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"For thisreason the Fatherloves Me, because I 1laydown My lifeso that I may take it again.
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"2Noone has taken it away from Me, but I 3lay it down on My owninitiative. I haveauthority to lay it down, and I haveauthority to take it up again. 4Thiscommandment I received from My Father."
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5A divisionoccurredagainamong the Jewsbecause of thesewords.
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Many of them were saying, "He 6has a demon and 7is insane. Why do you listen to Him?"
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Others were saying, "These are not the sayings of one 8demon-possessed. 9A demoncannot*open the eyes of the blind, can he?"
Jesus Asserts His Deity
22 At that time the Feast of the Dedicationtookplace at Jerusalem;
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it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of 10Solomon.
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11The Jewsthengatheredaround Him, and were saying to Him, "Howlong* will You keep us in suspense*? If You are the Christ, tell us 12plainly."
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Jesusanswered them, "13I told you, and you do not believe; 14the works that I do in My Father'sname, thesetestify of Me.
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"But you do not believebecause15you are not of My sheep.
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"My sheep16hear My voice, and 17I know them, and they follow Me;