John 16; John 17; John 18

John 16

1 [Jesus continued,] "I have said these things to you so that you won't lose your faith.

2 You will be thrown out of synagogues. Certainly, the time is coming when people who murder you will think that they are serving God.

3 They will do these things to you because they haven't known the Father or me.

4 But I've told you this so that when it happens you'll remember what I've told you. I didn't tell you this at first, because I was with you.

5 "Now I'm going to the one who sent me. Yet, none of you asks me where I'm going.

6 But because I've told you this, you're filled with sadness.

7 However, I am telling you the truth: It's good for you that I'm going away. If I don't go away, the helper won't come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

8 He will come to convict the world of sin, to show the world what has God's approval, and to convince the world that God judges it.

9 He will convict the world of sin, because people don't believe in me.

10 He will show the world what has God's approval, because I'm going to the Father and you won't see me anymore.

11 He will convince the world that God judges it, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

12 "I have a lot more to tell you, but that would be too much for you now.

13 When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into the full truth. He won't speak on his own. He will speak what he hears and will tell you about things to come.

14 He will give me glory, because he will tell you what I say.

15 Everything the Father says is also what I say. That is why I said, 'He will take what I say and tell it to you.'

16 "In a little while you won't see me anymore. Then in a little while you will see me again."

17 Some of his disciples said to each other, "What does he mean? He tells us that in a little while we won't see him. Then he tells us that in a little while we will see him again and that he's going to the Father."

18 So they were asking each other, "What does he mean when he says, 'In a little while'? We don't understand what he's talking about."

19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him something. So he said to them, "Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you won't see me, and in a little while you will see me again'?

20 I can guarantee this truth: You will cry because you are sad, but the world will be happy. You will feel pain, but your pain will turn to happiness.

21 A woman has pain when her time to give birth comes. But after the child is born, she doesn't remember the pain anymore because she's happy that a child has been brought into the world.

22 "Now you're in a painful situation. But I will see you again. Then you will be happy, and no one will take that happiness away from you.

23 When that day comes, you won't ask me any more questions. I can guarantee this truth: If you ask the Father for anything in my name, he will give it to you.

24 So far you haven't asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive so that you can be completely happy.

25 "I have used examples to illustrate these things. The time is coming when I won't use examples to speak to you. Rather, I will speak to you about the Father in plain words.

26 When that day comes, you will ask for what you want in my name. I'm telling you that I won't have to ask the Father for you.

27 The Father loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

28 I left the Father and came into the world. Again, [as I've said,] I'm going to leave the world and go back to the Father."

29 His disciples said, "Now you're talking in plain words and not using examples.

30 Now we know that you know everything. You don't need to wait for questions to be asked. Because of this, we believe that you have come from God."

31 Jesus replied to them, "Now you believe.

32 The time is coming, and is already here, when all of you will be scattered. Each of you will go your own way and leave me all alone. Yet, I'm not all alone, because the Father is with me.

33 I've told you this so that my peace will be with you. In the world you'll have trouble. But cheer up! I have overcome the world."

John 17

1 After saying this, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the time is here. Give your Son glory so that your Son can give you glory.

2 After all, you've given him authority over all humanity so that he can give eternal life to all those you gave to him.

3 This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.

4 On earth I have given you glory by finishing the work you gave me to do.

5 Now, Father, give me glory in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world existed.

6 "I made your name known to the people you gave me. They are from this world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They did what you told them.

7 Now they know that everything you gave me comes from you,

8 because I gave them the message that you gave me. They have accepted this message, and they know for sure that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.

9 "I pray for them. I'm not praying for the world but for those you gave me, because they are yours.

10 Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine. I have been given glory by the people you have given me.

11 I won't be in the world much longer, but they are in the world, and I'm coming back to you. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name, the name that you gave me, so that their unity may be like ours.

12 While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name that you gave me. I watched over them, and none of them, except one person, became lost. So Scripture came true.

13 "But now, [Father,] I'm coming back to you. I say these things while I'm still in the world so that they will have the same joy that I have.

14 I have given them your message. But the world has hated them because they don't belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.

15 I'm not asking you to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one.

16 They don't belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.

17 "Use the truth to make them holy. Your words are truth.

18 I have sent them into the world the same way you sent me into the world.

19 I'm dedicating myself to this holy work I'm doing for them so that they, too, will use the truth to be holy.

20 "I'm not praying only for them. I'm also praying for those who will believe in me through their message.

21 I pray that all of these people continue to have unity in the way that you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they may be united with us so that the world will believe that you have sent me.

22 I have given them the glory that you gave me. I did this so that they are united in the same way we are.

23 I am in them, and you are in me. So they are completely united. In this way the world knows that you have sent me and that you have loved them in the same way you have loved me.

24 "Father, I want those you have given to me to be with me, to be where I am. I want them to see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the world was made.

25 Righteous Father, the world didn't know you. Yet, I knew you, and these [disciples] have known that you sent me.

26 I have made your name known to them, and I will make it known so that the love you have for me will be in them and I will be in them."

John 18

1 After Jesus finished his prayer, he went with his disciples to the other side of the Kidron Valley. They entered the garden that was there.

2 Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples often gathered there.

3 So Judas took a troop of soldiers and the guards from the chief priests and Pharisees and went to the garden. They were carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.

4 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. So he went to meet them and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

5 They answered him, "Jesus from Nazareth." Jesus told them, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with the crowd.

6 When Jesus told them, "I am he," the crowd backed away and fell to the ground.

7 Jesus asked them again, "Who are you looking for?" They said, "Jesus from Nazareth."

8 Jesus replied, "I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these other men go."

9 In this way what Jesus had said came true: "I lost none of those you gave me."

10 Simon Peter had a sword. He drew it, attacked the chief priest's servant, and cut off the servant's right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)

11 Jesus told Peter, "Put your sword away. Shouldn't I drink the cup [of suffering] that my Father has given me?"

12 Then the army officer and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus. They tied Jesus up

13 and took him first to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas, the chief priest that year,

14 was the person who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one man die for the people.

15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. The other disciple was well-known to the chief priest. So that disciple went with Jesus into the chief priest's courtyard.

16 Peter, however, was standing outside the gate. The other disciple talked to the woman who was the gatekeeper and brought Peter into the courtyard.

17 The gatekeeper asked Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples too?" Peter answered, "No, I'm not!"

18 The servants and the guards were standing around a fire they had built and were warming themselves because it was cold. Peter was standing there, too, and warming himself with the others.

19 The chief priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teachings.

20 Jesus answered him, "I have spoken publicly for everyone to hear. I have always taught in synagogues or in the temple courtyard, where all the Jews gather. I haven't said anything in secret.

21 Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I said to them. They know what I've said."

22 When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing near Jesus slapped his face and said, "Is that how you answer the chief priest?"

23 Jesus replied to him, "If I've said anything wrong, tell me what it was. But if I've told the truth, why do you hit me?"

24 Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, the chief priest. Jesus was still tied up.

25 Simon Peter continued to stand and warm himself by the fire. Some men asked him, "Aren't you, too, one of his disciples?" Peter denied it by saying, "No, I'm not!"

26 One of the chief priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked him, "Didn't I see you with Jesus in the garden?"

27 Peter again denied it, and just then a rooster crowed.

28 Early in the morning, Jesus was taken from Caiaphas' house to the governor's palace. The Jews wouldn't go into the palace. They didn't want to become unclean, since they wanted to eat the Passover.

29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What accusation are you making against this man?"

30 The Jews answered Pilate, "If he weren't a criminal, we wouldn't have handed him over to you."

31 Pilate told the Jews, "Take him, and try him by your law." The Jews answered him, "We're not allowed to execute anyone."

32 In this way what Jesus had predicted about how he would die came true.

33 Pilate went back into the palace, called for Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

34 Jesus replied, "Did you think of that yourself, or did others tell you about me?"

35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?"

36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom doesn't belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. My kingdom doesn't have its origin on earth."

37 Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus replied, "You're correct in saying that I'm a king. I have been born and have come into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me."

38 Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After Pilate said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I don't find this man guilty of anything.

39 You have a custom that I should free one person for you at Passover. Would you like me to free the king of the Jews for you?"

40 The Jews shouted again, "Don't free this man! Free Barabbas!" (Barabbas was a political revolutionary.)