25
So they were saying to Him, "Who are You?" Jesussaid to them, "What* have I been saying to you from the beginning?
26
"I havemanythings to speak and to judgeconcerning you, but 1He who sent Me is true; and 2the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world."
27
They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father.
28
SoJesussaid, "When you 3lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that 4I am He, and 5I donothing on My owninitiative, but I speakthesethings as the Fathertaught Me.
29
"And He who sent Me is with Me; 6He has not left Me alone, for 7I alwaysdo the things that are pleasing to Him."
30
As He spokethesethings, 8many came to believe in Him.
The Truth Will Make You Free
31SoJesus was saying to thoseJews who had believed Him, "9If you continue in My word, then you are truly10disciples of Mine;
32
and 11you will know the truth, and 12the truth will make you free."
33
They answered Him, "13We are Abraham'sdescendants and have never*yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You will becomefree '?"
34
Jesusanswered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, 14everyone who commitssin is the slave of sin.
35
"15The slave does not remain in the houseforever; 16the son does remainforever.
36
"Soif the Son17makes you free, you will be freeindeed.
37
"I know that you are 18Abraham'sdescendants; yet19you seek to kill Me, because My wordhasnoplace in you.
38
"I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you alsodo the things which you heard from 20your father."
39
They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is 21our father." Jesussaid to them, "22If you are Abraham'schildren, do the deeds of Abraham.
40
"But as it is, 23you are seeking to kill Me, a manwho has 24told you the truth, which I heard from God; thisAbraham did not do.
41
"You are doing the deeds of 25your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; 26we haveoneFather: God."
42
Jesussaid to them, "IfGod were your Father, 27you would love Me, 28for I proceededforth and havecome from God, for I have 29not evencome on My owninitiative, but 30He sent Me.
43
"Why* do you not understand31what I am saying? It is because you cannot*32hear My word.
44
"33You are of 34your father the devil, and 35you want to do the desires of your father. 36He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truthbecause37there is notruth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he 38speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
45
"But because39I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
46
"Whichone of you convicts Me of sin? If40I speaktruth, why* do you not believe Me?
47
"41He who is of Godhears the words of God; for thisreason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."
48
42The Jewsanswered and said to Him, "Do we not sayrightly that You are a 43Samaritan and 44have a demon?"
49
Jesusanswered, "I do not 45have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
50
"But 46I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges.
51
"Truly, truly, I say to you, ifanyone47keeps My word he will never*48seedeath."
52
49The Jewssaid to Him, "Now we know that You 50have a demon. Abrahamdied, and the prophets also; and You say, 'Ifanyone51keeps My word, he will never*52taste of death.'
53
"Surely You 53are not greater than our fatherAbraham, whodied? The prophetsdiedtoo; whom do You makeYourself out to be?"
54
Jesusanswered, "54If I glorifyMyself, My glory is nothing; 55it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God ';
55
and 56you have not come to know Him, 57but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be 58a liarlike you, 59but I do know Him and 60keep His word.
56
"61Your fatherAbraham62rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."
57
63So the Jewssaid to Him, "You are not yetfiftyyears old, and have You seenAbraham?"
58
Jesussaid to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, beforeAbraham was born, 64I am."
59
Therefore they 65picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus66hid Himself and went out of the temple.