The Jews Do Not Believe
22 Then came the Feast of Hanukkah at Jerusalem. It was winter.
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Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Porch.
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The Jews gathered around him. They said, "How long will you keep us waiting? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
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Jesus answered, "I did tell you. But you do not believe. The kinds of things I do in my Father's name speak for me.
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But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep.
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"My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
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I give them eternal life, and they will never die. No one can steal them out of my hand.
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My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than anyone. No one can steal them out of my Father's hand.
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I and the Father are one."
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Again the Jews picked up stones to kill him.
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But Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many miracles from the Father. Which one of these are you throwing stones at me for?"
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"We are not throwing stones at you for any of these," replied the Jews. "We are stoning you for saying a very evil thing. You are only a man. But you claim to be God."
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Jesus answered them, "Didn't God say in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'?(Psalm 82:6)
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We know that Scripture is always true. God spoke to some people and called them 'gods.'
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If that is true, what about the One the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why do you charge me with saying a very evil thing? Is it because I said, 'I am God's Son'?
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"Don't believe me unless I do what my Father does.
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But what if I do it? Even if you don't believe me, believe the miracles. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
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Again they tried to arrest him. But he escaped from them.
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Then Jesus went back across the Jordan River. He went to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed.
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Many people came to him. They said, "John never did a miraculous sign. But everything he said about this man was true."
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And in that place many believed in Jesus.