Now

This word is used here to mark a stop in the main story. Here the author starts a new part of the story. If you have a way of doing this in your language, you may consider using it.

royal official

someone who is in the service of the king

John 4:48

Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe

"You will believe only if you see a signs and wonders"

John 4:50

believed the word

"believed the message"

John 4:51

While

This word is used to mark two events that are happening at the same time. As the official was going home, his servants were coming to meet him on the road.

John 4:54

sign

Miracles can also be called "signs" because they are used as indicators or evidence that God is the all-powerful one who has complete authority over the universe.

¹After this there was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.²Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate there is a pool, which in the Aramaic language is called Bethesda, and it has five roofed porches.³A large number of people who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed were lying there. ¹⁴²

⁵A certain man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years.⁶When Jesus saw him lying there, and after he realized that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healthy?"

⁷The sick man replied, "Sir, I do not have anyone to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. When I come, another steps down before me."⁸Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk."

⁹Immediately the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Now that day was a Sabbath.

¹⁰So the Jews said to him who was healed, "It is the Sabbath and you are not permitted to carry your mat."¹¹He replied, "He who made me healthy said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'"

¹²They asked him, "Who is the man that said to you, 'Pick it up and walk'?"¹³However, the one who was healed did not know who it was because Jesus had gone away secretly, for there was a crowd in the place.

¹⁴Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you have become healthy! Do not sin anymore, so that something worse will not happen to you."¹⁵The man went away and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him healthy.

¹⁶Now because of these things the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did these things on the Sabbath.¹⁷Jesus replied to them, "My Father is working even now, and I, too, am working."¹⁸Because of this, the Jews sought even more to kill him because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal to God.

¹⁹Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, the Son can do nothing of himself, except only what he sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father is doing, the Son does in the same way.²⁰For the Father loves the Son and he shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these so that you will be amazed.

²¹For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to anyone he wishes.²²For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son²³so that everyone will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

²⁴Truly, truly, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but he has passed from death to life.

²⁵"Truly, truly, I tell you the time is coming, and is now, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

²⁶For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has also given to the Son so that he has life in himself,²⁷and the Father has given the Son authority to carry out judgment because he is the Son of Man.

²⁸Do not be amazed at this, for there is a time coming in which everyone who is in the tombs will hear his voice²⁹and will come out: those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

³⁰"I can do nothing from myself. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous because I am not seeking my own will but the will of him who sent me.³¹If I should testify about myself, my testimony would not be true.³²There is another who testifies about me, and I know that the testimony that he gives about me is true.

³³You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.³⁴But the testimony that I receive is not from man. I say these things that you might be saved.³⁵John was a lamp that was burning and shining, and you were willing to rejoice in his light for a while.

³⁶Yet the testimony that I have is greater than that of John, for the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me that the Father has sent me.³⁷The Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You have neither heard his voice nor seen his form at any time.³⁸You do not have his word remaining in you, for you are not believing in the one whom he has sent.

³⁹You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, and these same scriptures testify about me,⁴⁰and you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.

⁴¹I do not receive glory from men,⁴²but I know that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.

⁴³I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another should come in his own name, you would receive him.⁴⁴How can you believe, you who accept glory from one another but are not seeking the glory that comes from the only God?

⁴⁵Do not think that I myself will accuse you before the Father. The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have hoped.⁴⁶If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.⁴⁷If you do not believe his writings, how are you going to believe my words?"

¹The best ancient copies do not have the phrase, waiting for the moving of the water .

²The best ancient copies do not have verse 4, For an angel of the Lord went down and stirred up the water at certain times and whoever stepped in while the water was stirring was healed from whatever disease he suffered from .

John 5:1

there was a Jewish festival

"the Jews were celebrating a festival"

went up to Jerusalem

Jerusalem is located on the top of a hill. Roads to Jerusalem went up and down smaller hills. If your language has a different word for going up a hill than for walking on level ground, you may use it here.

John 5:2

pool

This was a hole in the ground that people filled with water. Sometimes they lined the pools with tiles or other stonework.

Bethesda

a place name

roofed porches

roofed structures with at least one wall missing and attached to buildings

John 5:6

he realized

"he understood" or "he found out"

he said to him

"Jesus said to the paralyzed man"

John 5:7

Sir, I do not have

Here the word "sir" is a polite form of address.

when the water is stirred up

"when the angel moves the water"

another steps down before me

"someone else always goes down the steps into the water before me"

John 5:8

Get up

"Stand up"

take up your bed, and walk

"pick up your sleeping mat, and walk"

John 5:9

the man was healed

"the man became healthy again"

John 5:10

So the Jews said to him

The Jews (especially the leaders of the Jews) became angry when they saw the man carrying his mat on the Sabbath because it is God's day of rest.

John 5:11

He who made me healthy

"The man who made me well"

John 5:12

They asked him

"The Jewish leaders asked the man who was healed"

John 5:14

Jesus found him

"Jesus found the man he had healed"

John 5:16

the Jews

"the Jewish leaders"

John 5:17

is working

This refers to doing labor, including anything that is done to serve other people.

My Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 5:18

making himself equal to God

"saying that he was like God" or "saying that he had as much authority as God"

John 5:19

Truly, truly

Translate this the way your language emphasizes that what follows is important and true. See how you translated this in John 1:51.

whatever the Father is doing, the Son does in the same way

Jesus, as the Son of God, followed and obeyed his Father's leadership on earth, because Jesus knew the Father loved him.

Son ... Father

John 5:20

you will be amazed

"you will be surprised" or "you will be shocked"

loves

John 5:21

Father ... Son

These are important titles that describe the relationship between God and Jesus.

life

This refers to "spiritual life."

John 5:22

For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son

The word "for" marks a comparison. The Son of God carries out judgment for God the Father.

John 5:23

honor the Son just as ... the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father

God the Son must be honored and worshiped just like God the Father. If we fail to honor God the Son, then we also fail to honor God the Father.

John 5:24

he who hears my word

"anyone who hears my message"

will not be condemned

"he will not receive condemnation" or "God will not condemn him"

John 5:25

the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live

The voice of Jesus, the Son of God, will raise dead people from the grave.

Son of God

This refers to Jesus, the Son of God. It is best to translate “Son” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human son.

John 5:26

For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has also given to the Son so that he has life in himself

The word "For" marks a comparison. The Son of God has the power to give life, just as the Father does.

Father ... Son

life

This means spiritual life.

John 5:27

Father ... Son of Man

the Father has given the Son authority to carry out judgment

The Son of God has the authority of God the Father to judge.

John 5:28

Do not be amazed at this

"This" refers to the fact that Jesus, as the Son of Man, has the power to give eternal life and to carry out judgment.

hear his voice

"hear my voice"

John 5:29

to the resurrection of life

"will rise to live" or "will rise and live"

to the resurrection of judgment

"will rise to be judged" or "will rise and be judged"

John 5:30

the will of him who sent me

The word "him" refers to God the Father.

John 5:32

There is another who testifies about me

"There is someone else who tells people about me"

the testimony that he gives about me is true

"what he tells people about me is true"

John 5:34

the testimony that I receive is not from man

"I do not need people's testimony"

that you might be saved

"so God can save you"

John 5:35

John was a lamp that was burning and shining, and you were willing to rejoice in his light for a while

"John taught you about God and this was like a lamp shining its light. And for a while what John said made you happy"

John 5:36

the works that the Father has given me to accomplish ... that the Father has sent me

God the Father has sent God the Son, Jesus, to earth. Jesus completes what the Father gives him to do.

the very works that I do, testify about me that the Father has sent me

"what I do, shows the people that God has sent me"

John 5:37

The Father who sent me has himself testified

This emphasizes that it is the Father, not someone less important, who has testified.

John 5:38

You do not have his word remaining in you

"You do not live according to his word" or "You do not obey his word"

John 5:39

in them you have eternal life

"you will find eternal life if you read them" or "the scriptures will tell you how you can have eternal life"

John 5:40

you are not willing to come to me

"you refuse to believe my message"

John 5:41

receive glory

"accept praise"

John 5:42

you do not have the love of God in yourselves

This can mean 1) "you really do not love God" or 2) "you have really not received God's love."

John 5:43

in my Father's name

"with my Father's authority"

receive

welcome as a friend

If another should come in his own name

"If another should come in his own authority"

John 5:44

How can you believe, you who accept glory ... God?

"There is no way you can believe because you accept glory ... God!"

believe

This means to trust in Jesus.

accept glory ... seeking the glory

"accept praise ... seeking the praise"

John 5:45

in whom you have hoped

"whom you expect to help you" or "whom you trust to defend you before the Father you"

John 5:47

If you do not believe his writings, how are you going to believe my words?

"You do not believe his writings, so you will never believe what I say"

¹After these things, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.²A great crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was doing on those who were sick.³Jesus went up the mountain and there he sat down with his disciples.

⁴(Now the Passover, the Jewish festival, was near.)⁵When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where are we going to buy bread so that these may eat?"⁶(But Jesus said this to test Philip, for he himself knew what he was going to do.)

⁷Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be sufficient for each one to have even a little."⁸One of the disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to Jesus,⁹"There is a boy here who has five loaves of barley bread and two fish, but what are these among so many?"

¹⁰Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.¹¹Then Jesus took the loaves and after giving thanks, he gave it to those who were sitting. He did the same with the fish, as much as they wanted.¹²When the people were filled, he said to his disciples, "Gather up the broken pieces which remain, so that nothing will be lost."

¹³So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.¹⁴Then, when the people saw this sign that he did, they said, "This truly is the prophet who is to come into the world."¹⁵When Jesus realized that they were about to come and seize him by force to make him king, he withdrew again up the mountain by himself.

¹⁶When it became evening, his disciples went down to the sea.¹⁷They got into a boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was dark by this time, and Jesus had not yet come to them.¹⁸A strong wind was blowing, and the sea was getting rough.

¹⁹When they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were afraid.²⁰But he said to them, "It is I! Do not be afraid."²¹Then they were willing to receive him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land where they were going.

²²The next day, the crowd that had been standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there except the one, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples but that his disciples had gone away alone.²³However, there were some boats that came from Tiberias close to the place where they had eaten the bread loaves after the Lord had given thanks.

²⁴When the crowd discovered that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum seeking Jesus.²⁵After they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

²⁶Jesus replied to them, saying, "Truly, truly, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate some of the bread loaves and were filled.²⁷Do not labor for the food that perishes, but labor for the food that endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give you, for God the Father has set his seal on him."

²⁸Then they said to him, "What must we do, so that we may do the works of God?"²⁹Jesus replied and said to them, "This is the work of God: That you believe in the one whom he has sent."

³⁰So they said to him, "What sign then will you do, so that we may see and believe you? What will you do?³¹Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

³²Then Jesus replied to them, "Truly, truly, it was not Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but it is my Father who is giving you the true bread from heaven.³³For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."³⁴So they said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."

³⁵Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.³⁶But I told you that indeed you have seen me, and you do not believe.³⁷Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and he who comes to me I will certainly not throw out.

³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.³⁹This is the will of him who sent me, that I would lose not one of all those whom he has given me, but will raise them up on the last day.⁴⁰For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day."

⁴¹Then the Jews grumbled about him because he had said, "I am the bread that has come down from heaven."⁴²They said, "Is not this Jesus son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

⁴³Jesus replied and said to them, "Stop grumbling among yourselves.⁴⁴No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, 'Everyone will be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.

⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God—he has seen the Father.⁴⁷Truly, truly, he who believes has eternal life.

⁴⁸I am the bread of life.⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

⁵⁰This is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that a person may eat some of it and not die.⁵¹I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats some of this bread, he will live forever. The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

⁵²The Jews became angry among themselves and began to argue, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"⁵³Then Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in yourselves.

⁵⁴Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.⁵⁵For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.⁵⁶He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.

⁵⁷As the living Father sent me, and as I live because of the Father, so he who eats me, he will also live because of me.⁵⁸This is the bread that has come down from heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. He who eats this bread will live forever."⁵⁹But Jesus said these things in the synagogue while he was teaching in Capernaum.

⁶⁰Then many of his disciples who heard this said, "This is a difficult saying; who can hear it?"⁶¹Jesus, because he knew in himself that his disciples were grumbling at this, said to them, "Does this offend you?

⁶²Then what if you should see the Son of Man going up to where he was before?⁶³It is the Spirit who makes alive; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and they are life.

⁶⁴Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who were the ones that would not believe and who it was who would betray him.⁶⁵He said, "It is because of this that I said to you that no one can come to me unless it is granted to him by the Father."

⁶⁶Because of this, many of his disciples went away and no longer walked with him.⁶⁷Then Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?"⁶⁸Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have words of eternal life,⁶⁹and we have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God." ¹

⁷⁰Jesus said to them, "Did not I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"⁷¹Now he spoke of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for it was he, one of the twelve, who would betray Jesus.

¹The phrase the Holy One of God is in the best ancient copies. Some later copies add an additional description and they read: the Christ, the Holy One of God .

John 6:1

After these things

The phrase "these things" refers to the events in John 5:1-46 and introduces the event that follows.

Jesus went away

"Jesus traveled by boat with his disciples"

John 6:2

signs

This refers to the miracles that are used as evidence that God is the all-powerful one who has complete authority over everything.

John 6:4

Now the Passover, the Jewish festival, was near

John briefly stops telling about the events in the story in order to give background information about when the events happened.

John 6:6

But Jesus said this to test Philip, for he himself knew what he was going to do

John briefly stops telling about the events in the story in order to explain why Jesus asked Philip where to buy bread.

for he himself knew

Jesus knew what he would do.

John 6:7

Two hundred denarii worth of bread

"The amount of bread that costs two hundred days' wages"

John 6:9

what are these among so many?

"these few loaves and fishes are not enough to feed so many people!"

John 6:10

So the men sat down, about five thousand in number

While the crowd probably included women and children in John 6:4-5, here John is counting only the men.

John 6:11

giving thanks

Jesus prayed to God the Father and thanked him for the fish and the loaves.

he gave it

"Jesus and his disciples gave it"

John 6:13

they gathered

"the disciples gathered"

John 6:14

this sign

Jesus feeding the 5,000 people with five barley loaves and two fish

the prophet

the special prophet who Moses said would come into the world

John 6:19

they had rowed

Boats usually had two, four, or six people rowing with rowers on each side working together. Your culture may have different ways of making a boat go across a large body of water.

about twenty-five or thirty stadia

"about five or six kilometers"

John 6:21

they were willing to receive him into the boat

"they gladly received him into the boat"

John 6:22

the sea

"the Sea of Galilee"

there was no other boat there except the one

"there was only that one boat there"

John 6:23

boats that came from Tiberias

The next day, after Jesus fed the people, some boats with people from Tiberius came to see Jesus.

John 6:26

Truly, truly

Translate this the way your language emphasizes that what follows is important and true.

John 6:27

eternal life which the Son of Man will give you, for God the Father has set his seal on him

God the Father has given his approval to Jesus, the Son of Man, to give eternal life to those who believe in him.

Son of Man ... God the Father

John 6:31

Our fathers

"Our forefathers" or "Our ancestors"

heaven

This refers to the place where God lives.

John 6:32

it is my Father who is giving you the true bread from heaven

"the Father gives to you the Son as the true bread from heaven"

John 6:33

gives life to the world

"gives spiritual life to the world"

the world

Here, the "world" refers to all of the people in the world who trust in Jesus.

John 6:35

I am the bread of life

"Just as food keeps you alive physically, I can give you spiritual life"

believes in

This means to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, to trust him as Savior, and to live in a way that honors him.

John 6:37

Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me

God the Father and God the Son will save forever those who believe in Jesus.

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

he who comes to me I will certainly not throw out

"I will keep everyone who comes to me"

John 6:38

him who sent me

"my Father, who sent me"

John 6:39

I would lose not one of all those

"I should keep all of them"

will raise them up

"will cause them to live again"

John 6:41

grumbled

talked unhappily

I am the bread

"I am the one who is like true bread"

John 6:42

Is not this Jesus son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?

"This is just Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know!

How then does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?

"He is lying when he says that he came from heaven!"

John 6:44

raise him up

"cause him to live again"

draws

This can mean 1) "pulls" or 2) "attracts."

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 6:45

It is written in the prophets

"The prophets wrote"

Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me

Those who truly learn from God the Father believe in Jesus, who is God the Son.

John 6:46

Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God—he has seen the Father

"I am not saying that anyone has seen the Father. Only he who is from God-he has seen the Father"

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 6:47

he who believes has eternal life

God gives "eternal life" to those who trust in Jesus, the Son of God.

John 6:48

I am the bread of life

"Just like food that keeps you alive physically, I can give you spiritual life that lasts forever"

John 6:49

Your fathers

"Your forefathers" or "Your ancestors"

died

This refers to physical death.

John 6:50

This is the bread

"I am like the true bread"

not die

"live forever." Here the word "die" refers to spiritual death.

John 6:51

living bread

This means "the bread that causes people to live"

for the life of the world

"that will give life to all the people in the world"

John 6:52

How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

"There is no way that this man can give us his flesh to eat!"

John 6:53

eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood

Here, the phrases "eat the flesh" and "drink his blood" shows how trusting in Jesus, the Son of Man, is like receiving spiritual food and drink. However, the Jews did not understand this.

you will not have life in yourselves

"you will not receive eternal life"

John 6:54

raise him up

"cause him to live again"

at the last day

"on the day when God judges everyone"

John 6:55

my flesh is true food ... my blood is true drink

The phrases "true food" and "true drink" means Jesus gives life to those who trust in him. However, the Jews did not understand this.

John 6:56

remains in me, and I in him

"has a close relationship with me"

John 6:57

so he who eats me

The phrase "eats me" means to trust Jesus. However, the Jews did not understand this.

living Father

Possible meanings are 1) "the Father who gives life" or 2) "the Father who is alive."

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 6:58

This is the bread that has come down from heaven

"I am the bread that has come down from heaven"

He who eats this bread will live forever

"He who eats me, the bread, will live forever"

He who eats this bread

Here "eats this bread" means to trust Jesus. However, the Jews did not understand this.

the fathers

"the forefathers" or "the ancestors"

John 6:59

Jesus said these things in the synagogue ... in Capernaum

Here John gives background information about when this event happened.

John 6:60

who can hear it?

"no one can understand it!" or "it is too hard to understand!"

John 6:61

Does this offend you?

"Does this shock you?" or "Does this upset you?"

John 6:62

Then what if you should see the Son of Man going up to where he was before?

"Then you will not know what to think when you see me, the Son of Man, going up into heaven!"

John 6:63

profits

The word "profit" means to cause good things to happen.

The words that I have spoken to you

"What I have told you"

are spirit, and they are life

Possible meanings are 1) "are about the Spirit and eternal life" or 2) "are from the Spirit and give eternal life" or 3) "are about spiritual things and life."

John 6:64

For Jesus knew from the beginning who were the ones ... who it was who would betray him

Here John gives background information about what Jesus knew would happen.

John 6:65

no one can come to me unless it is granted to him by the Father

Whoever wants to believe must come to God through the Son. Only God the Father allows people to come to Jesus.

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

come to me

"follow me and receive eternal life"

John 6:66

no longer walked with him

They no longer wanted to hear what he had to say.

his disciples

Here "his disciples" refers to the general group of people who followed Jesus.

John 6:67

the twelve

"the twelve disciples"

John 6:68

Lord, to whom would we go?

"Lord, we could never follow anyone but you!"

John 6:70

Did not I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?

"I chose you all myself, yet one of you is a servant of Satan!"

¹After these things Jesus traveled about in Galilee, for he did not want to go into Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill him.²Now the Jewish Festival of Shelters was near.

³His brothers therefore said to him, "Leave this place and go to Judea, so that your disciples also may see the works that you do.⁴No one does anything in secret if he himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world."

⁵For even his brothers did not believe in him.⁶Jesus therefore said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.⁷The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

⁸You go up to the festival; I am not going to this festival because my time has not yet been fulfilled."⁹After he said these things to them, he stayed in Galilee.

¹⁰But when his brothers had gone up to the festival, then he also went up, not publicly but in secret.¹¹The Jews were looking for him at the festival and said, "Where is he?"

¹²There was much discussion among the crowds about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others said, "No, he leads the crowds astray."¹³Yet no one spoke openly about him for fear of the Jews.

¹⁴When the festival was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach.¹⁵Then the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this man know so much? He has never been educated."¹⁶Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not mine, but is of him who sent me.

¹⁷If anyone wishes to do his will, he will know about this teaching, whether it comes from God, or whether I speak from myself.¹⁸Whoever speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but whoever seeks the glory of him who sent him, that person is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

¹⁹Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?"²⁰The crowd answered, "You have a demon. Who seeks to kill you?"

²¹Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel because of it.²²Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the ancestors), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man.

²³If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath?²⁴Do not judge according to appearance, but judge righteously."

²⁵Some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is not this the one they seek to kill?²⁶See, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. It cannot be that the rulers indeed know that this is the Christ, can it?²⁷Yet we know where this one is from. But when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."

²⁸Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, "You both know me and know where I come from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, and you do not know him.²⁹I know him because I come from him and he sent me."

³⁰They were trying to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come.³¹But many in the crowd believed in him, and they said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more signs than what this one has done?"³²The Pharisees heard the crowds whispering these things about Jesus, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.

³³Jesus then said, "I am still with you for a short amount of time, and then I go to him who sent me.³⁴You will seek me but you will not find me; where I go, you will not be able to come."

³⁵The Jews therefore said among themselves, "Where will this man go that we will not be able to find him? Will he go to the dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?³⁶What is this word that he said, 'You will seek me but will not find me; where I go, you will not be able to come'?"

³⁷Now on the last, great day of the festival, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.³⁸He who believes in me, just as the scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from his belly."

³⁹But he said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him would receive; the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus was not yet glorified.

⁴⁰Some of the crowd, when they heard these words, said, "This is indeed the prophet."⁴¹Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Does the Christ come from Galilee?⁴²Have the scriptures not said that the Christ will come from the descendants of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"

⁴³So there arose a division in the crowds because of him.⁴⁴Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him.

⁴⁵Then the officers came back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?"⁴⁶The officers answered, "Never has anyone spoken like this."

⁴⁷So the Pharisees answered them, "Have you also been deceived?⁴⁸Have any of the rulers believed in him, or any of the Pharisees?⁴⁹But this crowd that does not know the law, they are cursed."

⁵⁰Nicodemus (one of the Pharisees, who came to him earlier) said to them,⁵¹"Does our law judge a man before hearing from him and knowing what he does?"⁵²They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search and see that no prophet comes from Galilee."

⁵³¹ [Then everyone went to his own house.

¹The best ancient copies do not have John 7:53-8:11.

John 7:1

After these things

These words tell the reader that the writer will begin talking about a new event. "After he finished speaking with the disciples"

the Jews were seeking to kill him

"the Jewish leaders were making plans to kill him"

John 7:2

Now the Jewish Festival of Shelters was near

"Now the time for the festival of the Jews was near" or "Now it was almost time for the Jewish festival of Shelters"

John 7:3

brothers

This refers to the actual younger brothers of Jesus, the sons of Mary and Joseph.

the works that you do

The word "works" refers to the miracles that Jesus had performed.

John 7:4

the world

"all people" or "everyone"

John 7:5

his brothers

"his younger brothers"

John 7:6

My time has not yet come

"It is not the right time for me to end my work"

your time is always ready

"any time is good for you"

John 7:7

The world cannot hate you

"The people in the world cannot hate you"

I testify about it that its works are evil

"I tell them that what they are doing is evil"

John 7:8

my time has not yet been fulfilled

"It is not the right time for me to go to Jerusalem"

John 7:10

he also went up

Jerusalem is at a higher elevation than Galilee where Jesus and his brothers were previously.

John 7:11

The Jews were looking for him

"The Jewish leaders were looking for Jesus"

John 7:12

he leads the crowds astray

"he deceives the people"

John 7:13

the Jews

"the Jewish leaders"

John 7:15

How does this man know so much?

"It is amazing how much he knows about the scriptures!"

John 7:16

but is of him who sent me

"but comes from God, the one who sent me"

John 7:18

but whoever seeks the glory of him who sent him, that person is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him

"when a person only seeks to honor the one who sent him, that person is speaking the truth. He does not lie"

John 7:19

Did not Moses give you the law?

"It was Moses who gave you the law"

keeps the law

"obeys the law"

Why do you seek to kill me?

"You break the Law yourselves and yet you want to kill me!"

John 7:20

You have a demon

"This shows that you are crazy, or maybe a demon is controlling you!"

Who seeks to kill you?

"No one is trying to kill you!"

John 7:21

one work

"one miracle" or "one sign"

you all marvel

"you all are shocked"

John 7:22

on the Sabbath you circumcise a man

"you circumcise a male baby on the on the Jewish Day of Rest. That is working too"

John 7:23

If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken

"If you circumcise a male baby on the Sabbath so that you do not break the law of Moses"

why are you angry with me because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath?

"you should not be angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Jewish Day of Rest"

John 7:24

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge righteously

"Stop judging people according to what you see! Be more concerned with what is right according to God"

John 7:25

Is not this the one they seek to kill?

"This is Jesus whom they are seeking to kill!"

John 7:26

they say nothing to him

"they say nothing to oppose him"

It cannot be that the rulers indeed know that this is the Christ, can it?

"Maybe they have decided that he is truly the Messiah!"

John 7:28

cried out

"spoke in a loud voice"

in the temple

"in the temple courtyard"

You both know me and know where I come from

"You all know me and you think you know where I come from"

of myself

"on my own authority."

he who sent me is true

"God is the one who sent me and he is true"

John 7:30

his hour had not yet come

"it was not the right time to arrest him"

John 7:31

When the Christ comes, will he do more signs than what this one has done?

"When the Christ comes, surely he will not be able to do more signs than this man has done!"

signs

This refers to the miracles that prove that Jesus is the Christ.

John 7:33

I am still with you for a short amount of time

"I will remain with you for only a short period of time"

then I go to him who sent me

Here Jesus refers to God the Father, who sent him.

John 7:34

where I go, you will not be able to come

"you will not be able to come to the place where I am"

John 7:35

The Jews therefore said among themselves

"The Jewish leaders said among themselves"

the dispersion

This refers to the Jews that were spread all across the Greek world, outside of Palestine.

John 7:36

What is this word that he said

"What is he talking about when he said"

John 7:37

great day

It is "great" because it is the last, or most important, day of the festival.

If anyone is thirsty

"Anyone who desires the things of God like a thirsty man desires water"

let him come to me and drink

"let him come to me and quench his spiritual thirst"

John 7:38

He who believes in me, just as the scripture says

"As the scripture says about anyone who believes in me"

rivers of living water will flow

"spiritual life will flow like rivers of water"

living water

Possible meanings are 1) "water that gives life" or 2) "water that causes people to live."

from his belly

"from inside of him" or "from his heart"

John 7:39

But he

Here "he" refers to Jesus.

the Spirit had not yet been given

"the Spirit had not yet come to live in the believers"

because Jesus was not yet glorified

Here the word "glorified" refers to the time when God would honor the Son after his death and resurrection.

John 7:40

This is indeed the prophet

"This is indeed the prophet who is like Moses that we have been waiting for"

John 7:41

Does the Christ come from Galilee?

"The Christ cannot come from Galilee!"

John 7:42

Have the scriptures not said that the Christ will come from the descendants of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?

"The scriptures teach that Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived!"

Have the scriptures not said ... was?

"Did the prophets not write in the scriptures ... was?" or "The prophets wrote in the scriptures ... was."

John 7:43

So there arose a division in the crowds because of him

The crowds could not agree about who or what Jesus was.

John 7:44

but no one laid hands on him

"but no one grabbed him to arrest him"

John 7:45

the officers

"the temple guards"

John 7:46

Never has anyone spoken like this

"We have never heard anyone say such amazing things as this man!"

John 7:47

So the Pharisees answered them

"Because they said that, the Pharisees answered the officers"

Have you also been deceived?

"You have been deceived too!"

John 7:48

Have any of the rulers believed in him, or any of the Pharisees?

"None of the rulers or Pharisees have believed in him!"

John 7:49

the law

This is a reference to the law of the Pharisees and not the law of Moses.

But this crowd that does not know the law, they are cursed

"As for this crowd that does not know the law, God will cause them to perish!"

John 7:51

Does our law judge a man ... does?

"Do we judge a man ... does?" or "We do not judge a man ... does."

John 7:52

Are you also from Galilee?

"You must also be one of those inferior persons from Galilee!"

Search and see

"Search carefully and read what is written in the Scriptures"

no prophet comes from Galilee

This probably refers to the belief that Jesus was born in Galilee.

¹¹ Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.²Early in the morning he came to the temple again, and all the people came; he sat down and taught them.³The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in the act of adultery. They placed her in the middle.

⁴Then they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.⁵Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such people; what do you say about her?"⁶They said this in order to trap him so that they might have something to accuse him about, but Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.

⁷When they continued asking him questions, he stood up and said to them, "The one among you who has no sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."⁸Again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground with his finger.

⁹When they heard it, they left one by one, beginning with the oldest. Finally Jesus was left alone, with the woman who had been in the middle.¹⁰Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?"¹¹She said, "No one, Lord." Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."] ²

¹²Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life."¹³The Pharisees said to him, "You testify about yourself; your testimony is not true."

¹⁴Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true. I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I came from or where I am going.¹⁵You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.¹⁶Yet if I judge, my judgment is true because I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.

¹⁷Yes, and in your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true.¹⁸I am he who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me."

¹⁹They said to him, "Where is your father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father; if you had known me, you would have known my Father also."²⁰He said these words in the treasury as he taught in the temple, and no one arrested him because his hour had not yet come.

²¹So again he said to them, "I am going away; you will seek me and will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come."²²The Jews said, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I am going you cannot come'?"

²³Jesus said to them, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.²⁴Therefore, I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I AM, you will die in your sins."

²⁵They said therefore to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "What I have said to you from the beginning.²⁶I have many things to speak and to judge about you. However, he who sent me is true; and the things that I heard from him, these things I say to the world."²⁷They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father.

²⁸Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM, and that I do nothing of myself. As the Father taught me, I speak these things.²⁹He who sent me is with me, and he has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him."³⁰As Jesus was saying these things, many believed in him.

³¹Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples;³²and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."³³They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves of anyone; how can you say, 'You will be set free'?"

³⁴Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.³⁵The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.³⁶Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you will be truly free.

³⁷I know that you are Abraham's descendants; you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you.³⁸I say what I have seen with my Father, and you also do what you heard from your father."

³⁹They answered and said to him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.⁴⁰Yet, now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.⁴¹You do the works of your father." They said to him, "We were not born in sexual immorality; we have one Father: God."

⁴²Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me.⁴³Why do you not understand my words? It is because you cannot hear my words.⁴⁴You are of your father, the devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature because he is a liar and the father of lies.

⁴⁵Yet, because I speak the truth, you do not believe me.⁴⁶Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe me?⁴⁷He who is of God hears the words of God; you do not hear them because you are not of God."

⁴⁸The Jews answered and said to him, "Do we not truly say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"⁴⁹Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.

⁵⁰I do not seek my glory; there is one seeking and judging.⁵¹Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

⁵²The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham and the prophets died; but you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.'⁵³You are not greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? The prophets also died. Who do you make yourself out to be?"

⁵⁴Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me—about whom you say that he is your God.⁵⁵You have not known him, but I know him. If I would say, 'I do not know him,' I would be like you, a liar. However, I know him and keep his word.⁵⁶Your father Abraham rejoiced at seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."

⁵⁷The Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?"⁵⁸Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."⁵⁹Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

¹See the note on John 7:53.

²See the note on John 7:53.

John 8:2

all the people

This is a general way of speaking. It means "many people."

John 8:3

General Information:

While some texts have 7:53-8:11, the best and earliest texts do not include them.

The scribes and the Pharisees brought

"Some scribes and Pharisees brought" or "Some men who taught the Jewish laws and some who were Pharisees brought"

a woman caught in the act of adultery

"a woman whom they had found committing adultery"

John 8:5

such people

"people like that" or "people who do that"

what do you say about her?

"so you tell us. What should we do about her?"

John 8:6

to trap him

This means to use a trick question.

so that they might have something to accuse him about

"so that they could accuse him of saying something wrong" or "so that they could accuse him of not obeying the law of Moses or the Roman law"

John 8:7

When they continued

The word "they" refers to the scribes and Pharisees.

The one among you who has no sin

"The one among you is has never sinned" or "If any one of you has never sinned"

let him

"let that person"

John 8:10

Woman, where are your accusers

When Jesus called her "woman," he was not trying to make her feel insignificant. If people in your language group would think that he was doing that, this can be translated without the word "Woman."

John 8:12

I am the light of the world

"I am the one who gives light to the world"

the world

"the people of the world"

he who follows me

"everyone who does what I teach" or "everyone who obeys me"

will not walk in the darkness

"will not live as if he were in the darkness of sin"

light of life

"truth that brings eternal life"

John 8:13

You testify about yourself

"You are just saying these things about yourself"

your testimony is not true

"you cannot be your own witness" or "what you say about yourself may not be true"

John 8:14

Even if I testify about myself

"Even if I say these things about myself"

John 8:15

the flesh

"human standards and the laws of men"

I judge no one

Possible meanings are 1) "I do not judge anyone yet" or 2) "I am not judging anyone now."

John 8:16

if I judge

Possible meanings are 1) "if I judge people" or 2) "whenever I judge people"

my judgment is true

Possible meanings are 1) "my judgment will be right" or 2) "my judgment is right."

I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me

Jesus, the Son of God, has authority because of his special relationship with his Father.

I am with the Father who sent me

"the Father who sent me also judges with me" or "the Father who sent me judges as I do"

the Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 8:17

Yes, and in your law

The word "Yes" shows that Jesus is adding to what he was saying before.

it is written

"Moses wrote"

the testimony of two men is true

"if two men say the same thing, then people know it is true"

John 8:18

I am he who testifies about myself

"I give evidence to you about myself"

the Father who sent me testifies about me

"my Father who sent me also brings evidence about me. So you should believe that what we tell you is true"

the Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 8:19

You know neither me nor my Father; if you had known me, you would have known my Father also

Jesus indicates that to know him is to also know the Father. Both Father and Son are God. "Father" and "Son" are important titles that describe the relationship between God and Jesus. It is best to translate “Father” and “Son” with the same words that your language uses to refer to a human father and a human son.

John 8:20

his hour had not yet come

"it was not yet the right time for Jesus to die"

John 8:21

die in your sin

"die while you are still sinful" or "you will die while you are sinning"

you cannot come

"you are not able to come"

John 8:22

The Jews said

"The Jewish leaders said" or "The Jewish authorities said"

John 8:23

You are from below

"You were born in this world"

I am from above

"I came from heaven"

You are of this world

"You belong to this world"

I am not of this world

"I do not belong to this world"

John 8:24

you will die in your sins

"you will die without God's forgiving your sins"

that I AM

Possible meanings are 1) Jesus is identifying himself as Yahweh, who identified himself to Moses as "I AM," or 2) Jesus expects the people to understand that he is referring to what he already has already said about himself: "I am from above."

John 8:26

these things I say to the world

"these things I say to all the people"

John 8:27

the Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 8:28

When you have lifted up

This refers to placing Jesus on the cross to kill him.

lifted up the Son of Man

Jesus used the title "Son of Man" to refer to himself. Alternate translation: "lifted me, the Son of Man, up"

I AM

Possible meanings are 1) Jesus is identifying himself as Yahweh, who identified himself to Moses as "I AM," or 2) Jesus is saying, "I am the one I claim to be."

As the Father taught me, I speak these things

"I am only saying what my Father taught me to say."

John 8:29

He who sent me

The word "He" refers to God.

John 8:30

many believed in him

"many people trusted him"

John 8:31

remain in my word

"obey what I have said"

my disciples

"my followers"

John 8:32

the truth will set you free

"if you obey what is true about God, God will set you free"

John 8:33

how can you say, 'You will be set free'?

"We do not need to be set free!"

John 8:34

Truly, truly

Translate this the way your language emphasizes that what follows is important and true.

is the slave of sin

"is like a slave to sin"

John 8:35

in the house forever

"as a permanent member of a family"

the son remains forever

"the son is a member of the family forever"

John 8:36

If I, the Son, set you free, you will be truly free

"if the Son sets you free, you will truly be able to refrain from sin"

John 8:37

my word has no place in you

"you do not accept my teachings" or "you do not allow my message to change your life"

John 8:38

I say what I have seen with my Father

"I am telling you about the things I saw when I was with my Father"

you also do what you heard from your father

"you also continue doing what your father has told you to do"

John 8:39

father

forefather

John 8:40

Abraham did not do this

"Abraham never tried to kill anyone who told him the true revelation from God"

John 8:41

You do the works of your father

"No! You are doing the things that your real father did"

We were not born in sexual immorality

"We do not know about you, but we are not illegitimate children" or "We were all born from proper marriages"

we have one Father: God

Here the Jewish leaders claim God as their spiritual Father. This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 8:42

love

The kind of love that comes from God is focused on having good things happen to others even when those good things do not happen to the one who loves.

John 8:43

Why do you not understand my words?

"I will tell you why you do not understand what I say!"

It is because you cannot hear my words

"It is because you will not accept my teachings.

John 8:44

You are of your father, the devil

"You belong to your father, Satan"

the father of lies

"he is the one who created all lies in the beginning"

John 8:46

Which one of you convicts me of sin?

"None of you can show that I have ever sinned!"

If I speak the truth

"If I say things that are true"

why do you not believe me?

"you have no reason for not believing in me!"

John 8:47

the words of God

"the message of God" or "the truth that comes from God"

John 8:48

The Jews

"The Jewish leaders"

Do we not truly say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?

"We are certainly right in saying that you are a Samaritan and that a demon lives in you!"

John 8:51

keeps my word

"obeys my teachings" or "does what I say"

see death

"die spiritually"

John 8:52

Jews

"Jewish leaders"

If anyone keeps my word

"If anyone obeys my teaching"

taste death

"die"

John 8:53

You are not greater than our father Abraham who died, are you?

"You are certainly not greater than our father Abraham who indeed died!"

father

forefather

Who do you make yourself out to be?

"You should not think that you are so important!"

John 8:54

it is my Father who glorifies me—about whom you say that he is your God

"it is my Father who honors me, and you say that he is your God"

John 8:55

keep his word

"I obey what he says to do"

John 8:56

my day

"what I would do during my life"

he saw it and was glad

"he foresaw my coming through God's revelation and he rejoiced"

John 8:57

The Jews said to him

"The Jewish leaders said to him"

You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?

"You are less than fifty years old. You could not have seen Abraham!"

John 8:58

I AM

Possible meanings are 1) Jesus is identifying himself as Yahweh, who identified himself to Moses as "I AM," or 2) Jesus is saying, "before Abraham existed, I existed."

John 8:59

Then they picked up stones to throw at him

"Then they picked up stones to kill him because he claimed to be equal with God"

¹Now as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.²His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, so that he was born blind?"

³Jesus answered, "Neither did this man sin, nor his parents, but so that the works of God would be revealed in him.⁴We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one will be able to work.⁵While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

⁶After Jesus said these things, he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and smeared the mud on his eyes.⁷He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated "Sent"). So the man went away, washed, and came back seeing.

⁸Then the man's neighbors and those who had seen him previously as a beggar were saying, "Is not this the man that used to sit and beg?"⁹Some said, "It is he." Others said, "No, but he is like him." But he said, "I am the one."

¹⁰They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"¹¹He answered, "The man who is called Jesus made mud and smeared it on my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received my sight."¹²They said to him, "Where is he?" He replied, "I do not know."

¹³They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees.¹⁴Now it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.¹⁵Then again the Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I now can see."

¹⁶Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" So there was a division among them.¹⁷So they asked the blind man again, "What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?" The blind man said, "He is a prophet."¹⁸Now the Jews still did not believe about him that he was blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.

¹⁹They asked the parents, "Is this your son whom you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"²⁰So his parents answered them, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.²¹How he now sees, we do not know, and who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him, he is an adult. He can speak for himself."

²²His parents said these things, because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already agreed that if anyone would confess him to be the Christ, he would be thrown out of the synagogue.²³Because of this, his parents said, "He is an adult, ask him."

²⁴So for a second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner."²⁵Then that man replied, "I do not know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see."

²⁶Then they said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"²⁷He answered, "I have told you already, and you did not listen! Why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become his disciples too, do you?"

²⁸They insulted him and said, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.²⁹We know that God has spoken to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from."

³⁰The man answered and said to them, "This is remarkable, that you do not know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes.³¹We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if someone worships God and does his will, he listens to him.

³²Since the world began it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.³³If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."³⁴They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and you are teaching us?" Then they threw him out.

³⁵Jesus heard that they had cast him out of the synagogue. He found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"³⁶He replied and said, "Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?"³⁷Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is the one who is speaking with you."³⁸The man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

³⁹Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world so that those who do not see may see and so that those who see may become blind."⁴⁰Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and asked him, "Are we also blind?"⁴¹Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin, but now you say, 'We see,' so your sin remains."

John 9:1

as Jesus passed by

"as Jesus and his disciples passed by"

John 9:2

who sinned, this man or his parents, so that he was born blind?

"Teacher, we know that sin causes a person to be blind. Whose sin caused this man to be born blind? Did this man himself sin, or was it his parents who sinned?"

John 9:5

in the world

"living among the people of this world"

the light of the world

"the one who shows what is true, just as light allows people to see what is in the darkness"

John 9:6

made mud with the saliva

"and used his fingers to mix the dirt and saliva to make mud"

John 9:7

which is translated "Sent"

"which means 'Sent'"

John 9:8

Is not this the man that used to sit and beg?

"This man is the one who used to sit and beg!"

John 9:14

Sabbath day

"Jewish Day of Rest"

John 9:16

he does not keep the Sabbath

This means Jesus does not obey the law about doing no work on the Jewish Day of Rest.

How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?

"A sinner can not do such signs!"

signs

This is another word for miracles. "Signs" give evidence that God is the all-powerful one who has complete authority over the universe.

John 9:18

Now the Jews still did not believe

"Now the Jewish leaders still did not believe"

John 9:22

they were afraid of the Jews

"they were afraid of what the Jewish leaders might do to them"

would confess him to be the Christ

"would say that Jesus is the Christ"

he would be thrown out of the synagogue

"he would not be allowed to go into the synagogue" or "he would no longer belong to the synagogue"

John 9:24

Give glory to God

"In the presence of God, tell the truth" or "Speak the truth before God"

this man

This refers to Jesus.

John 9:25

that man

This refers to the man who had been blind.

John 9:27

Why do you want to hear it again?

"I am surprised that you want to hear again what happened to me!"

You do not want to become his disciples too, do you?

"It sounds like you also want to become his disciples!"

John 9:28

You are his disciple

"You are following Jesus!"

but we are disciples of Moses

"but we are following Moses"

John 9:29

We know that God has spoken to Moses

"We are sure that God has spoken to Moses"

we do not know where this one is from

"we do not know where he comes from or where he gets his authority"

John 9:30

that you do not know where he is from

"that you do not know where he gets his authority"

John 9:31

does not listen to sinners ... he listens to him

"does not answer the prayers of sinners ... God answers his prayers"

John 9:32

Since the world began

"Since the beginning of time" or "As far back as anyone can remember"

it has never been heard that anyone opened

"no one has ever heard of anyone who healed a man who was blind from birth"

John 9:33

If this man were not from God, he could do nothing

"Only a man from God could do something like that"

John 9:34

You were completely born in sins, and you are teaching us?

"You were born as a result of your parents' sins. You are not qualified to teach us!"

they threw him out

"they threw him out of the synagogue"

John 9:35

believe in the Son of Man

This means to "believe in Jesus," to believe that he is the Son of God, to trust him as Savior, and live in a way that honors him.

the Son of Man

Here the reader needs to understand that Jesus was speaking as if "the Son of Man" were another person. The man who had been born blind did not realize that Jesus was speaking of himself when he spoke of "the Son of Man." You should translate so that the man does not learn that Jesus is the Son of Man until verse 37.

John 9:39

came into this world

"came to live among the people of this world"

so that those who do not see may see

"so that those who do not see spiritually may see spiritually"

so that those who see

"so that those who think that they see spiritually"

may become blind

"may never see spiritually"

John 9:40

and asked him, "Are we also blind?"

"and said to him, 'Are you saying that we are blind?'" or "and said to him, 'You seem to be saying that we, too, are blind.'"

John 9:41

If you were blind, you would have no sin

"If you truly were spiritually blind, you would not be guilty of your sin"

but now you say, 'We see,' so your sin remains

"but since you think that you understand spiritual truth, you remain guilty of your sin"

¹"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter through the gate into the sheep pen, but climbs up some other way, that man is a thief and a robber.²He who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

³The gatekeeper opens for him. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

⁵They will not follow a stranger but instead they will avoid him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."⁶Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they did not understand what these things were that he was saying to them.

⁷Then Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the gate of the sheep.⁸Everyone who came before me is a thief and a robber, but the sheep did not listen to them.

⁹I am the gate. If anyone enters in through me, he will be saved; he will go in and out and will find pasture.¹⁰The thief does not come except to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they will have life and have it abundantly.

¹¹I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.¹²The hired servant is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep. He sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and escapes, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.¹³He runs away because he is a hired servant and does not care for the sheep.

¹⁴I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me.¹⁵The Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice so that there will be one flock and one shepherd.

¹⁷This is why the Father loves me: I lay down my life so that I may take it again.¹⁸No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."

¹⁹A division again occurred among the Jews because of these words.²⁰Many of them said, "He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to him?"²¹Others said, "These are not the words of a demon-possessed man. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

²²Then it was time for the Festival of the Dedication in Jerusalem. It was winter,²³and Jesus was walking in the temple in the porch of Solomon.²⁴Then the Jews surrounded him and said to him, "How long will you hold us doubting? If you are the Christ, tell us openly."

²⁵Jesus replied to them, "I told you, but you do not believe. The works that I do in the name of my Father, these testify concerning me.²⁶Yet you do not believe because you are not my sheep.

²⁷My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.²⁸I give them eternal life; they will never die, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

²⁹My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all others, and no one is able to snatch them out of the hand of the Father.³⁰I and the Father are one."³¹Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

³²Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of those works are you stoning me?"³³The Jews answered him, "We are not stoning you for any good work, but for blasphemy, because you, a man, are making yourself God."

³⁴Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'?³⁵If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken),³⁶do you say to him whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?

³⁷If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me.³⁸But if I am doing them, even if you do not believe me, believe in the works so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father."³⁹They tried to seize him again, but he went away out of their hand.

⁴⁰He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, and he stayed there.⁴¹Many people came to him and they said, "John indeed did no signs, but all the things that John has said about this man are true."⁴²Many people believed in him there.

John 10:1

sheep pen

This is a fenced area where a shepherd keeps his sheep.

John 10:3

The gatekeeper opens for him

"The gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd"

The gatekeeper

This is a hired man who watches the gate of the sheep pen at night while the shepherd is away.

The sheep hear his voice

"The sheep hear the shepherd's voice"

John 10:4

he goes ahead of them

"he walks in front of them"

for they know his voice

"because they recognize his voice"

John 10:6

they did not understand

Possible meanings: 1) "the disciples did not understand" or 2) "the crowd did not understand."

this parable

The "sheep" represent those who follow Jesus, and the "strangers" are the Jewish leaders, including the Pharisees, who try to deceive the people.

John 10:7

I am the gate of the sheep

"I am like the gate that the sheep use to enter into the sheepfold"

John 10:8

Everyone who came before me

"All of the teachers who came without my authority"

a thief and a robber

Jesus calls those teachers "a thief and a robber" because their teachings were false, and they were trying to lead God's people while not understanding the truth. As a result, they deceived the people.

John 10:9

I am the gate

"I myself am like that gate"

pasture

The word "pasture" means a grassy area where sheep eat.

John 10:10

does not come except to steal and kill and destroy

"comes only to steal, kill, and destroy the sheep"

so that they will have life

"so that they will really live, lacking nothing"

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd

"I am like a good shepherd"

lays down his life

"dies"

John 10:12

The hired servant

"The one who is like a hired servant"

abandons the sheep

Like a hired servant who abandons the sheep, Jesus says that the Jewish leaders and teachers do not care for God's people.

John 10:13

does not care for the sheep

Jesus says that the Jewish leaders and teachers are like a hired servant who abandons the sheep, and they do not care for God's people.

John 10:14

I am the good shepherd

"I am like a good shepherd"

John 10:15

The Father knows me, and I know the Father

God the Father and God the Son know each other unlike anyone else knows them. This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

I lay down my life for the sheep

"I die for the sheep"

John 10:16

I have other sheep

Here "other sheep" refers to followers of Jesus who are not Jews.

one flock and one shepherd

All of Jesus's followers, Jews and non-Jews, will be like one flock of sheep. He will be like a shepherd who cares for all of them.

John 10:17

This is why the Father loves me: I lay down my life

God's eternal plan was for God the Son to give his life to pay for the sins of humanity. Jesus's death on the cross reveals the intense love of the Son for the Father and of the Father for the Son.

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

loves

The kind of love that comes from God is focused on having good things happen to others even when those good things do not happen to the one who loves. This kind of love cares for others, no matter what they do.

I lay down my life so that I may take it again

"I allow myself to die in order that I may bring myself back to life"

John 10:18

I lay it down of myself

"I myself lay it down"

I have received this command from my Father

"This is what my Father has commanded me to do." The word "Father" is an important title for God.

John 10:20

Why do you listen to him?

"Do not listen to him!"

John 10:21

Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?

"Certainly a demon cannot cause a blind man to see!" or "Certainly a demon cannot give sight to blind people!"

John 10:22

It was winter

Winter is the coldest time of the year. You may use your language's term for the coldest season if your reader understands that in Israel this was in December, not in June.

Festival of the Dedication

This is an eight-day winter holiday Jews use to remember a miracle where God made a small amount of oil remain lit in a lampstand for eight days. They lit the lampstand to dedicate the Jewish temple to God. To dedicate something is to promise to use it for a special purpose.

John 10:23

Jesus was walking in the temple

"Jesus was walking in the temple courtyard"

porch

This is a structure attached to the entrance of a building; it has a roof and it may or may not have walls.

John 10:24

Then the Jews surrounded him

"Then the Jewish leaders surrounded him"

hold us doubting

"keep us wondering" or "keep us from knowing for sure"

John 10:25

in the name of my Father

"through my Father's power" or "with my Father's power"

these testify concerning me

"these offer proof concerning me"

John 10:26

not my sheep

"not my followers" or "not my disciples"

John 10:27

My sheep hear my voice

"Just as sheep obey the voice of their true shepherd, my followers heed my voice"

John 10:28

no one will snatch them out of my hand

"no one will steal them away from me" or "they will remain secure forever in my care"

John 10:29

My Father, who has given them to me

The word "Father" is an important title for God.

snatch them out of the hand of the Father

"steal them from my Father"

John 10:30

I and the Father are one

"I and the Father are completely united" or "I and the Father are exactly alike"

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 10:31

Then the Jews took up stones again

"Then the Jewish leaders started picking up stones again"

John 10:32

Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father

Jesus performed the miracles by the power of God. The word "Father" is an important title for God.

For which of those works are you stoning me?

This question uses irony. Jesus knows the Jewish leaders do not want to stone him because he has done good works.

John 10:33

The Jews answered him

"The Jewish opponents replied" or "The Jewish leaders answered him"

making yourself God

"claiming to be God"

John 10:34

Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'?

"You should already know that it is written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods."'"

You are gods

Here Jesus quotes a scripture where God calls his followers "gods," perhaps because he has chosen them to represent him on earth.

John 10:35

the word of God came

"God spoke his message"

the scripture cannot be broken

Possible meanings are 1) "no one can change the scripture" or 2) "the scripture will always be true."

John 10:36

do you say to him whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?

"you should not say to the very one whom the Father set apart to send into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' when I say that I am the Son of God!"

You are blaspheming

"You are insulting God." Jesus's opponents understood that when said that he is the Son of God, he was implying that he is equal with God.

Father ... Son of God

John 10:37

believe me

Here the word "believe" means to accept or trust what Jesus said is true.

John 10:38

believe in the works

Here "believe in" is to acknowledge that the works Jesus does are from the Father.

the Father is in me and that I am in the Father

"my Father and I are completely joined together as one"

John 10:39

went away out of their hand

"got away from them again"

John 10:40

beyond the Jordan

"to the east side of the Jordan River"

he stayed there

"Jesus stayed there for several days"

John 10:41

John indeed did no signs, but all the things that John has said about this man are true

"It is true that John did no signs, but he certainly did speak the truth about this man, who does signs."

signs

These are miracles that prove that something is true or that give someone credibility.

John 10:42

believed in

Here "believed in" means accepted or trusted what Jesus said was true.

¹Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.²It was Mary who anointed the Lord with myrrh and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

³The sisters then sent for Jesus, saying, "Lord, see, he whom you love is sick."⁴When Jesus heard it, he said, "This sickness is not to death, but instead it is for the glory of God so that the Son of God may be glorified by it."

⁵Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.⁶So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, Jesus stayed two more days in the place where he was.⁷Then after this, he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."

⁸The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, right now the Jews are trying to stone you, and you are going back there again?"⁹Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of light in a day? If someone walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because he sees by the light of this world.

¹⁰However, if he walks at night, he will stumble because the light is not in him."¹¹He said these things, and after these things, he said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may wake him out of sleep."

¹²The disciples therefore said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."¹³Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he was speaking about the sleep of resting.¹⁴Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.

¹⁵I am glad, for your sakes, that I was not there so that you may believe. Let us go to him."¹⁶Thomas, who was called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go so that we may die with Jesus."

¹⁷When Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.¹⁸Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away.¹⁹Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them about their brother.²⁰Then Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

²¹Martha then said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.²²Even now, I know that whatever you ask from God, he will give to you."²³Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

²⁴Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."²⁵Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, even if he dies, will live;²⁶and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

²⁷She said to him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."²⁸When she had said this, she went away and called her sister Mary privately. She said, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."²⁹When she heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.

³⁰Now Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him.³¹So when the Jews, who were with her in the house and who were comforting her, saw Mary getting up quickly and going out, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there.³²When Mary came to the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

³³When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and was troubled;³⁴he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see."³⁵Jesus wept.

³⁶Then the Jews said, "See how much he loved Lazarus!"³⁷But some of them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of a blind man, also have made this man not die?"

³⁸Then Jesus again, being deeply moved in himself, went to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.³⁹Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of Lazarus, the one who had died, said to Jesus, "Lord, by this time the body will be decaying, for he has been dead for four days."⁴⁰Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that, if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

⁴¹So they took away the stone. Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you that you listened to me.⁴²I knew that you always listen to me, but it is because of the crowd that is standing around me that I said this, so that they may believe that you have sent me."

⁴³After he had said this, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"⁴⁴The dead man came out; his feet and hands were bound with cloths, and his face was bound about with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go."

⁴⁵Then many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what Jesus did, believed in him.⁴⁶But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things that Jesus had done.

⁴⁷Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council together and said, "What will we do? This man does many signs.⁴⁸If we leave him alone like this, all will believe in him; the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."

⁴⁹However, a certain man among them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing.⁵⁰You do not consider that it is better for you that one man dies for the people than that the whole nation perishes."

⁵¹Now this he said not from himself. Instead, being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation;⁵²and not only for the nation, but so that the children of God who are scattered would be gathered together into one.⁵³So from that day onward they planned how to put Jesus to death.

⁵⁴No longer did Jesus walk openly among the Jews, but he departed from there into the country near to the wilderness into a town called Ephraim. There he stayed with the disciples.⁵⁵Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country before the Passover in order to purify themselves.

⁵⁶They were looking for Jesus and speaking one with another as they stood in the temple: "What do you think? That he will not come to the festival?"⁵⁷Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given an order that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might seize him.

John 11:3

sent for Jesus

"asked Jesus to come"

love

Here "love" refers to brotherly love, a natural, human love between friends or relatives.

John 11:4

This sickness is not to death

"Death will not be the final result of this sickness"

death

This refers to physical death.

but instead it is for the glory of God so that the Son of God may be glorified by it

"but the purpose is that the people might see how great God is because of what his power will allow me to do"

Son of God

This is an important title for Jesus.

John 11:8

Rabbi, right now the Jews are trying to stone you, and you are going back there again?

"Teacher, you surely do not want to go back there! The Jewish leaders were trying to stone you the last time you were there!"

John 11:9

Are there not twelve hours of light in a day?

"You know that the day has twelve hours of light!"

If someone walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because he sees by the light of this world

Jesus is implying that people who live according to truth will be able to successfully do the things that God wants them to do.

John 11:10

the light is not in him

Possible meanings are 1) "he cannot see" or "he does not have God's light."

John 11:11

Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep

Jesus meant that Lazarus had died, but the disciples did not understand this. So it is important to keep the idea of sleeping in the translation.

but I am going so that I may wake him out of sleep

"but I am going there to wake him up"

John 11:12

if he has fallen asleep

The disciples misunderstand Jesus to mean that Lazarus is resting and will recover.

John 11:14

Then Jesus said to them plainly

"So Jesus told them in words that they could understand"

John 11:15

for your sakes

"for your benefit"

that I was not there so that you may believe

"that I was not there. Because of this you will learn to trust me more"

John 11:16

who was called Didymus

"whom they called Didymus," which means 'twin."

John 11:17

he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days

"he learned that people had put Lazarus in a tomb four days before"

John 11:18

fifteen stadia away

"about three kilometers away."

John 11:19

about their brother

"about their younger brother"

John 11:21

my brother would not have died

"my younger brother would still be alive"

John 11:23

Your brother will rise again

"Your younger brother will become alive again"

John 11:24

he will rise again

"he will become alive again"

John 11:25

I am the resurrection and the life

"I am the one who raises those who die and causes them to live again"

he who believes in me, even if he dies, will live

"even a person who dies will live forever, if he believes in me"

John 11:26

whoever lives and believes in me will never die

"those who live and trust in me will never be separated eternally from God" or "those who live and trust in me will be spiritually alive with God forever"

John 11:27

She said to him

"Martha said to Jesus"

Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God ... coming into the world

Martha believes that Jesus is Lord, the Christ (the Messiah), the Son of God.

Son of God

This is an important title for Jesus.

John 11:28

she went away and called her sister Mary

"she went away and called her younger sister Mary"

Teacher

This is a title referring to Jesus.

is calling for you

"is asking that you come"

John 11:32

fell down at his feet

Mary lay down or knelt at the feet of Jesus to show respect.

my brother would not have died

"my younger brother would still be alive"

John 11:33

he was deeply moved in his spirit and was troubled

"he was greatly upset"

John 11:34

Where have you laid him

"Where have you buried him?"

John 11:35

Jesus wept

"Jesus began to cry" or "Jesus started crying"

John 11:36

loved

This refers to brotherly love or human love for a friend or family member.

John 11:37

Could not this man, who opened the eyes of a blind man, also have made this man not die?

"He could heal a man who was blind, so he should have been able to heal this man so he would not have died!" or "Since he did not keep this man from dying, maybe he did not really heal the man who was born blind, as they say he did!"

John 11:39

Martha, the sister of Lazarus

"Martha, the older sister of Lazarus"

by this time the body will be decaying

"by this time there will be a bad smell" or "the body is already stinking"

John 11:40

Did I not say to you that, if you believed, you would see the glory of God?

"I told you that if you trusted me, you would see what God can do!"

John 11:41

Jesus lifted up his eyes

"Jesus looked up toward heaven"

Father, I thank you that you listened to me

"Father, I thank you that you have heard me" or "Father, I thank you that you have heard my prayer"

John 11:42

that you have sent me

"that I am here because you have sent me to them"

John 11:43

After he had said this

"After Jesus had prayed"

he cried out with a loud voice

"he shouted"

John 11:44

his feet and hands were bound with cloths, and his face was bound about with a cloth

"Someone had wrapped strips of cloth around his hands and feet. They had also tied a cloth around his face"

Jesus said to them

The word "them" refers to the people who were there and saw the miracle.

John 11:47

Then the chief priests

"Then the leaders among the priests"

What will we do?

"What are we going to do about Jesus?"

John 11:48

all will believe in him

"everyone will trust in him and rebel against Rome"

the Romans will come

"the Roman army will come"

take away both our place and our nation

"destroy both our temple and our nation"

John 11:49

a certain man among them

This is a way to introduce a new character to the story. If you have a way to do this in your language, you can use it here.

You know nothing

"You do not understand what is happening" or "You speak as though you know nothing"

John 11:50

than that the whole nation perishes

"than that the Romans kill all the people of our nation"

John 11:51

die for the nation

The word "nation" refers to the people of the nation of Israel.

John 11:52

and not only for the nation

"and that he should die not only for the nation"

would be gathered together into one

"would be gathered into one people"

children of God

This refers to people who belong to God through faith in Jesus and are spiritually God's children.

John 11:54

walk openly among the Jews

"live where all the Jews could see him" or "walk openly among the Jewish leaders who opposed him"

the country

the rural area outside cities where fewer people live

There he stayed with the disciples

"There he stayed with his disciples for a short period of time"

John 11:56

They were looking for Jesus

The word "they" refers to the Jewish people who had traveled to Jerusalem.

What do you think? That he will not come to the festival?

"Do you think that he will come to the festival?" or "I do not know what to think. He might come to the festival, or he might not." 2) The speakers were sure that Jesus would not come. Alternate translation: "We can be sure that he will not come to the festival."

¹Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.²So they made him a dinner there, and Martha was serving, but Lazarus was one of those who were lying down at the table with Jesus.³Then Mary took a litra of perfume made of very precious pure nard, anointed the feet of Jesus with it, and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, the one who would betray him, said,⁵"Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"⁶Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He had the moneybag and would steal from what was put in it.

⁷Jesus said, "Allow her to keep what she has for the day of my burial.⁸You will always have the poor with you. But you will not always have me."

⁹Now a large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, and they came, not only for Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.¹⁰The chief priests conspired together so that they might also put Lazarus to death;¹¹for it was because of him that many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

¹²On the next day a great crowd came to the festival. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,¹³they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him and cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel."

¹⁴Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it was written,

¹⁵"Do not fear, daughter of Zion;

see, your King is coming,

sitting on the colt of a donkey."

¹⁶His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.

¹⁷Now the crowd testified that they had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him up from the dead.¹⁸It was also for this reason that the crowd went out to meet him, because they heard that he had done this sign.¹⁹The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "Look, you can do nothing good; see, the world has gone after him."

²⁰Now certain Greeks were among those who were going up to worship at the festival.²¹These went to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we want to see Jesus."²²Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip, and they told Jesus.

²³Jesus answered them and said, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.²⁴Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it will bear much fruit.

²⁵He who loves his life will lose it; but he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.²⁶If anyone serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

²⁷Now my soul is troubled and what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this reason I came to this hour.²⁸Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven and said, "I have glorified it and I will glorify it again."²⁹Then the crowd that stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."

³⁰Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come for me, but for you.³¹Now is the judgment of this world: Now will the ruler of this world be thrown out.

³²When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."³³He said this to indicate what kind of death he would die.

³⁴The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ will stay forever. How can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?"³⁵Jesus then said to them, "The light will still be with you for a short amount of time. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness does not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.³⁶While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may be sons of light."

Jesus said these things and then departed and hid from them.

³⁷Although Jesus had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him³⁸so that the word of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled, in which he said:

"Lord, who has believed our report,

and to whom has the arm

of the Lord been revealed?"

³⁹For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah had also said,

⁴⁰"He has blinded their eyes,

and he has hardened their heart,

otherwise they would see with their eyes

and understand with their hearts,

and turn, and I would heal them."

⁴¹Isaiah said these things because he saw the glory of Jesus and spoke of him.⁴²But despite that, many of the rulers believed in Jesus; but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess it so that they would not be banned from the synagogue.⁴³They loved the glory that comes from people more than the glory that comes from God.

⁴⁴Jesus cried out and said, "The one who believes in me believes not only in me but also in him who sent me,⁴⁵and the one who sees me sees him who sent me.

⁴⁶I have come as a light into the world, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.⁴⁷If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

⁴⁸The one who rejects me and who does not receive my words has one who judges him. The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day.⁴⁹For I did not speak for myself, but it is the Father who sent me, who has given me the command about what to say and what to speak.⁵⁰I know that his command is eternal life, so that is what I say—just as the Father has spoken to me, so I speak."

John 12:1

Six days before the Passover

The author uses these words to mark the beginning of a new event.

had raised from the dead

"had made alive again"

John 12:3

a litra

You may convert this to a the measure system used in your area. The word "litra" was used for measures of about 300 milliliters of liquids or about 300 grams of solids. Because the perfume was a liquid, the word here probably refers to the liquid measure as guessed by those who saw the size of the container.

perfume

This is a good-smelling liquid made by using the oils of pleasant smelling plants and flowers.

nard

This is a perfume made from a pink, bell-shaped flower in the mountains of Nepal, China, and India.

The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume

"The scent of her perfume filled the house"

John 12:4

the one who would betray him

"the one who later enabled Jesus's enemies to seize him"

John 12:5

Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?

"This perfume could have been sold for three hundred denarii and the money could have been given to the poor!"

denarii

A denarius was the amount of silver that a common laborer could earn in one day of work.

John 12:6

he said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief

"he said this because he was a thief. He did not care about the poor"

John 12:7

Allow her to keep what she has for the day of my burial

"Allow her to show how much she appreciates me! In this way she has prepared my body for burial"

John 12:8

You will always have the poor with you

"There will always be poor people among you, and you can help them whenever you want"

But you will not always have me

"But I will not always be here with you"

John 12:11

believed in Jesus

"were putting their trust in Jesus"

John 12:13

Hosanna

This means "May God save us now!"

Blessed

This expresses a desire for God to cause good things to happen to a person.

comes in the name of the Lord

"comes as the representative of the Lord" or "comes in the power of the Lord"

John 12:14

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it

"he found a young donkey and sat on it, riding into the city"

as it was written

"as the prophets wrote in the Scripture"

John 12:15

daughter of Zion

"you people of Jerusalem"

John 12:16

His disciples did not understand these things

Here the words "these things" refer to the words that the prophet had written about Jesus.

when Jesus was glorified

"when God glorified Jesus"

they had done these things to him

The words "these things" refer to what the people did when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey

John 12:18

this sign

A "sign" is an event or occurrence that proves something is true. In this case, the "sign" of raising Lazarus proves that Jesus is the Messiah.

John 12:19

Look, you can do nothing good

"It seems like we can do nothing to stop him"

see, the world has gone after him

"It looks like everyone is becoming his disciple"

John 12:20

Now certain Greeks

The phrase "now certain" marks the introduction of new characters to the story.

Greeks ... to worship at the festival

"Greeks ... to worship God at the Passover festival"

John 12:21

Bethsaida

This was a town in the province of Galilee.

John 12:22

they told Jesus

"they told Jesus what the Greeks had said"

John 12:23

The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified

"God will soon honor me when I die and rise again"

John 12:24

unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies ... it will bear much fruit

Just as a seed is planted and grows again into a plant that will bear much fruit, so will many people trust in Jesus after he is killed, buried, and raised back to life.

John 12:25

He who loves his life will lose it

"Whoever values his own life more than the lives of others will not receive eternal life"

he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life

"whoever considers the lives of others as more important than his own life will live with God forever"

John 12:26

where I am, there will my servant also be

"when I am in heaven, my servant will also be there with me"

the Father will honor him

Here "Father" is an important title for God.

John 12:27

what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'?

"I will not pray, 'Father, save me from this hour!'"

Father

TThis refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

this hour

Here "this hour" is a metonym that represents when Jesus would suffer and die on the cross.

John 12:28

glorify your name

"make your glory known" or "reveal your glory"

a voice came from heaven

"God spoke from the heavens"

John 12:31

Now is the judgment of this world

"Now is the time for God to judge all of the people"

Now will the ruler of this world be thrown out

"Now is the time when I will destroy the power of Satan, who rules this world"

John 12:32

When I am lifted up from the earth

"When people raise me high on a cross"

will draw everyone to myself

Through his crucifixion, Jesus will provide a way for everyone to trust in him.

John 12:33

He said this to indicate what kind of death he would die

"He said this to let the people know how he would die"

John 12:34

The Son of Man must be lifted up

"The Son of Man must be lifted up on a cross"

Who is this Son of Man?

Possible meanings are 1) "What is the identity of this Son of Man? or 2) "What kind of Son of Man are you talking about?"

John 12:35

The light will still be with you for a short amount of time. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness does not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going

"My words are like a light to you, to help you understand how to live as God wants you to. I will not be with you much longer. You need to follow my instructions while I am still with you. If you reject my words, it will be like walking in darkness and you cannot see where you are going"

John 12:36

While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may be sons of light

"While I am with you, believe what I teach so that God's truth will be in you"

John 12:38

so that the word of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled

"in order to fulfill the message of Isaiah the prophet"

Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

"Lord, hardly anyone has believed our message, even though they have seen that you are powerfully able to save them!"

the arm of the Lord

The arm of the Lord refers to the Lord's ability to rescue with power.

John 12:40

he has hardened their heart ... understand with their heart

"he has made them stubborn ... truly understand"

and turn

"and they would repent"

John 12:42

so that they would not be banned from the synagogue

"so people would not stop them from going to the synagogue"

John 12:43

They loved the glory that comes from people more than the glory that comes from God

"They wanted people to praise them more than they wanted God to praise them"

John 12:44

Jesus cried out and said

"Jesus shouted out to the crowd that had gathered"

John 12:45

the one who sees me sees him who sent me

"the one who sees me sees God, who sent me"

John 12:46

I have come as a light into the world

"I have come to give light to the people of the world"

may not remain in the darkness

"may not continue to be spiritually blind"

the world

Here "the world" represents all of the people in the world.

John 12:47

If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world

"If anyone hears my teaching and rejects it, I do not condemn him. I have not come to condemn people. Instead, I have come to save those who trust in me"

John 12:48

on the last day

"at the time when God judges people's sins"

John 12:49

Father

his refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 12:50

I know that his command is eternal life

"I know that the words that he commanded me to speak are the words that give life forever"

¹Now it was before the Festival of the Passover. Jesus knew that his hour had come to go out of this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.²Now the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot son of Simon to betray Jesus. So during dinner,

³Jesus—who knew that the Father had given everything over into his hands and that he had come from God and was going back to God—⁴got up from dinner and took off his outer clothing. Then he took a towel and wrapped it around himself.⁵Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples and dry them with the towel that he had put around himself.

⁶He came to Simon Peter, and Peter said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"⁷Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand this later."⁸Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."⁹Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, do not only wash my feet, but also my hands and my head."

¹⁰Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed has no need, except to wash his feet, but he is completely clean; you are clean, but not everyone."¹¹(For Jesus knew who would betray him; that is why he said, "Not all of you are clean.")

¹²So when Jesus had washed their feet and taken his garments and sat down again, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done for you?¹³You call me 'teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are speaking correctly, because so I am.¹⁴If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash the feet of one another.¹⁵For I have given you an example so that you should also do just as I did for you.

¹⁶Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is a messenger greater than he who sent him.¹⁷If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.¹⁸I am not speaking about all of you; I know those whom I have chosen—but this is so that the scripture will be fulfilled: 'He who eats my bread lifted up his heel against me.'

¹⁹I tell you this now before it happens so that when it happens, you may believe that I AM.²⁰Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

²¹When Jesus said this, he was troubled in spirit. He testified and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you that one of you will betray me."²²The disciples looked at each other, wondering of whom he was speaking.

²³One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying down at the table against Jesus' side.²⁴Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him who he is speaking about."²⁵So he leaned back against the side of Jesus and said to him, "Lord, who is it?"

²⁶Then Jesus answered, "It is the one for whom I will dip the piece of bread and give it him." So when he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.²⁷Then after the bread, Satan entered into him, so Jesus said to him, "What you are doing, do it quickly."

²⁸Now no one who was lying down at the table knew why he said this to him.²⁹Some thought that, since Judas had the moneybag, Jesus said to him, "Buy what we need to have for the festival," or that he should give something to the poor.³⁰After Judas received the bread, he went out immediately. It was night.

³¹When Judas was gone, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him.³²If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify the Son in himself, and he will glorify him at once.³³Little children, I am with you for still a short amount of time. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' Now I also say this to you.

³⁴I am giving you a new commandment, that you should love one another; as I have loved you, so also you should love one another.³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another."

³⁶Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later."³⁷Peter said to him, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."³⁸Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow before you have denied me three times."

John 13:1

loved

John 13:2

the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot son of Simon to betray Jesus

"the devil had already caused Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to think about betraying Jesus"

John 13:3

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

had given everything over into his hands

"had given him complete power and authority over everything"

he had come from God and was going back to God

Jesus had always been with the Father, and would return there after his work on earth was finished.

John 13:4

got up from dinner and took off his outer clothing

Because the region was very dusty, it was customary for the host of a dinner to provide a servant to wash the feet of the guests. Jesus took off his outer clothing so he would look like a servant.

John 13:5

began to wash the feet of the disciples

Because the region was very dusty, it was customary for the host of a dinner to provide a servant to wash the feet of the guests. Jesus did the work of the servant by washing the disciples' feet.

John 13:6

Lord, are you going to wash my feet?

"Lord, it is not right for you to wash the feet of me, a sinner!"

John 13:8

If I do not wash you

"If I do not wash your feet"

you have no share with me

"you will not be my disciple" or "you will not belong to me"

John 13:10

He who is bathed has no need, except to wash his feet, but he is completely clean

"He who is bathed has no need, except to wash his feet, because he is completely clean" or "He who is bathed has no need, except to wash his feet; he is completely clean"

John 13:12

Do you understand what I have done for you?

"You need to understand what I have done for you!"

John 13:13

You call me 'teacher' and 'Lord,'

"You show me great respect when you call me 'teacher' and 'Lord.'"

John 13:15

you should also do just as I did for you

"you should also humbly serve each other"

John 13:17

you are blessed

"God will bless you"

John 13:18

this is so that the scripture will be fulfilled

"this is in order to fulfill the scripture"

He who eats my bread lifted up his heel against me

"The one who has pretended to be my friend has turned out to be an enemy"

John 13:19

I tell you this now before it happens

"I am telling you now what is going to happen before it happens"

I AM

Possible meanings are 1) Jesus is identifying himself as Yahweh, who identified himself to Moses as "I AM," or 2) Jesus is saying, "I am the one I claim to be."

John 13:22

The disciples looked at each other, wondering of whom he was speaking.

"The disciples looked at each other and wondered: 'Who will betray Jesus?'"

John 13:23

One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved

This refers to John.

lying down at the table

During the time of Christ, Jews would often dine together in the Greek style, in which they lay on their sides on low couches.

Jesus' side

Lying with one's head against the side of another diner in the Greek style was considered to be the place of greatest friendship with him.

loved

The kind of love that comes from God is focused on having good things happen to others even when those good things do not happen to the one who loves.

John 13:26

Iscariot

This indicates that Judas was from the village of Kerioth.

John 13:27

Then after the bread

"Then after Judas took the bread"

Satan entered into him

"Satan took control of him" or "Satan started to command him"

so Jesus said to him

Here Jesus is speaking to Judas.

What you are doing, do it quickly

"Do quickly what you are planning to do"

John 13:29

that he should give something to the poor

"'Go and give some money to the poor'"

John 13:30

he went out immediately. It was night

"he went out immediately into the dark night"

John 13:31

Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him

"Now people are about to see how the Son of Man will receive honor and how God will receive honor through what the Son of Man is doing"

John 13:32

God will also glorify the Son in himself, and he will glorify him at once

"God himself will immediately give honor to the Son of Man"

John 13:33

Little children

Jesus uses the term "Little children" to communicate that he loves the disciples as though they were his children.

as I said to the Jews

"as I said to the Jewish leaders"

John 13:35

everyone

You may need to make explicit that this exaggeration refers only to those people who see how the disciples love each other.

John 13:37

lay down my life

"give up my life" or "die"

John 13:38

Will you lay down your life for me?

"You say that you will die for me, but the truth is that you will not!"

the rooster will not crow before you have denied me three times

"you will say that you do not know me three times before the rooster crows"

¹"Do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.²In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you, for I am going to prepare a place for you.³If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, so that where I am you will also be.

⁴You know the way to where I am going."⁵Thomas said to Jesus, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?"⁶Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.⁷If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you know him and have seen him."

⁸Philip said to Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."⁹Jesus said to him, "I have been with you for such a long time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

¹⁰Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak from my own authority, but the Father living in me is doing his work.¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, or else believe because of the works themselves.

¹²Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will do the works that I do, and he will do greater works than these because I am going to the Father.¹³Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father will be glorified in the Son.¹⁴If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

¹⁵If you love me, you will keep my commandments,¹⁶and I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Comforter so that he will be with you forever—¹⁷the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive him because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

¹⁸I will not leave you as orphans; I will come back to you.¹⁹Yet a short amount of time and the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will also live.²⁰On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and that you are in me, and that I am in you.

²¹He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me, and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and I will show myself to him."²²Judas (not Iscariot) said to Jesus, "Lord, why is it that you will show yourself to us and not to the world?"

²³Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and we will make our home with him.²⁴He who does not love me does not keep my words. The word that you hear is not from me but from the Father who sent me.

²⁵I have said these things to you, while I am staying with you.²⁶However, the Comforter—the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and he will remind you of everything that I said to you.²⁷I leave you peace; I give you my peace. I do not give it as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not be afraid.

²⁸You heard that I said to you, 'I am going away, and I will come back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I am.²⁹Now I have told you before it happens so that, when it happens, you will believe.

³⁰I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me,³¹but in order that the world will know that I love the Father, I do just as the Father commanded me. Let us get up and go from here."

John 14:1

Do not let your heart be troubled

"Stop being so anxious and worried"

John 14:2

In my Father's house

This refers to heaven, where God lives.

many rooms

The word "room" can refer to a single room, or to a larger dwelling.

I am going to prepare a place for you

Jesus will prepare a place in heaven for every person who trusts in him. The "you" is plural and refers to all his disciples.

John 14:4

the way

Possible meanings of this metaphor are 1) "the way to God" or 2) "the one who takes people to God."

John 14:5

how can we know the way?

"how can we know how to get there?"

John 14:6

the truth

Possible meanings of this metaphor are 1) "the true person" or 2) "the one who speaks true words about God."

the life

"the one who can make people alive"

no one comes to the Father except through me

"everyone comes to the Father only through me" or "the only way anyone comes to the Father is through me"

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 14:9

I have been with you for such a long time and you still do not know me, Philip?

"Philip, I have been with you disciples already for a very long time. You should know me by now!"

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father

To see Jesus, who is God the Son, is to see God the Father. This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

"So you really should not be saying, 'Show us the Father!'"

John 14:10

Do you not believe ... in me?

"You really should believe ... in me."

The words that I say to you I do not speak from my own authority

"What I am telling you is not from me" or "The words I tell you are not from me"

The words that I say to you

Here "you" is plural. Jesus is now speaking to all of his disciples.

John 14:11

I am in the Father, and the Father is in me

"I am one with the Father, and the Father is one with me" or "my Father and I are just as though we were one"

John 14:12

believes in me

This means to believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

John 14:13

Whatever you ask in my name

"Whatever you ask, using my authority"

so that the Father will be glorified in the Son

"so I can show everyone how great my Father is"

Father ... Son

John 14:14

If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it

"If you ask me anything as one of my followers, I will do it" or "Whatever you ask of me, I will do it because you belong to me"

John 14:16

another Comforter

This refers to the Holy Spirit.

John 14:17

Spirit of truth

This refers to the Holy Spirit who teaches people what is true about God.

The world cannot receive him because it does not

"The unbelieving people in this world will never welcome him because they do not" or "Those who oppose God will not accept him because they do not"

John 14:18

leave you as orphans

"leave you with no one to care for you"

John 14:19

the world

"the unbelievers"

John 14:20

you will know that I am in my Father

"you will know that my Father and I are just like one person"

you are in me, and that I am in you

"you and I are just like one person"

John 14:21

he who loves me will be loved by my Father

"my Father will love anyone who loves me"

my Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 14:22

Judas (not Iscariot)

This refers to another disciple whose name was Judas, not to the disciple who was from the village of Kerioth who betrayed Jesus.

why is it that you will show yourself to us

"why will you reveal yourself only to us" or "why will you only let us see how wonderful you are"

not to the world

"not to those who do not belong to God"

John 14:23

If anyone loves me, he will keep my word

"The one who loves me will do what I have told him to do"

we will come to him and we will make our home with him

"we will come to live with him, and will have a personal relationship with him"

John 14:24

The word that you hear is not from me but from the Father who sent me

"The things I have told you are not things that I have decided to say on my own"

The word

"The message"

that you hear

Here when Jesus says "you" he is speaking to all of his disciples.

John 14:27

world

The "world" refers to those people who do not love God.

Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not be afraid

"So stop being anxious, and do not be afraid"

John 14:28

I am going to the Father

"I am going back to the Father"

the Father is greater than I

"the Father has greater authority than I have here"

John 14:30

the ruler of this world is coming

"Satan, who rules this world, is coming to attack me"

John 14:31

in order that the world will know

"in order that the ones who do not belong to God may know"

¹"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.²He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit.

³You are already clean because of the message that I have spoken to you.⁴Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.

⁵I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.⁶If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up, and they gather the branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned up.⁷If you remain in me, and if my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

⁸My Father is glorified in this, that you bear much fruit and so prove that you are my disciples.⁹As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.

¹⁰If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, as I have kept the commandments of my Father and remain in his love.¹¹I have spoken these things to you so that my joy will be in you and so that your joy will be made full.

¹²This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.¹³No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends.

¹⁴You are my friends if you do the things that I command you.¹⁵No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father I have made known to you.

¹⁶You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain. This is so that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.¹⁷These things I command you, so that you love one another.

¹⁸If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.¹⁹If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world and because I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

²⁰Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will also keep yours.²¹They will do all these things to you because of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.²²If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

²³He who hates me also hates my Father.²⁴If I had not done the works that no one else did among them, they would have no sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.²⁵But this is in order to fulfill the word that is written in their law, 'They hated me without a cause.'

²⁶When the Comforter comes—whom I will send to you from the Father, that is, the Spirit of truth, who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.²⁷You also must testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

John 15:1

I am the true vine

"I am like a vine that produces good fruit"

my Father is the gardener

"my Father is like a gardener"

my Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 15:2

He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit

Here "every branch" represents people, and "bear fruit" represents living in a way that pleases God.

takes away

"cuts off and takes away"

prunes every branch

"trims every branch"

John 15:3

You are already clean because of the message that I have spoken to you

"It is as if you have already been pruned and are clean branches because you have obeyed what I have taught you"

you

The word "you" throughout this passage is plural and refers to the disciples of Jesus.

John 15:4

Remain in me, and I in you

"If you remain joined to me, I will remain joined to you" or "Remain joined to me, and I will remain joined to you"

unless you remain in me

"unless you stay joined to me and depend upon me for everything"

John 15:5

I am the vine, you are the branches

"I am like a vine, and you are like branches that are attached to the vine"

He who remains in me and I in him

"He who stays joined to me and I stay joined to him"

he bears much fruit

"you will bear much fruit"

John 15:6

he is thrown away like a branch and dries up

"the vinedresser throws him away like a branch and it dries up"

they are burned up

"the fire burns them"

John 15:7

ask whatever you wish

"ask God whatever you wish"

John 15:8

My Father is glorified in this, that

"It causes people to honor my Father when"

My Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

in this, that you bear much fruit

"when you live in a way that pleases him"

prove that you are my disciples

"show you are my disciples" or "demonstrate you are my disciples"

John 15:9

As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you

Jesus shares the love that God the Father has for him with those who trust in him. Father refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

Remain in my love

"Continue to accept my love"

John 15:10

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, as I have kept the commandments of my Father and remain in his love

"When you do the things I have told you to do, you are living in my love, just as I obey my Father and live in his love"

John 15:11

I have spoken these things to you so that my joy will be in you

"I have told you these things so that you will have the same kind of joy that I have"

so that your joy will be made full

"so that you will be completely joyful" or "so that your joy may have nothing missing"

John 15:15

everything that I heard from my Father I have made known to you

"I have told you everything my Father told me"

John 15:16

You did not choose me

"You did not decide to become my disciples"

go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain

"live lives that please God so that the results of what you do last forever"

whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you

"Because you belong to me, whatever you ask of the Father, he will give it to you"

John 15:18

the world

the people who do not belong to God and are opposed to him

John 15:19

love

This refers to human, brotherly love or love for a friend or family member.

John 15:20

Remember the word that I said to you

"Remember the message that I spoke to you"

John 15:21

because of my name

"because you belong to me"

John 15:22

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin

"Because I have come and told them God's message, they have no excuse when God judges them for their sins"

John 15:23

He who hates me also hates my Father

To hate God the Son is to hate God the Father.

John 15:24

If I had not done the works ... they would have no sin, but

"Because I have done the works ... they have sin, and"

they would have no sin

"they would not be guilty of sin."

they have seen and hated both me and my Father

To hate God the Son is to hate God the Father.

John 15:25

to fulfill the word that is written in their law

"to fulfill the prophecy in their law"

law

This refers generally to the entire Old Testament, which contained all of God's instructions for his people.

John 15:26

will send ... from the Father ... the Spirit of truth ... he will testify about me

God the Father would soon send God the Spirit to show the world that Jesus is God the Son.

the Spirit of truth

"the Spirit who tells the truth about God and me"

John 15:27

You also must testify

You also must tell everyone what you know about me"

You also must

"You also will"

the beginning

"from the very first days when I began teaching the people and doing miracles"

¹"I have spoken these things to you so that you will not fall away.²They will throw you out of the synagogues. But the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think that he is offering a service to God.

³They will do these things because they have not known the Father nor me.⁴I have spoken these things to you so that when their hour comes, you will remember that I told you about them. I did not tell you about these things in the beginning, because I was with you.

⁵But now I go to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'⁶But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.⁷But truly I tell you, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you.

⁸When he comes, the Comforter will prove the world to be wrong about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment—⁹about sin, because they do not believe in me;¹⁰about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, and you will no longer see me;¹¹and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

¹²I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.¹³But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak from himself. But he will say whatever he hears, and he will tell you things that are to come.¹⁴He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and he will tell it to you.

¹⁵Everything that the Father has is mine. Therefore, I said that the Spirit will take from what is mine and he will tell it to you.¹⁶In a short amount of time you will no longer see me, and after another short amount of time you will see me."

¹⁷Then some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, 'A short amount of time you will no longer see me and after another short amount of time you will see me,' and, 'Because I go to the Father'?"¹⁸Therefore they said, "What is this that he says, 'A short amount of time'? We do not know what he is talking about."

¹⁹Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him, and he said to them, "Is this what you are asking each other, what I meant by saying, 'In a short amount of time and you will no longer see me, and again in a short amount of time and you will see me'?²⁰Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will be glad. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.²¹When a woman gives birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers her tribulation because of her joy that a man has been born into the world.

²²So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your heart will be glad, and no one will be able to take away your joy from you.²³On that day you will not ask me anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.²⁴Until now you have not asked anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be fulfilled.

²⁵"I have said these things to you in figures of speech, but the hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but instead I will tell you plainly about the Father.

²⁶On that day you will ask in my name and I do not say to you that I will pray to the Father for you,²⁷for the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and because you have believed that I came from God.²⁸I came from the Father, and I have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and I am going to the Father."

²⁹His disciples said, "See, now you are speaking plainly and you are not using figures of speech.³⁰Now we know that you know all things, and you do not need anyone to ask you questions. Because of this, we believe that you have come from God."³¹Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now?

³²See, the hour is coming, yes, and has indeed come, when you will be scattered, everyone to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.³³I have spoken these things to you so that you will have peace in me. In the world you have tribulation. But have courage! I have conquered the world."

John 16:1

you will not fall away

"you will not stop trusting" or "you will not stop believing in me because of the difficulties you must face"

John 16:2

the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think that he is offering a service to God

"it will someday happen that people who kill you will think they are doing something good for God."

John 16:3

They will do these things because they have not known the Father nor me

They will kill some believers because they do not know God the Father or Jesus.

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 16:4

when their hour comes

"when they cause you to suffer"

in the beginning

"when you first started following me"

John 16:6

sorrow has filled your heart

"you are now very sad"

John 16:7

if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you

"the Comforter will come to you only if I go away"

Comforter

This is a title for the Holy Spirit, who will be with the disciples after Jesus goes away.

John 16:8

the Comforter will prove the world to be wrong about sin

When the Holy Spirit came, he began to show people that they were sinners.

Comforter

This refers to the Holy Spirit. See how you translated this in John 14:16.

world

This refers to the people in the world.

John 16:9

about sin, because they do not believe in me

"they are guilty of sin because they do not trust in me"

John 16:10

about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, and you will no longer see me

"when I return to God, and they see me no more, they will know that I did the right things"

John 16:11

about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged

"God will hold them accountable and will punish them for their sins, just as he will punish Satan, the one who rules this world"

because the ruler of this world has

"because Satan, who rules this world, has"

John 16:12

you cannot bear them

"you cannot understand them" Or 2) being able to obey the words. Alternate translation: "you cannot obey them"

John 16:13

the Spirit of truth

This is the Holy Spirit, who will tell the people the truth about God.

he will guide you into all the truth

"he will teach you all the spiritual truth you need to know"

he will say whatever he hears

"he will say whatever God tells him to say"

John 16:14

he will take from what is mine and he will tell it to you

"he will reveal to you that what I have said and done are indeed true"

John 16:15

the Spirit will take from what is mine and he will tell it to you

"The Holy Spirit will tell everyone that my words and works are true"

John 16:17

A short amount of time you will no longer see me

The disciples did not understand that this refers to Jesus's death on the cross.

after another short amount of time you will see me

Possible meanings are 1) This could refer to Jesus's resurrection or 2) This could refer to Jesus's coming at the end of time.

John 16:19

Is this what you are asking each other, what I meant by saying, ... see me'?

"You are asking each other what I meant when I said, ... see me.'"

John 16:20

Truly, truly, I say to you

Translate this the way your language emphasizes that what follows is important and true.

but the world will be glad

"but the people who oppose God will be glad"

but your sorrow will be turned into joy

"but your sadness will become joy" or "but afterwards instead of being sad you will be very happy"

John 16:22

your heart will be glad

"you will be very happy" or "you will be very joyful"

John 16:23

if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you

"if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you because you belong to me"

in my name

"because you are my followers" or "on my authority"

John 16:24

your joy will be fulfilled

"you will become very joyful"

John 16:25

in figures of speech

"in language that is not clear"

the hour is coming

"it will soon happen"

tell you plainly about the Father

"tell you about the Father in a way that you will clearly understand"

John 16:26

you will ask in my name

"you will ask because you belong to me"

John 16:27

the Father himself loves you because you have loved me

When a person loves Jesus, the Son, they also love the Father, because the Father and the Son are one.

John 16:28

I came from the Father ... I am leaving the world and I am going to the Father

After his death and resurrection, Jesus would return to God the Father.

John 16:31

Do you believe now?

"So, now you finally place your trust in me!

John 16:32

you will be scattered

"others will scatter you"

John 16:33

so that you will have peace in me

"so that you may have inner peace because of your relationship with me"

I have conquered the world

"I have conquered the troubles of this world"

¹After Jesus said these things, he lifted up his eyes to the heavens and said, "Father, the hour has come, glorify your Son so that the Son will glorify you—²just as you gave him authority over all flesh so that he would give eternal life to everyone whom you have given him.

³This is eternal life: That they know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.⁴I glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work that you have given me to do.⁵Now, Father, glorify me along with yourself with the glory that I had with you before the world was made.

⁶I revealed your name to the people whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.⁷Now they know that everything that you have given me comes from you,⁸for I have given them all the words that you gave me. They received them and truly knew that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.

⁹I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.¹⁰Everything that is mine is yours, and yours is mine, and I am glorified in them.¹¹I am no longer in the world, but these people are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me so that they will be one, just as we are one.

¹²While I was with them, I kept them safe in your name, which you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was destroyed, except for the son of destruction, so that the scriptures would be fulfilled.¹³Now I am coming to you, but I am saying these things in the world so that they will have my joy fulfilled in themselves.¹⁴I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

¹⁵I do not ask for you to take them away from the world, but for you to keep them safe from the evil one.¹⁶They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.¹⁷Set them apart by the truth. Your word is truth.

¹⁸Just as you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.¹⁹For their sakes I have set myself apart, so that they themselves may also be set apart in truth.

²⁰I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word²¹so that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world will believe that you have sent me.

²²The glory that you gave me, I have given to them, so that they will be one, just as we are one:²³I in them, and you in me—that they may be brought to complete unity, so that the world will know that you sent me, and that you have loved them just as you loved me.

²⁴Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you gave me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

²⁵Righteous Father, the world did not know you, but I know you; and these know that you sent me.²⁶I made your name known to them, and I will make it known so that the love with which you have loved me will be in them, and I will be in them."

John 17:1

he lifted up his eyes to the heavens

"he looked up to the sky"

Father ... glorify your Son so that the Son will glorify you

Jesus asks God the Father to honor him so that he can give honor to God.

Father ... Son

the hour has come

"it is time for me to suffer and die"

John 17:2

all flesh

This refers to all people.

John 17:3

This is eternal life ... know you, the only true God, and ... Jesus Christ

Eternal life is to know the only true God, God the Father, and also God the Son.

John 17:4

the work that you have given me to do

Here "work" refers to Jesus's entire earthly ministry.

John 17:5

Father, glorify me along with yourself with the glory that I had with you before the world was made

"Father, give me honor by bringing me into your presence as as I was before we made the world"

John 17:6

I revealed your name

"I taught who you really are and what you are like"

from the world

Here "world refers to the people of the world that oppose God. This means that God has separated the believers spiritually from the people who do not believe in him.

kept your word

"obeyed your teaching"

John 17:9

I do not pray for the world

"I am not praying for those who do not belong to you"

John 17:11

in the world

"among the people who do not belong to you"

Holy Father, keep them ... that they will be one ... as we are one

Jesus asks the Father to keep those who trust in him so they can have a close relationship with God.

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

keep them in your name that you have given me

"keep them safe by your power and authority, which you have given me"

John 17:12

I kept them safe in your name

"I kept them safe with your protection"

not one of them was destroyed, except for the son of destruction

"the only one among them who was destroyed was the son of destruction"

the son of destruction

"the one whom you long ago decided you would destroy"

so that the scriptures would be fulfilled

"to fulfill the prophecy about him in the scriptures"

John 17:13

the world

These refers to the people who live in the world.

so that they will have my joy fulfilled in themselves

"so that you might give them great joy"

John 17:14

I have given them your word

"I have spoken your message to them"

the world ... because they are not of the world ... I am not of the world

"the people who oppose you ... because they do not belong to those who do not believe ... I do not belong to them"

John 17:15

keep them safe from the evil one

"protect them from Satan, the evil one"

John 17:17

Set them apart by the truth

"Make them your own people by teaching them the truth"

Your word is truth

"Your message is true" or "What you say is true"

John 17:18

into the world

"to the people of the world"

John 17:19

so that they themselves may also be set apart in truth

"so that they may also truly set themselves apart to you"

John 17:20

those who will believe in me through their word

"those who will believe in me because these teach about me"

John 17:21

they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I am in you. May they also be in us

Those who trust in Jesus become united with the Father and the Son when they believe.

the world

"the people who do not know God"

John 17:22

The glory that you gave me, I have given to them

"I have honored my followers just as you have honored me"

so that they will be one, just as we are one

"so that you can unite them just as you have united us"

John 17:23

that they may be brought to complete unity

"that they may be completely united"

that the world will know

"that all the people will know"

loved

The kind of love that comes from God is focused on having good things happen to others even when those good things do not happen to the one who loves.

John 17:24

where I am

"with me in heaven"

to see my glory

"to see my greatness"

before the foundation of the world

"before the world was created" or "before you created the world"

John 17:25

Righteous Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

the world did not know you

"those who do not belong to you do not know what you are like"

John 17:26

I made your name known to them, and I will make it known

"I revealed to them what you are like, and I will continue to do that"

¹After Jesus spoke these words, he went out with his disciples to the other side of the Kidron Brook, where there was a garden into which he and his disciples entered.²Now Judas, who was going to betray him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples.³Then Judas, leading a company of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, went there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

⁴Then Jesus, having known all the things that would happen to him, went forward and asked them, "Who are you looking for?"⁵They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am." Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with the soldiers.

⁶So when he said to them, "I am," they went backward and fell to the ground.⁷Then again he asked them, "Who are you looking for?" Again they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."

⁸Jesus answered, "I told you that I am. So if you are looking for me, let these go."⁹This was in order to fulfill the word that he said: "Of those whom you have given me, I lost no one."

¹⁰Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. Now the name of the servant was Malchus.¹¹Jesus said to Peter, "Put the sword back into its sheath. Should I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"

¹²So a company of soldiers and the captain, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and tied him up.¹³They led him first to Annas, for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.¹⁴Now Caiaphas was the one who had given the advice to the Jews that it would be better that one man die for the people.

¹⁵Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest;¹⁶but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and he brought Peter in.

¹⁷Then the female servant, the doorkeeper, said to Peter, "Are you not also one of the disciples of this man?" He said, "I am not."¹⁸Now the servants and the officers were standing there, and they had made a charcoal fire, for it was cold, and they were warming themselves. Peter was also with them, standing there and warming himself.

¹⁹The high priest then asked Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.²⁰Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I was always teaching in synagogues and in the temple where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.²¹Why did you ask me? Ask those who have heard me about what I said. Look, these people know what I said."

²²When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing there struck Jesus and said, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"²³Jesus answered him, "If I spoke wrongly, testify about the wrong, but if rightly, why do you hit me?"²⁴Then Annas sent him tied up to Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. The people then said to him, "Are you not also one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "I am not."²⁶One of the servants of the high priest, who was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?"²⁷Then Peter denied it again; and immediately the rooster crowed.

²⁸Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the government headquarters. It was early in the morning, and they did not enter the government headquarters so that they would not be defiled but would be able to eat the Passover.²⁹So Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation are you bringing against this man?"³⁰They answered and said to him, "If this man was not an evildoer, we would not have given him over to you."

³¹Pilate therefore said to them, "Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death."³²They said this so that the word of Jesus would be fulfilled which he had spoken to indicate by what kind of death he would die.

³³Then Pilate entered the government headquarters again and called Jesus, and he said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"³⁴Jesus answered, "Do you speak from yourself, or did others speak to you about me?"³⁵Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and the chief priests gave you over to me. What did you do?"

³⁶Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, then my servants would fight so that I would not be given over to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here."³⁷Pilate then said to him, "Are you a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this purpose I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

³⁸Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find no guilt in this man.³⁹But you have the custom that I release one person to you at the Passover. So do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?"⁴⁰Then they cried out again and said, "Not this man, but Barabbas." Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.

John 18:1

After Jesus spoke these words

The author uses these words to mark the beginning of a new event.

the Kidron Brook

This was a low place in Jerusalem separating the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. It has a small stream in it only after heavy rains. Many modern English translations read, "the Kidron Valley"

where there was a garden

"where there was a grove of olive trees"

John 18:4

Then Jesus, who knew all the things that were happening to him

"Then Jesus, who knew everything that was about to happen to him"

John 18:5

Jesus of Nazareth

"Jesus, the man from Nazareth"

I am

"I am he"

who betrayed him

"who handed him over"

John 18:6

I am

"I am he"

fell to the ground

"fell down because of Jesus's power"

John 18:7

Jesus of Nazareth

"Jesus, the man from Nazareth"

John 18:8

I am

"I am he"

John 18:9

This was in order to fulfill the word that he said

"This happened in order to fulfill the words that he had said when he was praying to his Father"

John 18:10

Malchus

a male servant of the high priest

John 18:11

sheath

the cover for a knife or sword that keeps the knife or sword from cutting the owner

Should I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?

"I must surely drink the cup that the Father has given to me!"

the cup

Here "cup" refers to the suffering that Jesus must endure.

Father

This refers to God the Father. It is best to translate “Father” with the same word that your language uses to refer to a human father.

John 18:12

the Jews

"the Jewish leaders"

seized Jesus and tied him up

"captured Jesus and tied him up to prevent him from escaping"

John 18:15

Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered with Jesus

"Now the high priest knew that disciple so he was able to enter with Jesus"

John 18:16

So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest

"So the other disciple, whom the high priest knew"

the doorkeeper

The doorkeeper was a woman.

and he brought Peter in

The word "he" refers to the other disciple.

John 18:17

Are you not also one of the disciples of this man?

"You are also one of the arrested man's disciples! Are you not?"

John 18:18

Now the servants and the officers were standing there, and they had made a charcoal fire, for it was cold, and they were warming themselves

"It was cold, so the high priest's servants and temple guards made a charcoal fire and were standing and warming themselves around it"

John 18:19

The high priest

This was Caiphas

about his disciples and his teaching

"about his disciples and what he had been teaching the people"

John 18:20

I have spoken openly to the world

Here "the world" emphasizes that Jesus has spoken openly.

where all the Jews come together

Here "all the Jews" emphasizes that Jesus spoke where anyone who wanted to hear him could hear him.

John 18:21

Why did you ask me?

"You should not be asking me these questions!"

John 18:22

Is that how you answer the high priest?

"That is not how you should answer the high priest!"

John 18:23

testify about the wrong

"tell me what I said that was wrong"

if rightly, why do you hit me?

"if I said only what was right, you should not be hitting me!"

John 18:25

Are you not also one of his disciples?

"You are also one of the arrested man's disciples, are you not?"

John 18:26

Did I not see you in the garden with him?

"I saw you in the garden with him, did I not?"

John 18:27

Then Peter denied it again

"Peter denied him again"

immediately the rooster crowed

"immediately the rooster crowed, just as Jesus had said would happen"

John 18:28

Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas

"Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas' house"

they did not enter the government headquarters so that they would not be defiled

"they themselves remained outside Pilate's headquarters because Pilate was a Gentile. They did not want to become defiled"

John 18:30

If this man was not an evildoer, we would not have given him over to you

"This man is an evildoer, and we had to hand him over to you"

John 18:31

The Jews said to him

"The Jewish leaders said to him"

It is not lawful for us to put any man to death

"According to Roman law, we cannot put a person to death"

John 18:32

so that the word of Jesus would be fulfilled which he had spoken

"in order to fulfill what Jesus had said earlier"

to indicate by what kind of death he would die

"regarding how he would die"

John 18:35

I am not a Jew, am I?

"Well I am certainly not a Jew, and I have no interest in these matters!"

Your own people

"Your fellow Jews"

John 18:36

My kingdom is not of this world

Possible meanings are 1) "My kingdom is not part of this world" or 2) "I do not need this world's permission to rule as their king" or "It is not from this world that I have authority to be king."

so that I would not be given over to the Jews

"and would prevent the Jewish leaders from arresting me"

the Jews

This refers to the Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus.

John 18:37

Are you a king then?

“So, you are a king.”

testify to the truth

"tell people the truth about God"

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice

"Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to the things I say" or "me"

John 18:38

What is truth?

"No one can know what is true!"

the Jews

Here "Jews" refers to the Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus.

John 18:40

Not this man, but Barabbas

"No! Do not release this man! Release Barabbas instead"

Now Barabbas was a revolutionary

Here John provides background information about Barabbas.

revolutionary

person who wants to take over the government

¹Then Pilate took Jesus and whipped him.²The soldiers wove a crown of thorns. They put it on the head of Jesus and dressed him with a purple garment.³They came to him and said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and they struck him.

⁴Then Pilate went outside again and said to them, "See, I am bringing him outside to you so that you will know that I find no guilt in him."⁵So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. Pilate said to them, "Look, here is the man!"

⁶When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw Jesus, they cried out and said, "Crucify him, crucify him!"

Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him."

⁷The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he has to die because he claimed to be the Son of God."⁸When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid,⁹and he entered the government headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where do you come from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.

¹⁰Then Pilate said to him, "Are you not speaking to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you, and authority to crucify you?"¹¹Jesus answered him, "You do not have any authority over me except for what has been given to you from above. Therefore, he who gave me over to you has a greater sin."

¹²At this answer, Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, saying, "If you release this man, you are not a friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar."

¹³When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place called "The Pavement," but in the Aramaic language, "Gabbatha."

¹⁴Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover, at about the sixth hour. Pilate said to the Jews, "See, here is your king!"

¹⁵They cried out, "Away with him, away with him; crucify him!"

Pilate said to them, "Should I crucify your King?"

The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."

¹⁶Then Pilate gave Jesus over to them to be crucified.

¹⁷Then they took Jesus, and he went out, carrying the cross for himself, to the place called "The Place of a Skull," which in the Aramaic language is called "Golgotha."¹⁸They crucified Jesus there, and with him two other men, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle.

¹⁹Pilate also wrote a sign and put it on the cross. There it was written: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.²⁰Many of the Jews read this sign because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. The sign was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.

²¹Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but rather, 'This one said, "I am King of the Jews."'"

²²Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."

²³When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, divided them into four shares, one for each of them; and also the tunic. Now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top.²⁴Then they said to each other, "Let us not tear it, but instead let us cast lots for it to decide whose it will be." This happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled which said,

"They divided my garments among themselves

and cast lots for my clothing."

This is what the soldiers did.

²⁵Now standing beside Jesus' cross were his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.²⁶When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, see, your son!"²⁷Then he said to the disciple, "See, your mother!" From that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

²⁸After this, knowing that everything was now accomplished and so that the scriptures would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."²⁹A container full of sour wine was placed there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop staff and lifted it up to his mouth.³⁰When Jesus had taken the sour wine, he said, "It is finished." He bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

³¹Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was especially important), asked Pilate to break their legs and to remove them.³²Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the second man who had been crucified with Jesus.³³When they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they did not break his legs.

³⁴However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.³⁵The one who saw this has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that what he said is true so that you may also believe.

³⁶For these things happened in order to fulfill scripture, "Not one of his bones will be broken."³⁷Again, another scripture says, "They will look at him whom they pierced."

³⁸After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, since he was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate if he could take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission. So Joseph came and took away his body.³⁹Nicodemus also came—he who at first had come to Jesus by night. He brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about one hundred litras.

⁴⁰So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, as was the custom of the Jews to bury bodies.⁴¹Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden was a new tomb in which no person had yet been buried.⁴²Because it was the day of preparation for the Jews and because the tomb was close by, they laid Jesus in it.

John 19:1

Then Pilate took Jesus and whipped him

"Then Pilate's soldiers took Jesus out of the room and whipped him"

John 19:3

Hail, King of the Jews

The greeting "Hail" with a raised hand was only used to greet Caesar. As the soldiers use the crown of thorns and the purple robe to mock Jesus, it is ironic that they do not recognize that he is indeed a king.

John 19:4

I find no guilt in him

"I see no reason to punish him"

John 19:7

The Jews answered him

"The Jewish leaders answered Pilate"

he has to die because he claimed to be the Son of God

Jesus was condemned to death by crucifixion because he claimed he was "the Son of God."

John 19:10

Are you not speaking to me?

"I cannot believe you are refusing to speak to me!" or "Answer me!"

Do you not know that I have authority to release you, and authority to crucify you?

"You should know that I have authority to release you or to order my soldiers to crucify you!"

John 19:11

You do not have any authority over me except for what has been given to you from above

"The authority you have over me is only what has been given to you by God"

he who gave me over

"he who handed me over"

John 19:12

At this answer

"When Pilate heard Jesus's answer"

Pilate tried to release him

"he tried hard to release Jesus" or "he tried again and again to release Jesus"

but the Jews cried out

"but the Jewish leaders kept shouting"

you are not a friend of Caesar

"you are opposing Caesar" or "you are opposing the emperor"

makes himself a king

"claims that he is a king"

John 19:13

he brought Jesus out

"Pilate ordered the soldiers to bring Jesus out"

in the judgment seat

This is the special chair that an important person like Pilate sat in when he was making an official judgment. If your language has a special way to describe this action, you can use it here.

in a place called "The Pavement," but

"in a place the people called The Pavement, but"

Aramaic

This was the language that the Jews in Judea spoke among themselves. Some translations say "Hebrew," following the form of the Greek word.

John 19:14

Pilate said to the Jews

“Pilate said to the Jewish leaders”

John 19:15

Should I crucify your King?

"Do you really want me to tell my soldiers to nail your king to a cross?"

John 19:16

Then Pilate gave Jesus over to them to be crucified

"So Pilate gave the Jews power over Jesus so they could crucify Jesus"

John 19:17

to the place called "The Place of a Skull,"

"to the place that the people called 'The Place of a Skull,'"

which in the Aramaic language is called "Golgotha."

"which in the Aramaic language they call 'Golgotha.'"

John 19:18

with him two other men

"they also nailed two other criminals to their crosses"

John 19:19

Pilate also wrote a sign and put it on the cross

"Pilate also commanded someone to write on a sign and to attach it to Jesus's cross"

There it was written: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS

"The sign said,'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews'"

John 19:20

the place where Jesus was crucified

"the place where the soldiers crucified Jesus"

The sign was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek

"The one who prepared the sign wrote the words in 3 languages: Aramaic, Latin, and Greek"

Latin

This was the language of the Roman government.

John 19:21

Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate

"The chief priests went back to Pilate and said"

John 19:22

What I have written I have written

"I have written what I wanted to write, and I will not change it"

John 19:23

also the tunic

"they kept his tunic separate"

John 19:24

let us cast lots for it to decide whose it will be

"let us gamble for the tunic and the winner will get to keep it"

This happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled which said

"This fulfilled the scripture that said" or "This happened to make the scripture come true which said"

cast lots

"gamble"

John 19:26

the disciple whom he loved

This is John, the writer of this Gospel.

Woman, see, your son

"Woman, here is the man who will act like a son to you"

John 19:27

See, your mother

"Think of this woman as if she were your own mother"

From that hour

"From that very moment"

John 19:28

knowing that everything was now accomplished

"knowing that he had completed everything" or "he knew that he had done everything that God had sent him to do"

John 19:29

A container full of sour wine was placed there

"Someone had placed there a full container of sour wine"

they put

Here "they" refers to the Roman guards.

a sponge

a small object that can soak up and hold much liquid

on a hyssop staff

"on a branch of a plant called hyssop"

John 19:30

He bowed his head and gave up his spirit

"He bowed his head and gave God his spirit" or "He bowed his head and died"

John 19:31

the Jews

"the Jewish leaders"

day of preparation

This is the time before the Passover when people prepared food for the Passover.

to break their legs and to remove them

"to break their legs so they would die and to have the soldiers remove them"

John 19:32

who had been crucified with Jesus

"whom they had crucified near Jesus"

John 19:35

The one who saw this

This sentence gives background information to the story. John is telling readers that he was there and that we can trust what he has written.

has testified, and his testimony is true

"has told the truth about what he has seen"

so that you would also believe

"so that you will also put your trust in Jesus"

John 19:36

in order to fulfill scripture

"to fulfill the words that someone wrote in the scripture"

Not one of his bones will be broken

This is a quotation from Psalm 34. "No one will break any of his bones"

John 19:37

They will look at him whom they pierced

This is a quotation from Zechariah 12.

John 19:38

Joseph of Arimathea

"Joseph from the town of Arimathea"

for fear of the Jews

"for fear of the Jewish leaders"

if he could take away the body of Jesus

"for permission to take the body of Jesus down from the cross for burial"

John 19:39

Nicodemus

Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees who believed in Jesus. See how you translated this name in John 3:1.

myrrh and aloes

These are plant substances that smell nice and that people used to prepare a body for burial.

about one hundred litras

Because myrrh and aloes were more like solids than liquids, the measurement here is probably of weight, about 30 kilograms, rather than of volume, about 30 liters.

John 19:41

Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden

"Now in the place where they crucified Jesus, there was a garden"

in which no person had yet been buried

"in which people had buried no one"

John 19:42

Because it was the day of preparation for the Jews

"Because the Passover was about to begin that evening"

¹Now early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb, and she saw the stone rolled away from the tomb.²So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, "They took away the Lord out from the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."

³Then Peter and the other disciple went out, and they were going to the tomb.⁴They both ran together, and the other disciple quickly ran ahead of Peter and arrived at the tomb first.⁵Then stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go inside.

⁶Simon Peter then arrived after him and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there⁷and the cloth that had been on his head. It was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a place by itself.

⁸Then the other disciple, the one who first arrived at the tomb, also went in, and he saw and believed.⁹For until that time they still did not know the scripture that he should rise from the dead.¹⁰So the disciples went back home again.

¹¹But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she stooped down into the tomb.¹²She saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the foot of where the body of Jesus had lain.¹³They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"

She said to them, "Because they took away my Lord, and I do not know where they have put him."

¹⁴When she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

¹⁵Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?"

She thought that he was the gardener, so she said to him, "Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him away."

¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Mary."

She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni" (which is to say "Teacher").

¹⁷Jesus said to her, "Do not touch me, for I have not yet gone up to the Father, but go to my brothers and say to them that I will go up to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God."

¹⁸Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that he had said these things to her.

¹⁹On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle of them and said to them, "Peace to you."²⁰After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

²¹Jesus then said to them again, "Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you."²²When Jesus had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.²³Whoever's sins you forgive, they are forgiven; whoever's sins you keep back, they are kept back."

²⁴Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.²⁵The other disciples later said to him, "We have seen the Lord."

He said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

²⁶After eight days his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came while the doors were closed, and stood among them, and said, "Peace to you."²⁷Then he said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger and see my hands. Reach here with your hand and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believe."

²⁸Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God."

²⁹Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and believed."

³⁰Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, signs that have not been written in this book,³¹but these have been written so that you would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that believing, you would have life in his name.

John 20:1

first day of the week

"Sunday"

she saw the stone rolled away

"she saw that someone had rolled away the stone"

John 20:2

disciple whom Jesus loved

This phrase appears to be the way that John refers to himself throughout his book. Here the word "love" refers to brotherly love or love for a friend or family member.

They took away

The author uses the word "they" here to show that Mary Magdalene did not know who took the Lord away. She was probably thinking of the Jews or Romans, but it would be best to translate using your language's way of leaving the actor or actors unknown.

the Lord ... laid him

"the Lord's dead body ... laid it"

John 20:3

the other disciple

John is referring to himself here as "the other disciple," rather than including his name.

John 20:5

linen cloths

These were the burial cloths that people had used to wrap the body of Jesus.

John 20:7

cloth that had been on his head

"cloth that someone had used to cover Jesus's face"

but was folded up in a place by itself

"but someone had folded it and put it aside, separate from the linen cloths"

John 20:8

he saw and believed

"he saw these things and now believed that Jesus had risen from the dead"

John 20:9

they still did not know the scripture

These words refer to the disciples. Possible meanings are 1) they did not know that that scripture exists or 2) they did not understand that that scripture said that Jesus would come alive again.

rise

become alive again

the dead

All those who have died. This expression describes all dead people together in the underworld.

John 20:10

went back home again

"went back to where they were staying in Jerusalem"

John 20:12

She saw two angels in white

"She saw two angels dressed in white clothing"

John 20:13

Because they took away my Lord, and I do not know where they have put him

"Because they took away the body of my Lord, and I do not know where they have put it"

John 20:15

if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him away

"if you have taken his dead body away, tell me where you have put it, and I will take it away"

John 20:16

Rabboni

The word "Rabboni" means "teacher" in Aramaic.

Aramaic

This was the language that the Jews in Judea spoke among themselves. Some translations say "Hebrew," following the form of the Greek word.

John 20:17

brothers

Jesus used the word "brothers" to refer to his disciples.

I will go up to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God

"I am about to return to heaven to be with my Father and your Father, to the one who is my God and your God"

John 20:18

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples

"Mary Magdalene went to where the disciples were and told them"

John 20:19

that day, the first day of the week

This refers to Sunday.

the doors being locked where the disciples were

"the disciples had locked the doors where they were"

for fear of the Jews

"because they were afraid that the Jewish leaders might arrest them"

Peace to you

This is a common greeting that means "May God give you peace" .

John 20:23

they are forgiven

"God will forgive them"

whoever's sins you keep back

"If you do not forgive another's sins"

they are kept back

"God will not forgive them"

John 20:24

Didymus

This is a male name that means "twin."

John 20:25

disciples later said to him

The word "him" refers to Thomas.

Unless I see ... his side, I will not believe

"I will believe only if I see ... his side"

in his hands ... into his side

The word "his" refers to Jesus.

John 20:26

his disciples

The word "his" refers to Jesus.

while the doors were closed

"when they had locked the doors"

John 20:27

Do not be unbelieving, but believe

"This is what is most important for you to do: you must believe"

believe

"put your trust in me"

John 20:29

you have believed

"you have believed that I am alive"

Blessed are those

This means "God gives great happiness to those."

who have not seen

"who have not seen me alive"

John 20:30

signs

The word "signs" refers to miracles that show that God is the all-powerful one who has complete authority over the universe.

signs that have not been written in this book

"signs that the author did not write about in this book"

John 20:31

but these have been written

"but the author wrote about these signs"

Son of God

This is an important title for Jesus.

life in his name

"you may have life because of Jesus"

life

This refers to spiritual life.

¹After these things Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This is how he revealed himself:²Simon Peter was together with Thomas called Didymus, Nathaniel from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples of Jesus.³Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We, too, will come with you." They went and got into a boat, but they caught nothing during the whole night.

⁴Now, when it was already early in the morning, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus.⁵So Jesus said to them, "Young men, do you have anything to eat?"

They answered him, "No."

⁶He said to them, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they threw their net and were not able to draw it in because of the large number of fish.

⁷Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied up his outer garment (for he was undressed), and threw himself into the sea.⁸The other disciples came in the boat (for they were not far from the land, about two hundred cubits off), and they were pulling the net full of fish.⁹When they got out upon the land, they saw a charcoal fire there and fish laid on it, with bread.

¹⁰Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught."¹¹Simon Peter then went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, 153 of them, but even with so many, the net was not torn.

¹²Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.¹³Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them, and the fish also.¹⁴This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after he had risen from the dead.

¹⁵After they ate breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?"

Peter said to him, "Yes Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."

¹⁶He said to him again a second time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"

Peter said to him, "Yes Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said to him, "Shepherd my sheep."

¹⁷He said to him a third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"

Peter was sorrowful because Jesus had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" He said to him, "Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you."

Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

¹⁸Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you become old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you and carry you where you will not want to go."

¹⁹Now Jesus said this in order to indicate with what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After he had said this, he said to Peter, "Follow me."

²⁰Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had also leaned back against the side of Jesus at the dinner and who had said, "Lord, who is the one who will betray you?"²¹Peter saw him and then said to Jesus, "Lord, what will this man do?"

²²Jesus said to him, "If I want him to stay until I come, what is that to you? Follow me."

²³So this statement spread among the brothers, that that disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to Peter that the other disciple would not die, but, "If I want him to stay until I come, what is that to you?"

²⁴This is the disciple who testifies about these things, and who wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.²⁵There are also many other things that Jesus did. If each one were written down, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

John 21:5

Young men

"My dear friends."

John 21:6

you will find some

"you will catch some fish in your net"

draw it in

"pull the net in"

John 21:7

loved

he tied up his outer garment

"he secured his outer garment around him" or "he put on his tunic"

for he was undressed

"for he had taken off some of his clothes"

threw himself into the sea

"jumped into the sea and swam to shore"

John 21:8

two hundred cubits

"90 meters." A cubit was a little less than half a meter.

John 21:11

Simon Peter then went up

"So Simon Peter went back to the boat"

drew the net to land

"pulled the net to the shore"

full of large fish, 153

"full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three."

John 21:12

breakfast

the morning meal

John 21:14

the third time

You can translate this ordinal term as "time number 3."

John 21:15

do you love me

The kind of love that comes from God is focused on having good things happen to others even when those good things do not happen to the one who loves.

you know that I love you

When Peter answers, he uses the word for "love" that refers to brotherly love or love for a friend or family member.

Feed my lambs

"Feed the people I care for"

John 21:16

Shepherd my sheep

"Care for the people I care for"

John 21:17

do you love me

This time when Jesus asks this question he uses the word for "love" that refers to brotherly love or love for a friend or family member.

Feed my sheep

"Care for the people I care for"

John 21:18

you used to gird yourself ... someone else will gird you

"you used to dress yourself ... someone else will dress you"

John 21:19

to indicate with what kind of death Peter would glorify God

"to indicate that Peter would die on a cross to honor God"

Follow me

"Keep on being my disciple"

John 21:20

the disciple whom Jesus loved

John refers to himself in this way throughout the book, rather than mentioning his name.

loved

This is the kind of love that comes from God and always desires the good of others, even when it does not benefit oneself. This kind of love cares for others, no matter what they do.

at the dinner

This is a reference to the Last Supper

John 21:21

Peter saw him

Here "him" refers to "the disciple whom Jesus loved."

Lord, what will this man do?

"Lord, what will happen to this man?"

John 21:22

Jesus said to him

"Jesus said to Peter"

If I want him to stay

Here "him" refers to the "disciple whom Jesus loved"

I come

This refers to Jesus's second coming, his return to earth from heaven.

what is that to you?

"that is not your concern." or "you should not be concerned about that."

John 21:23

among the brothers

Here "the brothers" refers to all the followers of Jesus.

John 21:24

the disciple

"the disciple John"

who testifies about these things

"who has seen all these things"

we know

"we who trust in Jesus know"

John 21:25

If each one were written down

"If someone wrote down all of them"

even the world itself could not contain the books

John exaggerates to emphasize that Jesus did many more miracles than what people could write about in many books.

the books that would be written

"the books that people could write about what he did"

Translation Words

Abraham

Related Words:

Facts:

Abram was a Chaldean man from the city of Ur who was chosen by God to be the forefather of the Israelites. God changed his name to "Abraham."

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

Andrew

Facts:

Andrew was one of twelve men whom Jesus chose to be his closest disciples (later called apostles).

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

Annas

Facts:

Annas was the Jewish high priest in Jerusalem for 10 years, from approximately AD 6 to AD 15. Then he was removed from the high priesthood by the Roman government, although he continued to be an influential leader among the Jews.

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

Aram

Related Words:

Facts:

"Aram" was the name of two men in the Old Testament. It was also the name of a region northeast of Canaan, where modern-day Syria is located.

Bible References:

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Forms Found in the English ULB:

Barabbas

Facts:

Bible References:

Word Data:

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Bethany

Facts:

The town of Bethany was located at the base of the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, about 2 miles east of Jerusalem.

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

Bethlehem

Facts:

Bethlehem was a small city in the land of Israel, near the city of Jerusalem. It was also known as "Ephrathah," which was probably its original name.

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

Caesar

Related Words:

Facts:

The term "Caesar" was the name or title used by many of the rulers of the Roman Empire. In the Bible, this name refers to three different Roman rulers.

Bible References:

Word Data:

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Caiaphas

Facts:

Caiaphas was the high priest of Israel during the time of John the Baptist and Jesus.

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

Cana

Facts:

Cana was a village or town in the province of Galilee, located about nine miles north of Nazareth.

Bible References:

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Forms Found in the English ULB:

Capernaum

Facts:

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

Christ

Related Ideas:

Facts:

The terms "Messiah" and "Christ" mean "Anointed One" and refer to Jesus, God's Son.

Translation Suggestions:

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

David

Facts:

David was the second king of Israel and he loved and served God. He was the main writer of the book of Psalms.

Bible References:

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Elijah

Facts:

Elijah was one of the most important prophets of Yahweh. Elijah prophesied during the reigns of several kings of Israel and Judah, including King Ahab.

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

Ephraim

Related Words:

Facts:

Ephraim was the second son of Joseph. His descendants, the Ephraimites, formed one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Bible References:

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Forms Found in the English ULB:

Eve

Facts:

Bible References:

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Galilee

Related Words:

Facts:

Galilee was the most northern region of Israel, just north of Samaria. A "Galilean" was a person who lived in Galilee or who lived in Galilee.

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

Gath

Related Words:

Facts:

Gath was one of the five major cities of the Philistines. It was located north of Ekron and east of Ashdod and Ashkelon.

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

God

Related Ideas:

Facts:

In the Bible, the term "God" refers to the eternal being who created the universe out of nothing. God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God's personal name is "Yahweh."

Translation Suggestions:

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

God the Father

Related Ideas:

Facts:

The terms "God the Father" and "heavenly Father" refer to Yahweh, the one true God. Another term with the same meaning is "Father," used most often when Jesus was referring to him.

Translation Suggestions:

Bible References:

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Golgotha

Facts:

"Golgotha" was the name of the place where Jesus was crucified. Its name comes from an Aramaic word that means "Skull" or "Place of the Skull."

Bible References:

Word Data:

Forms Found in the English ULB:

Greek

Related Words:

Facts:

The term "Greek" refers to the language spoken in the country of Greece. It is also a person from the country of Greece. Greek was also spoken throughout the Roman Empire. The term "Grecian" means "Greek-speaking."

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Holy One

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Holy Spirit

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These terms all refer to the Holy Spirit, who is God. The one true God exists eternally as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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Holy Spirit, Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of the Lord Yahweh

Isaiah

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Isaiah was a prophet of God who prophesied during the reigns of four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

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Israel

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The term "Israel" is the name that God gave to Jacob. It means "he struggles with God."

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Jacob

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Jerusalem

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Jerusalem was originally an ancient Canaanite city that later became the most important city in Israel. It is located about 34 kilometers west of the Salt Sea and just north of Bethlehem. It is still the capital city of Israel today.

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Jesus

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Jew

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Jews are people who are descendants of Abraham's grandson Jacob. The word "Jew" comes from the word "Judah."

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Jew, Jewish, Jews, Jews', a person of Judah, the language of Judah, the people of Judah

Jewish authorities

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The term "Jewish leader" or "Jewish authority" refers to religious leaders such as the priests and teachers of God's laws. They also had the authority to make judgments about non-religious matters as well.

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Jordan River

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The Jordan River is a river that flows from north to south, and forms the eastern boundary of the land that was called Canaan.

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Judas Iscariot

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Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus' apostles. He was the one who betrayed Jesus to the Jewish leaders.

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Judea

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The term "Judea" refers to an area of land in ancient Israel. It is sometimes used in a narrow sense and other times in a broad sense.

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King of the Jews

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Lazarus

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Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, were special friends of Jesus. Jesus often stayed with them in their home in Bethany.

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Levi

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Levi was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, or Israel. The term "Levite" refers to a person who is a member of the Israelite tribe whose ancestor was Levi.

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Martha

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Mary

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Mary was a young woman living in the city of Nazareth who was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph. God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.

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Mary Magdalene

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Mary Magdalene was one of several women who believed in Jesus and followed him in his ministry. She was known as the one whom Jesus had healed from seven demons who had controlled her.

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Moses

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Mount of Olives

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The Mount of Olives is a mountain or large hill located near the east side of the city of Jerusalem. It is about 787 meters high.

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Nathan

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Nathan was a faithful prophet of God who lived while David was king over Israel.

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Nazareth

Facts:

Nazareth is a town in the region of Galilee in northern Israel. It is about 100 kilometers north of Jerusalem, and it took about three to five days to travel on foot.

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Passover

Facts:

The "Passover" is the name of a religious festival that the Jews celebrate every year, to remember how God rescued their ancestors, the Israelites, from slavery in Egypt.

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Peter

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Peter was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. He was an important leader of the early Church.

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Pharisee

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The Pharisees were an important, powerful group of Jewish religious leaders in Jesus' time.

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Philip

Facts:

In the early Christian church in Jerusalem, Philip was one of seven leaders chosen to care for the poor and needy Christians, especially the widows.

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Philip

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Philip the apostle was one of the original twelve disciples of Jesus. He was from the town of Bethsaida.

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Pilate

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Pilate was the governor of the Roman province of Judea who sentenced Jesus to death.

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Rabbi

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Sabbath

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The term "Sabbath" refers to the seventh day of the week, which God commanded the Israelites to set apart as a day of rest and doing no work.

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Samaria

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Samaria was the name of a city and its surrounding region in the northern part of Israel. The Plain of Sharon is west of this region, and the Jordan River is east of this region. The people of Samaria were called Samaritans.

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Satan

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Although the devil is a spirit being that God created, he rebelled against God and became God's enemy. The devil is also called "Satan" and "the evil one."

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Savior

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The term "savior" refers to a person who saves or rescues others from danger. It can also refer to someone who gives strength to others or provides for them.

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Sea of Galilee

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The "Sea of Galilee" is a lake in eastern Israel. It was also referred to as the "Sea of Tiberias" and the "lake of Gennesaret." In the Old Testament it was called the "Sea of Kinnereth."

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Sea of Galilee, Sea of Kinnereth, lake of Gennesaret, Sea of Tiberias, Kinnereth

Solomon

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Son of God

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The term "Son of God" refers to Jesus, the Word of God, who came into the world as a human being. He is also often referred to as "the Son."

Because Jesus is God's Son, he loves and obeys his Father, and his Father loves him.

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Son of Man

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The title "Son of Man" was used by Jesus to refer to himself. He often used this term instead of saying "I" or "me."

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Thomas

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Thomas was one of twelve men whom Jesus chose to be his disciples and later, apostles. He was also known as "Didymus," which means "twin."

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Zebedee

Facts:

Zebedee was a fisherman from Galilee who is known because of his sons, James and John, who were Jesus' disciples. They are often identified in the New Testament as the "sons of Zebedee."

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Zion

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Originally, the term "Zion" or "Mount Zion" referred to a stronghold or fortress that King David captured from the Jebusites. Both these terms became other ways of referring to Jerusalem.

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accuse

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The terms "accuse" and "accusation" refer to blaming someone for doing something wrong. A person who accuses others is an "accuser."

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adultery

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The term "adultery" refers to a sin that occurs when a married person has sexual relations with someone who is not that person's spouse. Both of them are guilty of adultery. The term "adulterous" describes this kind of behavior or any person who commits this sin.

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adulterer, adulterers, adulteress, adulteresses, adulteries, adulterous, adultery, immoral woman

age

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The term "age" refers to the length of time a person has lived. The term "aged" describes a person who is very old. The term "age" is also used to refer generally to a time period.

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amazed

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amazement, appalled, astonished, astounded, incomprehensible, marvel, marvelous, perplexed, remarkable, surprised, wonder, wonderful

Definition:

Some of these terms mean to be very surprised because of something very unusual that happened. Many of these terms are positive and express that the people were happy about what had happened. Usually the event that caused the wonder and amazement was a miracle, something only God could do.

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amazed, amazement, amazing events, amazing things, appalled, appalling, astonish, astonished, astonishing, astounded, incomprehensible, marvel, marveled, marveling, marvelous, marvelous things, perplexed, remarkable, surprised, wonder, wonderful, wondering, wonders

amen

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The term "amen" is a word used to emphasize or call attention to what a person has said. It is often used at the end of a prayer. Sometimes it is translated as "truly."

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angel

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An angel is a powerful spirit being whom God created. Angels exist to serve God by doing whatever he tells them to do. The term "archangel" refers to the angel who rules or leads all the other angels.

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anger

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To "be angry" or to "have anger" means to be very displeased, irritated, and upset about something or against someone.

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anger, anger burned, angered, angry, burning anger, indignant, indignation, quick-tempered

anoint

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The term "anoint" means to rub or pour oil on a person or object. Sometimes the oil was mixed with spices, giving it a sweet, perfumed smell. The term is also used figuratively to refer to the Holy Spirit choosing and empowering someone.

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appoint

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appointment, direct, predetermine, put in place, reserve, select, set in place, set over, set up, set under

Definition:

The terms "appoint" and "appointed" refer to choosing someone to fulfill a specific task or role.

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appoint, appointed, appointed by lot, appointment, appoints, area ... reserved, directed, predetermined, put ... in place, reserved, selected, selects, set ... in place, set ... over, set ... up, set under

ark

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The term "ark" literally refers to a rectangular wooden box that is made to hold or protect something. An ark can be large or small, depending on what it is being used for.

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ash

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The term "ash" or "ashes" refers to the grey powdery substance that is left behind after wood is burned. It is sometimes used figuratively to refer to something that is worthless or useless.

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asleep

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The phrases "lie with" and "sleep with," when referring to what a man and a woman do together, is a euphemism for them having sexual relations.

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asleep, fallen asleep, fell asleep, sleep, lay down, lies down, sleeper, sleeping, sleeps, slept

astray

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The terms "stray" and "go astray" mean to disobey God's will. People who are "led astray" have allowed other people or circumstances to influence them to disobey God.

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astray, drawn away, go astray, goes astray, gone astray, lead ... astray, leads ... astray, led ... astray, made ... mistake, mislead, misleading, misleads, misled, mistaken, stray, strayed, straying, strays, wander, went astray

authority

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The term "authority" refers to the power of influence and control that someone has over someone else.

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authorities, authority, authority to judge, places ... in charge, put ... in charge, puts ... in charge, right, was ... in charge, were ... in charge

baptize

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In the New Testament, the terms "baptize" and "baptism" usually refer to ritually bathing a Christian with water to show that he has been cleansed from sin and has been united with Christ.

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barley

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basket

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bear

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The term "bear" literally means "carry" something. There are also many figurative uses of this term.

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bear, bearer, bearing, bearing with, bears, birth, bore, born, borne, carried, carry, carrying, childbirth, gave birth, give birth, given birth, gives birth, has ... borne, have ... borne, support, supported, supports, sustain, sustains, tolerate

bear

Definition:

A bear is a large, four-legged furry animal with dark brown or black hair, with sharp teeth and claws. Bears were common in Israel during Bible times.

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beg

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The term "beg" means to urgently ask someone for something. It often refers to asking for money, but it is also commonly used to refer to pleading for something.

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believe

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The terms "believe" and "believe in" are closely related, but have slightly different meanings:

In the Bible, the term "believer" refers to someone who believes in and relies on Jesus Christ as Savior.

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am persuaded, belief, believe, believed, believer, believers, believes, believing, has faith, persuade, persuaded, persuading, persuasiveness, were persuaded

betray

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betrayal, betrayer, give over, hand over, traitor, treacherous, treacherously, treachery, turn over

Definition:

The term "betray" means to act in a way that deceives a person and allows other people to harm that person. A "betrayer" is a person who betrays a friend who was trusting him.

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betray, betrayal, betrayed, betrayer, betrayers, betraying, betrays, give ... over, given ... over, hand ... over, handed ... over, traitor, traitors, treacherous, treacherously, treachery, turn ... over

blasphemy

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Definition:

In the Bible, the term "blasphemy" refers to speaking in a way that shows a deep disrespect for God or people. To "blaspheme" or "insult" or "revile" someone is to speak against that person so that others think something false or bad about him.

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blaspheme, blasphemed, blasphemer, blasphemers, blasphemes, blasphemies, blaspheming, blasphemous, blasphemy, insult, insulted, insulting, insults, revile, reviled, reviling

bless

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To "bless" someone or something means to cause good and beneficial things to happen to the person or thing that is being blessed.

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blood

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The term "blood" refers to the red liquid that comes out of a person's skin when there is an injury or wound. Blood brings life-giving nutrients to a person's entire body.

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body

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The term "body" literally refers to the physical body of a person or animal. This term is also used figuratively to refer to an object or whole group that has individual members.

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born again

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The term "born again" was first used by Jesus to describe what it means for God to change a person from being dead spiritually to being alive spiritually. The terms "born of God" and "born of the Spirit" also refer to a person being given new spiritual life.

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bow

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Note

Definition:

To bow means to bend over to humbly express respect and honor toward someone. To "bow down" means to bend over or kneel down very low, often with face and hands toward the ground.

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are bent, bend, bend the knee, bow, bow down, bowed, bowed ... down, bowed ... down ... before, bowing, bowing down, bows, bows down, fall down, fell, fell down, has ... bent, have ... bent, kneel, kneeling, knelt, will bend

bread

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Bread is a food made from flour mixed with water and oil to form a dough. The dough is then shaped into a loaf and baked.

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breath

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In the Bible, the terms "breathe" and "breath" are often used figuratively to refer to giving life or having life.

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bride

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A bride is the woman in a wedding ceremony who is getting married to her husband, the bridegroom.

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bridegroom

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brother

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The term "brother" usually refers to a male person who shares at least one biological parent with another person.

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bury

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The term "bury" usually refers to putting a dead body into a hole or other burial place. The term "burial" is the act of burying something or can be used to describe a place used to bury something.

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call

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The terms "call to" and "call out" mean to say something loudly to someone who is not nearby. To "call" someone means to summon that person. There are also some other meanings.

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appeal to, appealed to, appealing to, call, called, called on, called out, calling, calling out, calls, calls out, invite, invited, summon, summoned, summoning

chief

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The term "chief" refers to the most powerful or most important leader of a particular group.

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chief priests

Definition:

The chief priests were important Jewish religious leaders during the time that Jesus lived on earth.

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children

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In the Bible, the term "child" is often used to generally refer to someone who is young in age, including an infant.

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circumcise

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The term "circumcise" means to cut off the foreskin of a man or male child. A circumcision ceremony may be performed in connection with this.

The terms "uncircumcised" and "uncircumcision" refer to a male who has not been physically circumcised. These terms are also used figuratively.

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clean

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The term "clean" literally means to not have any dirt or stain. In the Bible, words like "clean" and "washed" are often used figuratively to mean, "pure," "holy," "free from sin," or "innocent".

In the Bible, the term "unclean" is used figuratively to refer to things that God declared to be unfit for his people to touch, eat, or sacrifice.

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clean, cleaned, cleanness, cleans, cleanse, cleansed, cleanses, cleansing, purge, unclean, uncleanness, wash, washed, washes, washing

comfort

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Definition:

The terms "comfort" and "comforter" refer to helping someone who is suffering physical or emotional pain.

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comfort, comforted, comforter, comforters, comforting, comforts, consolation, consolations, consoling, uncomforted

command

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Definition:

The term to "command" means to order someone to do something. A "command" or "commandment" is what the person was ordered to do.

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command, commanded, commanding, commandment, commandments, commands, forbid, forbidden, forbidding, give ... solemn command, given ... solemn commands, given an order, given orders, order, ordered, orders, requirement, solemn commands

commit

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Definition:

The terms "commit" and "commitment" refer to making a decision or promising to do something.

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condemn

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Definition:

The terms "condemn" and "condemnation" refer to judging someone for doing something wrong.

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condemn, condemnation, condemned, condemning, condemns, denounce, sentence, sentence of condemnation, sentenced to death

confess

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Definition:

To confess means to admit or assert that something is true. A "confession" is a statement or admission that something is true.

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confirm

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Definition:

The terms "confirm" and "confirmation" refer to stating or assuring that something is true or sure or trustworthy.

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carry out, cause ... to believe firmly, confirm, confirmation, confirmed, confirms, guaranteed

consume

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Definition:

The term "consume" literally means to use up something. It has several figurative meanings.

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council

Definition:

A council is a group of people who meet to discuss, give advice, and make decisions about important matters.

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courage

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The term "courage" refers to boldly facing or doing something that is difficult, frightening, or dangerous.

The terms "encourage" and encouragement" refer to saying and doing things to cause someone to have comfort, hope, confidence, and courage.

The term "discourage" refers to saying and doing things that cause people to lose hope, confidence, and courage and so to have less desire to keep working hard to do what they know they should do.

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brave, bravest, courage, courageous, dare, dared, discourage, discouraged, discouragement, discouraging, encourage, encouraged, encouragement, encouraging, take courage

court

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Definition:

The terms "courtyard" and "court" refer to an enclosed area that is open to the sky and surrounded by walls. The term "court" also refers to a place where judges decide legal and criminal matters.

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cross

Definition:

In Bible times, a cross was an upright wooden post stuck into the ground, with a horizontal wooden beam attached to it near the top.

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crown

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A crown is a decorative, circular headpiece worn on the head of rulers such as kings and queens. The term to "crown" means to put a crown on someone's head; figuratively it means to "honor."

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crucify

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Definition:

The term "crucify" means to execute someone by attaching him to a cross and leaving him there to suffer and die in great pain.

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cry

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Definition:

The terms "cry" or "cry out" often mean to say something loudly and urgently. Someone can "cry out" in pain or in distress or in anger.

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cried, cried for help, cried out, cries, cries of distress, cries out, cry, cry ... for help, cry aloud, cry of distress, cry out, crying, crying out, outcries, outcry, raised ... voice, scream, screams, shout, shout out loud, shouted, shouting, shouting out, shouts, speak out, spoke loudly

curse

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Definition:

The term "curse" means to cause negative things to happen to the person or thing that is being cursed.

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cut off

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Definition:

The expression "cut off" literally means to use a sharp instrument to remove a part of something. This can refer to, for example, removing a limb from a tree or an arm or leg from a person, or to chopping a tree completely down.

The expression "cut off" is also used to refer to God causing a river to stop flowing.

The metaphor "cut off" refers to people or God separating a person from his nation or community either by driving him away or by killing him.

To "pluck" is to separate a part of something from the rest by pulling it off or out.

Picture of Cut Off From People:

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chop ... down, chopped ... down, cut ... down, cut ... off, cut ... out of, cut in two, cut off, cuts ... off, cutting ... off, eliminate, pluck ... out, shear, sheared, tear ... off

darkness

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Definition:

The terms "darkness" and "gloom" literally means an absence of light. There are also several figurative meanings of these terms:

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daughter of Zion

Definition:

"Daughter of Zion" is a figurative way of referring to the people of Israel. It is usually used in prophecies.

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day

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Definition:

The term "day" literally refers to a period of time lasting 24 hours beginning at sundown. It is also used figuratively.

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death

Related Ideas:

breathed their last, dead, deadly, deadness, deathly, die, lethal, mortal, stop breathing

Definition:

This term is used to refer to both physical and spiritual death. Physically, it refers to when the physical body of a person stops living. Spiritually, it refers to sinners being separated from a holy God because of their sin.

1. Physical death

2. Spiritual death

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about to die, breathed ... last, causes ... death, dead, deadly, deadness, death, deathly, deaths, die, die with, died, dies, dying, fatal, lethal, mortal, stop breathing, stops breathing

deceive

Related Ideas:

lie, deal falsely, deceit, deception, deceptive, delusion, entice, error, false, falsehood, flatter, illusion, trick

Definition:

The word "deceive" means to cause someone to believe something that is not true.

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a lie, deal falsely, deceit, deceitful, deceitfully, deceitfulness, deceive, deceived, deceiver, deceivers, deceives, deceiving, deception, deceptive, defraud, defrauded, delusion, entice, error, false, falsehood, falsely, flatter, flattering, flatters, flattery, illusions, liar, liars, lies, trick

declare

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The terms "declare" and "declaration" refer to making a formal or public statement, often to emphasize something. To "proclaim" means to announce or declare something publicly and boldly.

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announce, announced, announces, declaration, declarations, declare, declared, declares, declaring, proclaim, proclaimed, proclaiming, proclaims, proclamation, proclamations, pronounces

defile

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The terms "defile" and "be defiled" refer to becoming polluted or dirty. Something can be defiled in a physical, moral, or ritual sense.

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are defiled, be defiled, defile, defiled, defiles, defiling, polluted, pollutes, pollution, stain, stained, was defiled, were defiled

demon

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All these terms refer to demons, which are spirit beings that oppose God's will.

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demon-possessed

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Definition:

A person who is demon-possessed has a demon or evil spirit that controls what he does and thinks.

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descendant

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A "descendant" is someone who is a direct blood relative of someone else further back in history.

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destroy

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break down, bring ... to nothing, destruction, remove, cut to pieces, demolish, destroyer, destructive, downfall, overthrow, pass away, put an end to, shatter, spoil, throw down, waste away

Definition:

To destroy something is to completely make an end to it, so that it no longer exists.

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an end is put to, be destroyed, break ... down, breaking ... down, breaks ... down, bring ... to nothing, broke to pieces, broken, broken to pieces, brought ... down, brought ... to nothing, complete destruction, completely destroy, completely destroyed, crashing sound, cut ... to pieces, cut into pieces, cuts ... into pieces, demolish, destroy, destroy ... completely, destroyed, destroyer, destroyers, destroying, destroys, destruction, destructive, downfall, overthrew, overthrown, pass away, put an end to, shatter, shattered, shattering, spoil, throw down, throws ... down, thrown down, wasting away

disciple

Definition:

The term "disciple" refers to a person who spends much time with a teacher, learning from that teacher's character and teaching.

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dishonor

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The term "dishonor" means to do something that is disrespectful to someone. This can also cause that person shame or disgrace.

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disobey

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The term "disobey" means to not obey what someone in authority has commanded or instructed. A person who does this is being "disobedient."

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donkey

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A donkey is a four-legged work animal, similar to a horse, but smaller and with longer ears.

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dove

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Doves and pigeons are two kinds of small, gray-brown birds that look similar. A dove is often thought of as being lighter in color, almost white.

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drunk

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The term "drunk" means to be intoxicated from drinking too much of an alcoholic beverage.

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be ... intoxicated, became drunk, become drunk, drank freely, drink much, drunk, drunkard, drunkards, drunkenness, get drunk

earth

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The term "earth" refers to the world that human beings live on, along with all other forms of life.

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endure

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The term "endure" means to last a long time or to bear something difficult with patience.

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endurance, endure, endured, endures, enduring, patient endurance, put up with, resist, stand

evil

Related Ideas:

deal violently, displeasing, evil actions, evil deeds, evil plans, fraudulent, harm, harmful, violate, violence, violent, wicked, wicked deeds, wickedly, wickedness, wretched, wretchedly

Definition:

The terms "evil" and "wicked" both refer to anything that is opposed to God's holy character and will.

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deal violently, deal worse, displeasing, do ... evil, do ... violence, done ... violence, evil, evil actions, evil deeds, evil plans, evils, fraudulent, harm, harmful, violate, violated, violates, violence, violent, wicked, wicked deeds, wickedly, wickedness, wretched, wretchedly, wretches

evildoer

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The term "evildoer" is a general reference to people who do sinful and wicked things.

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did ... harm, do ... harm, doing evil, doing harm, evildoer, evildoers, harmed, work out evil

face

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The word "face" literally refers to the front part of a person's head. This term also has several figurative meanings.

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fast

Definition:

The term to "fast" means to stop eating food for a period of time, such as for a day or more. Sometimes it also includes not drinking.

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father

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ancestor, ancestor's, ancestors, ancestors', ancestral, beget, begot, father, father's, fathered, fathering, fatherless, fathers, fathers', forefather, forefathers, grandfather, orphan, orphans

fear

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afraid, alarmed, anxiety, coward, dismay, dread, fainthearted, fearful, fearlessly, fearsome, frighten, timid, unafraid

Definition:

The terms "fear" and "afraid" refer to the unpleasant feeling a person has when there is a threat of harm to himself or others.

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afraid, alarmed, anxiety, cowards, dismay, dismayed, dread, dreaded, fainthearted, fear, feared, fearful, fearful thing, fearlessly, fears, fearsome, frighten, frightened, timid, unafraid

festival

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fig

Definition:

A fig is a small, soft, sweet fruit that grows on trees. When ripe, this fruit can be a variety of colors, including brown, yellow, or purple.

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fir

Definition:

A fir tree is a kind of tree that stays green all year and has cones that contain seeds.

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fire

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blazing, fiery, fire, firebrands, fires, flaming, kindle, kindled, kindles, set fire to, set ... on fire, sets ... on fire

flesh

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In the Bible, the term "flesh" literally refers to the soft tissue of the physical body of a human being or animal.

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flock

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In the Bible, "flock" refers to a group of sheep or goats and "herd" refers to a group of cattle, oxen, or pigs.

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forgive

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To forgive someone means to not hold a grudge against that person even though they did something hurtful. "Forgiveness" is the act of forgiving someone.

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found

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The verb "found" means build, create, or lay a base for. The phrase "founded on" means supported by or based on. A "foundation" is the base of support on which something is built or created.

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established, establishes, found, foundation, foundations, founded, founder, founds, lay ... foundation, lay ... foundations

fountain

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The terms "fountain" and "spring" usually refer to a large amount of water that flows out naturally from the ground.

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free

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The terms "free" or "freedom" refer to not being in slavery, or any other kind of bondage. Another word for "freedom" is "liberty."

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free, freed, freedom, freeing, freely, freely gave, freeman, frees, liberty, set ... free, volunteer, volunteered, without cost, without paying for it

fruit

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bear fruit, crop, crops, fruit, fruitful, fruits, produce, productive land, unfruitful

fulfill

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carried out, fill up ... to the limit, finishing, fulfill, fulfilled, fulfillment, fulfills, in full, make ... full

gate

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A "gate" is a hinged barrier at an access point in a fence or wall that surrounds a house or city.

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gift

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The term "gift" refers to anything that is given or offered to someone. A gift is given without the expectation of getting anything in return

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gird

Definition:

The term "gird" means to fasten something around something else. It often refers to wrapping a belt or sash around the waist to keep a robe or tunic in place.

Picture of Girding a sword:

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glory

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In general, the term "glory" means honor, splendor, and extreme greatness. Anything that has glory is said to be "glorious."

The term "glorify" means to show or tell how great and important something or someone is. It literally means to "give glory to."

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beautiful, beauty, glories, glorified, glorifies, glorify, glorifying, glorious, glory, take pride

god

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disgusting figure, false god, goat idols, goddess, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry

Definition:

A false god is something that people worship instead of the one true God. The term "goddess" refers specifically to a female false god.

An idol is an object that people make so they can worship it. Something is described as "idolatrous" if it involves giving honor to something other than the one true God.

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disgusting figure, disgusting figures, false god, goat idols, god, goddess, gods, idol, idol's, idolater, idolaters, idolatrous, idolatry, idols, idols'

good

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Definition:

The word "good" has different meanings depending on the context. Many languages will use different words to translate these different meanings.

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best, better, do ... good, fair, good, good things, goodness, goods, improved, made ... better, prefer, proper, seemed good, well

grace

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Definition:

The word "grace" refers to help or blessing that is given to someone who has not earned it. The term "gracious" describes someone who shows grace to others.

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grain

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Definition:

The term "grain" usually refers to the seed of a food plant such as wheat, barley, corn, millet, or rice. It can also refer to the whole plant.

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guilt

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cause ... to become guilty, find guilty, guilt, guilty, held accountable, reason for ... penalty

hand

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by the hand of, fist, from the hand of, hand, handbreadth, handed, handful, handfuls, handing, hands, lay a hand on, lays his hand on

hang

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hard

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Definition:

The term "hard" has several different meanings, depending on the context. It usually describes something that is difficult, persistent, or unyielding.

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hard, harden, hardened, hardening, hardens, harder, hardest, hardly, hardness, hardship, hardships

harvest

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The term "harvest" refers to the gathering in of ripe fruits or vegetables from the plants on which they were growing.

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head

Definition:

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heal

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The terms "heal" and "cure" both mean to cause a sick, wounded, or disabled person to be healthy again.

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cure, cured, heal, healed, healer, healers, healing, healings, heals, health, healthy, made ... fresh, made ... well, make ... fresh, recovered, unhealthy

heart

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Definition:

In the Bible, the term "heart" is often used figuratively to refer to a person's thoughts, emotions, desires, or will.

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heaven

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Definition:

The term that is translated as "heaven" usually refers to where God lives. The same word can also mean "sky," depending on the context.

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heir

Definition:

An "heir" is a person who legally receives property or money that belonged to a person who has died.

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high priest

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Definition:

The term "high priest" refers to a special priest who was appointed to serve for one year as the leader of all the other Israelite priests.

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honor

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dignified, esteem, held in honor, highly regarded, honorable, of high standing, places of honor, recognition

Definition:

The terms "honor" and to "honor" refer to giving someone respect, esteem, or reverence.

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dignified, esteem, held in honor, highly regarded, honor, honorable, honored, honoring, honors, of high standing, places of honor, recognition

hope

Definition:

Hope is strongly desiring something to happen. Hope can imply either certainty or uncertainty regarding a future event.

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horn

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Horns are permanent, hard, pointed growths on the heads of many types of animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, and deer.

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hour

Definition:

In addition to being used to refer to when or how long something took place, the term "hour" is also used in several figurative ways:

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house

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household

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The term "household" refers to all the people who live together in a house, including family members and all their servants.

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is written

Definition:

The phrase "as it is written" or "what is written" occurs frequently in the New Testament and usually refers to commands or prophecies that were written in the Hebrew scriptures.

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are ... written, had ... been written, has ... been written, have ... been written, is ... written, is it ... written, it is written, it was written, Moses ... wrote, was written, were ... written

joy

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enjoy, enjoyment, glad, gladness, greet, joyful, joyfulness, jubilant, merry-hearted, rejoice, source of gladness

Definition:

Joy is a feeling of delight or deep satisfaction that comes from God. The related term "joyful" describes a person who feels very glad and is full of deep happiness.

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be glad, be merry, enjoy, enjoyed, enjoying, enjoyment, enjoys, glad, gladness, greet, greeted, greeting, greetings, greets, joy, joyful, joyful shouting, joyfully, joyfulness, jubilant, make ... glad, makes ... glad, merry-hearted, rejoice, rejoiced, rejoiced greatly, rejoices, rejoices greatly, rejoicing, shout for joy, shout joyfully, shout of joy, shouts of joy, source of gladness, was merry

judge

Related Ideas:

act of judging, consider, decide, decision, give justice, give judgment, judgment, judgment seat

Definition:

The terms "judge" and "judgment" often refer to making a decision about whether something is morally right or wrong.

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acts of judgment, consider, considered, considering, decide, decided, decided on, decision, give justice, giving judgment, have decided, insightful decisions, judge, judged, judges, judging, judgment, judgment seat, judgments, renders judgment, will judge

judge

Definition:

A judge is a person who decides what is right or wrong when there are disputes between people, usually in matters that pertain to the law.

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kin

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The term "kin" refers to a person's blood relatives, considered as a group. The word "kinsman" refers specifically to a male relative.

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kind

Definition:

The terms "kind" and "kinds" refer to groups or classifications of things that are connected by shared characteristics.

Picture showing Kinds:

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king

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Definition:

The term "king" refers to a man who is the supreme ruler of a city, state, or country.

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king, king's, kingly, kings, kingship, made ... king, set up ... king, set up kings

kingdom

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Definition:

A kingdom is a group of people ruled by a king. It also refers to the realm or political regions over which a king or other ruler has control and authority.

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kingdom of God

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Definition:

The terms "kingdom of God" and "kingdom of heaven" both refer to God's rule and authority over his people and over all creation.

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know

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Definition:

To "know" means to understand something or to be aware of a fact. The expression "make known" is an expression that means to tell information.

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knew, know, know ... beforehand, knowing, knowledge, known, knows, made ... known, made known, make ... known, makes known, unknowingly, unknown

labor

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fellow laborers, forced labor, hard labor, hard-working, laborer, occupation, strive, struggle, toil

Definition:

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fellow laborers, forced labor, hard labor, hard-working, labor, labored, laborer, laborer's, laborers, laboring, labors, occupation, product of ... labor, products of ... labor, strive, strives, striving together, struggle, toil, toiled, toiling, toils

lamb

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Definition:

The term "lamb" refers to a young sheep. Sheep are four-legged animals with thick, woolly hair, used for sacrifices to God. Jesus is called the "Lamb of God" because he was sacrificed to pay for people's sins.

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lament

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Definition:

The terms "lament" and "lamentation" refer to a strong expression of mourning, sorrow, or grief.

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dirge, lament, lamentation, lamentations, lamented, lamenting, laments, sing dirges

lamp

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The term "lamp" generally refers to something that produces light. The lamps used in Bible times were usually oil lamps.

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last day

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Definition:

The term "last days" or "latter days" refers generally to the time period at the end of the current age.

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law

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Definition:

A "law" is a legal rule that is usually written down and enforced by someone in authority. A "principle" is a guideline for decision-making and behavior.

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law, lawbreaker, lawbreakers, lawgiver, laws, lawyer, principle, principled, principles

law of Moses

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God's law, book of Moses, book of the law, expert in the law, law of God, law of Yahweh, law of the Lord, the law

Definition:

All these terms refer to the commandments and instructions that God gave Moses for the Israelites to obey. The terms "law" and "God's law" are also used more generally to refer to everything God wants his people to obey.

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God's law, book of Moses, book of the law, expert in the law, law of Moses, law of Yahweh, law of the Lord, the law, the law of God, your law

lawful

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Definition:

The term "lawful" refers to something that is permitted to be done according to a law or other requirement. The opposite of this is "unlawful," which simply means "not lawful."

The terms "unlawful" and "not lawful" are used to describe actions that break a law.

The term "lawless" describes a person who does not obey laws or rules. When a country or group of people are in a state of "lawlessness," there is widespread disobedience, rebellion, or immorality.

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life

Related Ideas:

alive, come to life, conduct, exist, fresh, life-giving, lifetime, live, revive, survive, survivor

Definition:

All these terms refer to being physically alive, not dead. They are also used figuratively to refer to being alive spiritually. The following discusses what is meant by "physical life" and "spiritual life."

1. Physical life

2. Spiritual life

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alive, come to life, conduct, conducted, existed, fresh, keep ... alive, life, life-giving, lifeless, lifetime, live, lived, lives, living, revive, revived, survive, survived, survivor, survivors

light

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Definition:

There are several figurative uses of the term "light" in the Bible. It is often used as a metaphor for righteousness, holiness, and truth.

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according to, alike, as, as if, compare, in the same way, just as, liken, likeness, likewise, resemble, similar, similarly, unlike

Definition:

The terms "like" and "likeness" refer to something being the same as, or similar to, something else.

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according to, alike, as, as if, be ... like, become ... like, compare, in the same way, is ... like, just as, like, liken, likeness, likenesses, likewise, resemble, resembled, similar to, similarly, the same, the same way, unlike

livestock

Definitions:

The term "livestock" refers to animals which are raised to provide food and other useful products. Some types of livestock are also trained as work animals.

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lots

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Definition:

A "lot" is a marked object that is chosen from among other similar objects as a way of deciding something. "Casting lots" referred to tossing marked objects onto the ground or other surface.

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allotted, allotted portion, cast lots, chosen by lot, divide up ... by lot, lot, lots

love

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Definition:

To love another person is to care for that person and do things that will benefit him. There are different meanings for "love" some languages may express using different words:

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manna

Definition:

Manna was a white, grain-like food that God provided for the Israelites to eat during the 40 years of living in the wilderness after they left Egypt.

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member

Definition:

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messenger

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mind

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expect, expected, intention, likeminded, mind, minded, mindful, minds, sober, think, think carefully about, thinks, thought, thoughts

month

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Definition:

The term "month" refers to a period of time lasting about four weeks. The number of days in each month varies depending on whether a lunar or solar calendar is used.

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myrrh

Definition:

Myrrh is an oil or spice that is made from the resin of a myrrh tree that grows in Africa and Asia. It is related to frankincense.

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name

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nation

Definition:

A nation is a large group of people ruled by some form of government. The people of a nation often have the same ancestors and share a common ethnicity.

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neighbor

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Definition:

The term "neighbor" usually refers to a person who lives nearby. It can also refer more generally to someone who lives in the same community or people group.

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obey

Related Ideas:

follow, give ear, hear, hold securely, hold to, keep, listen, obedience, obedient

Definition:

The term "obey" means to do what is required or commanded. The term "obedient" describes someone who obeys. "Obedience" is the characteristic that an obedient person has.

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Forms Found in the English ULB:

following, give ... ear, hear, heard, hold ... securely, hold to, keep, keeps, kept, listen, listened, listened to, obedience, obedient, obediently, obey, obeyed, obeying, obeys

official

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Definition:

The terms "official" and "officer" refer to people who hold positions within a government or organization. Leaders within the government or organization give the official or officer certain authority and duties to perform as long as he remains in the position.

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overtake

Definition:

The terms "overtake" and "overtook" refer to gaining control over someone or something. It usually includes the idea of catching up to something after pursuing it.

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palm

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The term "palm" refers to a type of tall tree with long, flexible, leafy branches extending from the top in a fan-like pattern.

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parable

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Definition:

The term "parable" usually refers to a short story or object lesson that is used to explain or teach a moral truth. It can also refer to a saying that is difficult to understand and about which the hearer will have to think carefully before he can understand what the speaker is teaching.

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peace

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The term "peace" refers to a state of being or a feeling of having no conflict, anxiety, or fearfulness. A person who is "peaceful" feels calm and assured of being safe and secure.

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perish

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The term "perish" means to die or be destroyed, usually as the result of violence or other disaster.

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persecute

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The terms "persecute" and "persecution" refer to continually treating a person or a certain group of people in a harsh way that causes harm to them.

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persecute, persecuted, persecuting, persecution, persecutions, persecutor, persecutors

pierce

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The term "pierce" means to stab something or to make a hole with a sharp, pointed object. It is also used figuratively to refer to causing someone deep emotional pain.

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pig

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A pig is a type of four-legged, hoofed animal that is raised for meat. Its meat is called "pork." The general term for pigs and related animals is "swine."

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pit

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A "pit" is a deep hole that has been dug in the ground. A "pitfall" is a trap made of a pit that is hidden with a cover. A "quarry" is a pit from which people take valuable stones.

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possess

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The terms "possess" and "possession" usually refer to owning something. They can also mean to gain control over something or occupy an area of land.

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belongings, dispossess, possess, possessed, possesses, possessing, possession, possessions, property, took possession, valuable possessions

power

Related Ideas:

ability, able, mastered, can, capable, could, impossible, incapable, powerful, won, unable

Definition:

The term "power" refers to the ability to do things or make things happen, often using great strength. "Powers" refers to people or spirits who have great ability to cause things to happen.

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ability, able, am ... able, are ... able, are ... possible, be ... unable, be able, be mastered, can, cannot, capable, could, could not, impossible, incapable, is ... able, may ... be able, miraculous powers, possible, power, powerful, powerfully, powers, was ... able, were ... able, will ... be able, won

pray

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The terms "pray" and "prayer" refer to talking with God. These terms are used to refer to people trying to talk to a false god.

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precious

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The term "precious" describes people or things that are considered to be very valuable.

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costly, expensive, precious, precious things, precious treasures, valuable, valuables

priest

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In the Bible, a priest was someone who was chosen to offer sacrifices to God on behalf of God's people. The "priesthood" was the name for the office or condition of being a priest.

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priest, priest's, priesthood, priestly, priestly office, priests, priests', served as a priest

prison

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The term "prison" refers to a place where criminals are kept as a punishment for their crimes. A "prisoner" is someone who has been put in the prison.

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custody, dungeon, held ... in custody, hold ... in custody, holding ... in custody, imprison, imprisoned, imprisonment, imprisonments, imprisons, prison, prisoner, prisoners, prisons

profit

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Definition:

In general, the terms "profit" and "profitable" refer to gaining something good through doing certain actions or behaviors.

Something is "profitable" to someone if it brings them good things or if it helps them bring about good things for other people.

To "take advantage of" someone is to make extra profit from him because he is weak and unable to demand greater return.

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prophet

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A "prophet" is a man who speaks God's messages to people. A woman who does this is called a "prophetess."

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give ... prophecies, prophecies, prophecy, prophesied, prophesies, prophesy, prophesying, prophet, prophet's, prophetess, prophetic, prophets, seer, seer's, seers, seers'

pure

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Definition:

To be "pure" means to have no flaw or to have nothing mixed in that is not supposed to be there. To purify something is to cleanse it and remove anything that contaminates or pollutes it.

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impure, impure thing, impurities, impurity, pure, purer, purge, purification, purified, purifies, purify, purity, refine, refined, refiner, refiner's, refining

purple

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rage

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Rage is excessive anger what is out of control. When someone rages, it means that person is expressing anger in a destructive way.

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raise

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To "rise" or "arise" means to "go up" or "get up." The terms "risen," "rose," and "arose" express past action.

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arise, arisen, arises, raise, raise up, raised, raises, raising, raising up, rise, rise up, risen, rises, rising, rose

reap

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The term "reap" means to harvest crops such as grain. A "reaper" is someone who harvests the crop.

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receive

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The term "receive" generally means to get or accept something that is given, offered, or presented.

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abstain, receive, receive back, received, received ... in full, receiver, receives, receiving

reed

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The term "reed" refers to a plant with a long stalk that grows in the water, usually along the edge of a river or stream.

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reject

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Definition:

To "reject" someone or something means to refuse to accept that person or thing. The term "reject" can also mean to "refuse to believe in" something. To reject God or his laws means to refuse to obey him.

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denied, denies, deny, despise, despised, despises, refuse, refused, reject, rejected, rejecting, rejection, rejects, scorn, scorns, set ... aside, sets ... aside, stay away from, throw away, tossed aside

report

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Definition:

The term to "report" means to tell people about something that happened, often giving details about that event. A "report" is what is told, and can be spoken or written.

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account, accounts, bring ... report, brought ... news, brought ... report, gave ... a full account, give ... a full account, news, report, reported, reports, rumor, rumors, spread ... about

rest

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Definition:

The term to "rest" literally means to stop working. Usually it means to stop working in order to relax or regain strength. A "rest" is what someone has when he stops working. To "rest secure" is to feel safe. To "rest" an object on something means to "place" or "put" it there. An object that is "resting" somewhere is simply in that place. A boat that "comes to rest" somewhere has "stopped" or "landed" there. The phrase "the rest of" refers to the remainder of something.

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at ease, be at rest, give ... rest, pause, refresh, refreshed, relief, rest, rest secure, rested, rested secure, resting, resting place, resting places, restless, rests

resurrection

Definition:

The term "resurrection" refers to the act of becoming alive again after having died.

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return

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reveal

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The term "reveal" means to cause something to be known. A "revelation" is something that has been made known.

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righteous

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Definition:

The term "righteousness" refers to God's absolute goodness, justice, faithfulness, and love. Having these qualities makes God "righteous." Because God is righteous, he must condemn sin.

The term "unrighteous" means to be sinful and morally corrupt. "Unrighteousness" can refer to sin or the condition of being sinful.

The terms "upright" and "uprightness" refer to acting in a way that follows God's laws.

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acts rightly, do right, does what is right, in the right, made ... appear ... righteous, right treatment, righteous, righteously, righteousness, rightful, that are right, that is right, unrighteous, unrighteously, unrighteousness, upright, uprightly, uprightness, what is ... right, what was right

royal

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ruler

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The term "ruler" is a general reference to a person who has authority over other people, such as a leader of a country, kingdom, or religious group. A ruler is one who "rules," and his authority is his "rule."

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run

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Literally the term "run" means "move very quickly on foot," usually at a greater speed than can be accomplished by walking. To "run after" or "pursue" someone or something is to move as quickly as possible to try to catch that person or thing. To run away from someone or something is to "flee."

This main meaning of "run" is also used in figurative expressions such as the following:

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caused ... to flee, fled, flee, fleeing, flees, flow, flows, moving swiftly, ran, run, runner, runners, running, runs

sandal

Definition:

A sandal is a simple flat-soled shoe held onto the foot by straps that go around the foot or ankle. Sandals are worn by both men and women.

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save

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The term "save" refers to keeping someone from experiencing something bad or harmful. To "be safe" means to be protected from harm or danger.

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be made well, brought safely, brought safely through, place of safety, preserve, safe, safely, safety, salvation, save, saved, saves, saving

scribe

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Scribes were officials who were responsible for writing or copying important government or religious documents by hand. Another name for a Jewish scribe was "expert in Jewish law."

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seal

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To seal an object means to keep it closed with something that makes it impossible to open without breaking the seal.

Picture of a Sealed scroll:

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seek

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The term "seek" means to look for something or someone. The past tense is "sought." It can also mean "try hard" or "make an effort" to do something.

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diligently seek, go to find, look out for, looked for, looking for, looks for, search, search carefully, search for, searched, searched for, searched out, searches ... out, searches for, searching, searching for, seek, seek ... out, seeking, seeks, sought, tried, try, trying

seize

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The term "seize" means to take or capture someone or something by force. It can also mean to overpower and control someone.

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send

Definition:

To "send" is to cause someone or something to go somewhere. To "send out" someone is to tell that person to go on an errand or a mission.

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send, send ... away, send ... on ... way, send out, sending, sending out, sends, sends out, sent, sent ... away, sent out

serpent

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These terms all refer to a kind of reptile that has a long, thin body and large, fanged jaws, and that moves by slithering back and forth across the ground. The term "serpent" usually refers to a large snake. The terms "viper," "adder," and "asp" refer to types of snakes that have venom which they uses to poison their prey.

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Forms Found in the English ULB:

adder, adders, asp, asps, serpent, serpent's, serpents, snake, snakes, viper, viper's, vipers

servant

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Definition:

The word "servant" refers to a person who works for another person, either by choice or by force. Some servants were slaves, and the surrounding text usually makes it clear whether or not a particular servant was a slave. In Bible times, there was less of a difference between a servant and a slave than there is today. Both servants and slaves were an important part of their master's household and many were treated almost like members of the family. Sometimes a servant would choose to become a lifetime servant to his master.

The word "serve" means to do things to help other people. It can also mean to "worship."

The word "service" refers to the work that a servant does. It may also refer to worship.

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Forms Found in the English ULB:

female servant, female servants, hired servant, hired servants, hired worker, maidservants, male servant, male servants, office, offices, one who serves, servant, servant girl, servant girls, servant's, servants, servants', serve, served, serves, service, services, serving

set apart

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Definition:

The term "set apart" means separated from something to fulfill a certain purpose. Also, to "set apart" people or things means to make them "set apart." This also means to "treat" them "differently." When something is "distinct," it is different from other things.

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be distinct, making a distinction, set ... apart, sets ... apart, treat ... differently, treating ... differently

sexual immorality

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The term "sexual immorality" refers to sexual activity that takes place outside the marriage relationship of a man and a woman. This is against God's plan. Older English Bible versions call this "fornication."

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fornicate, fornicates, fornication, fornications, immoral, immorality, sexual immorality

sheep

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Definition:

A "sheep" is a medium-sized animal with four legs that has wool all over its body. A male sheep is called a "ram." A female sheep is called a "ewe." The plural of "sheep" is also "sheep."

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ewe, ewes, ram, ram's, rams, sheep, sheepfold, sheepfolds, sheepshearers, sheepskins

shepherd

Definition:

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chief shepherd, herdsman, herdsmen, keeper, shepherd, shepherd's, shepherded, shepherding, shepherds

sign

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Definition:

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demonstration, evidence, mark, marker, omen, omens, proof, remind, reminded, reminder, reminders, reminding, reminds, sign, signal, signal flag, signs

sin

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Definition:

The term "sin" refers to actions, thoughts, and words that are against God's will and laws. Sin can also refer to not doing something that God wants us to do.

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sister

Definition:

A sister is a female person who shares at least one biological parent with another person. She is said to be that other person’s sister or the sister of that other person.

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son

Definition:

The male offspring of a man and a woman is called their "son" for his entire life. He is also called a son of that man and a son of that woman. An "adopted son" is a male who has been legally placed into the position of being a son.

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soul

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The soul is the inner, invisible part of a person. It refers to the non-physical part of a person. It is the part of a person that continues living after the body dies.

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sow

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Definition:

A "plant" is generally something that grows and is attached to the ground. To "plant" something is to put it in the ground so that it can grow. To "sow" is to scatter seeds on the ground so they can go into the ground and grow. A "sower" is a person who sows seeds.

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place ... planted, plant, plantation, planted, planting, plants, replanted, sow, sowed, sowing, sown, sows, transplanted

spear

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A spear is a weapon with a long wooden handle and sharp metal blade on one end that is thrown a long distance.

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spirit

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Definition:

The term "spirit" refers to the non-physical part of people which cannot be seen. When a person dies, his spirit leaves his body. "Spirit" can also refer to an attitude or emotional state.

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staff

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stone

Definition:

A stone is a small rock. To "stone" someone is to throw stones and larger rocks at that person with the intention of killing him. A "stoning" is an event in which someone was stoned.

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stumble

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The term "stumble" means "almost fall" when walking or running. Usually it involves tripping over something.

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suffer

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Definition:

The terms "suffer" and "suffering" refer to experiencing something very unpleasant, such as illness, pain, or other hardships.

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sword

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A sword is a flat-bladed metal weapon used to cut or stab. It has a handle and a long, pointed blade with a very sharp cutting edge.

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synagogue

Definition:

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teach

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To "teach" someone is to tell him something he doesn’t already know. It can also mean to "provide information" in general, with no reference to the person who is learning. Usually the information is given in a formal or systematic way. A person’s "teaching" is or his "teachings" are what he has taught.

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teacher

Definition:

A teacher is a person who gives other people new information. Teachers help others to obtain and use both knowledge and skills.

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temple

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A temple is a special building in which people worship their god or gods. The most important temple in the Bible was where the Israelites worshiped the true God with prayers and sacrifices. It was located on Mount Moriah in the city of Jerusalem.

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tent

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A tent is a portable shelter made of sturdy fabric that is draped over a structure of poles and attached to them.

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camp, camped, camping, camps, encamp, encamped, encampments, encamps, tent, tentmakers, tents

tenth

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The terms "tenth" and "tithe" refer to "ten percent" or "one-out-of-ten portion" of one's money, crops, livestock, or other possessions, which is given to God.

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test

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The term "test" refers to a difficult or painful experience that reveals a person's strengths and weaknesses.

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testimony

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Definition:

When a person gives "testimony" he makes a statement about something he knows, claiming that the statement is true. To "testify" is to give "testimony."

The term "witness" refers to a person who has personally experienced something that happened. Usually a witness is also someone who testifies about what they know is true. The term "eyewitness" emphasizes that the person was actually there and saw what happened.

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eyewitness, eyewitnesses, testified, testifies, testify, testify against, testifying, testimony, witness, witnessed, witnesses

the sea

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In the Bible, the "Great Sea" or "western sea" refers to what is now called the "Mediterranean Sea," which was the largest body of water known to the people of Bible times.

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the twelve

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Definition:

The term "the twelve" refers to the twelve men that Jesus chose to be his closest disciples, or apostles. After Judas killed himself, they were called "the eleven."

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thief

Related Ideas:

bandit, booty, loot, marauding band, plunder, raider, revolutionary, rob, robber, robbery, steal

Definitions:

The term "thief" refers to a person who steals money or property from other people. The plural of "thief" is "thieves." The term "robber" often refers to a thief who also physically harms or threatens the people he is stealing from.

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bandits, booty, loot, marauding band, marauding bands, plunder, plundered, plundered things, raiders, raiding parties, raiding party, revolutionary, rob, robbed, robber, robbers, robbery, robbing, robs, steal, stealing, steals, stolen, thief, thieves

thorn

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Thorn bushes and thistles are plants that have prickly branches or flowers. These plants do not produce fruit or anything else that is useful.

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time

Definitions:

In the Bible the term "time" was often used to refer to a specific season or period of time when certain events took place. It has a meaning similar to "age" or "epoch" or "season."

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tomb

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The terms "tomb" and "grave" refer to a place where people put the body of a person who has died. A "burial place" is a more general term that also refers to this.

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tribulation

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trouble

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Definition:

A "trouble" is an experience in life that is very difficult and distressing. To "trouble" someone means to "bother" that person or to cause him distress. Something that is "troubling" causes people to feel distressed. Someone who is troublesome causes problems. To be "troubled" means to feel upset or anxious or distressed about something.

A "tumult" is a group of people making much noise because they are troubled or unhappy.

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true

Related Ideas:

certain, certainly, certainty, indeed, real, sure, surely, truly, truth, truthful, truthfulness, truths

Definition:

The term "truth" refers to one or more concepts that are facts, events that actually happened, and statements that were actually said. Such concepts are said to be "true."

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certainly, certainty, for certain, indeed, real, sure, surely, true, truly, truth, truthful, truthfulness, truths

trust

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Definition:

To "trust" something or someone is to believe that the thing or person is true or dependable. That belief is also called "trust." A "trustworthy" person is one you can trust to do and say what is right and true, and therefore one who has the quality of "trustworthiness."

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entrust, entrusted, entrusting, trust, trusted, trusting, trusts, trustworthiness, trustworthy

tunic

Definition:

In the Bible, the term "tunic" referred to a garment that was worn next to the skin, under other clothing.

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turn

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Definition:

To "turn" means to physically change direction or to cause something else to change direction.

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acts of apostasy, apostasy, apostate, turn, turn ... away, turned, turned ... away, turned ... away ... in disgust, turned ... back, turning, turning ... away, turns, turns ... away, turns ... away from

understand

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argument, craftiness, insight, intelligent, realize, unintentionally, without understanding

Definition:

The term "understand" means to hear or receive information and know what it means.

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arguments, craftiness, gain understanding, gives ... insight, insight, intelligent, realize, realized, understand, understanding, understands, understood, unintentionally, without understanding

vine

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Definition:

The term "vine" refers to a plant that grows by trailing along the ground or by climbing trees and other structures. The word "vine" in the Bible is used only of fruit-bearing vines and usually refers to grape vines.

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vision

Definitions:

The term "vision" refers to something that a person sees. It especially refers to something unusual or supernatural that God shows people in order to give them a message.

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voice

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The term “voice” refers to sound that a person makes when speaking or singing. The term "voice" is often used figuratively to refer to speaking or communicating something.

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walk

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water

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In addition to its primary meaning, "water" also often refers to a body of water, such as an ocean, sea, lake, or river.

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week

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well

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The terms "well" and "cistern" refer to two different kinds of sources for water in Bible times.

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wheat

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Wheat is a type of grain that people grow for food. When the Bible mentions "grain" or "seeds," it is often talking about wheat grain or seeds.

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wine

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In the Bible, the term "wine" refers to a kind of fermented drink made from the juice of a fruit called grapes. Wine was stored in "wineskins," which were containers made out of animal skin.

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wise

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The term "wise" describes someone who understands what is the right and moral thing to do and then does that. "Wisdom" is the understanding and practice of what is true and morally right.

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wolf

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womb

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Picture showing location of a Womb:

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word

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A "word" refers to something that someone has said. In the Bible, it almost always refers to an entire message, not just one word.

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word of God

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God's word, his words, my word, scripture, word of Yahweh, word of the Lord, word of truth, writings

Definition:

In the Bible, the term "word of God" refers to anything that God has communicated to people. This includes spoken and written messages. Jesus is also called "the Word of God."

The term "word of truth" is another way of referring to "God's word," which is his message or teaching. It does not refer to just one word.

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God's word, God's words, his words, my word, scripture, scriptures, word of God, word of Yahweh, word of the Lord, word of truth, words of God, writings

work

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In the Bible, the terms "work," "deed," and "act" are used to refer generally to things that God or people do.

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act, action, actions, activities, acts, deed, deeds, fellow worker, fellow workers, work, works

world

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The term "world" usually refers to the part of the universe where people live: the earth. The term "worldly" describes the evil values and behaviors of people living in this world.

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worship

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worthy

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The term "worthy" describes someone or something that deserves respect or honor. To "have worth" means to be valuable or important.

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deserve, deserved, deserves, deserving, nullify, unworthy, worth, worthily, worthless, worthlessness, worthy

wrath

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Wrath is an intense anger that is sometimes long-lasting. It especially refers to God's righteous judgment of sin and punishment of people who rebel against him.

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wrong

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defraud, hurt, hurting, hurts, mistreat, mistreated, wrong, wrongdoer, wrongdoing, wronged, wrongfully, wronging, wrongs

year

Definition:

When used literally, the term "year" in the Bible refers to a period of time lasting 354 days. This is according to the lunar calendar system which is based on the time it takes for the moon to go around the earth.

English: Unlocked Literal Bible for John

Formatted for Translators

Introduction to the Gospel of John

Outline of the Gospel of John

What is the Gospel of John about?

Who wrote the Gospel of John?

John

John 1:1

In the beginning

the Word

John 1:3

All things were made through him

without him there was not one thing made that has been made

John 1:4

In him was life, and the life was the light of men

In him

life

John 1:5

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it

John 1:7

testify about the light

John 1:9

The true light

John 1:10

the world did not know him

John 1:11

He came to his own, and his own did not receive him

John 1:12

believed in his name

he gave the right

children of God

John 1:14

The Word

became flesh

the one and only who came from the Father

Father

John 1:15

He who comes after me

is greater than I am

for he was before me

John 1:16

grace after grace

John 1:18

the only God

the only God

Father

John 1:19

the Jews sent

John 1:20

He confessed—he did not deny, but confessed

John 1:21

What are you then?

John 1:22

they said to him

John 1:23

He said

I am a voice, crying in the wilderness

Make the way of the Lord straight

John 1:27

who comes after me

me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie

John 1:29

Lamb of God

world

John 1:32

like a dove

heaven

John 1:33

The one on whom

he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit

John 1:34

the Son of God

Son of God

John 1:35

Again, the next day

John 1:39

tenth hour

John 1:42

son of John

John 1:46