Study Desk

Then the Festival of Dedication^[c] took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter.

Jesus was walking in the temple complex in Solomon's Colonnade.^[d](v)

Then the Jews surrounded Him and asked, "How long are You going to keep us in suspense?^[e] If You are the Messiah,^(w) tell us plainly."^[f](x)

"I did tell you and you don't believe," Jesus answered them. "The works^(y) that I do in My Father's name testify about Me.

But you don't believe because you are not My sheep. ^[g](z)

My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.

I give them eternal life,^(aa) and they will never perish^(ab)—ever! No one will snatch^(ac) them out of My hand.

My Father,^(ad) who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

The Father and I are one." ^[h](ae)

Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him.^(af)

Jesus replied, "I have shown you many good works^(ag) from the Father. Which of these works are you stoning Me for?"

"We aren't stoning^(ah) You for a good work," the Jews answered, "but for blasphemy, because You—being a man—make Yourself God."

Jesus answered them, "Isn't it written in your scripture,^[i] I said, you are gods ? ^(ai)[j]

If He called those whom the word^(aj) of God came to ‘gods'—and the Scripture^(ak) cannot be broken—

do you say, ‘You are blaspheming' to the One the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God?^(al)

If I am not doing My Father's works,^(am) don't believe Me.

But if I am doing them and you don't believe Me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand^[k] that the Father is in Me and I in the Father." ^(an)

Then they were trying again to seize Him,^(ao) yet He eluded their grasp.^(ap)

So He departed again across the Jordan^(aq) to the place where John^(ar) had been baptizing earlier, and He remained there.

Many came to Him^(as) and said, "John never did a sign, but everything John said about this man was true."

And many believed in Him there.