John 8:12-30

12Jesus spoke to the people again. He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Those people who become my disciples will never walk in the dark. No, they will have the light that gives life.’

13The Pharisees began to argue with him. They said, ‘You are saying things about yourself. But there is nobody else to agree that these things are true.’

14Jesus answered, ‘What I say is true. Even if I do speak about myself, my words are true. I know where I have come from. I also know where I will go. As for you, you do not know where I came from. You do not know where I will go.

15You judge in the way that people think. I do not judge anyone.

16But if I did judge anyone, I would decide correctly what is right. That is because I am not alone. The Father has sent me, and he is with me.

17Your own Law says, “There must be two people to agree that something is true.”

18I speak what is true about myself. The Father, who sent me, also speaks what is true about me.’

19Then they asked him, ‘So where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know either me or my Father. If you really knew me, you would also know my Father.’

20Jesus said all these words while he taught in the yard of the temple. He was near the place where they kept the gifts of money. But nobody took hold of him, because it was not the right time for that yet.

21Jesus said to them again, ‘I will go away and you will look for me. But even when you die, God will still not have forgiven your sins. You cannot go where I will go.’

22So the Jewish leaders said to each other, ‘Perhaps he means that he will kill himself. He says, “You cannot go where I will go.” Perhaps that is why he says this.’

23Jesus answered, ‘You belong to the things down here in the world. But I have come from above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world.

24I told you that when you die, God will not have forgiven you. You must believe that “I am who I am.” If not, you will die and God will certainly not have forgiven you.’

25Then the Jewish leaders asked Jesus, ‘So, who are you?’ He answered, ‘I have told you who I am from the beginning.

26I have many things I could say about you. I could show that you have done many wrong things. But the one who sent me speaks to me. I tell people only what I have heard him say to me. What he says is true.’

27They did not understand that he was speaking to them about his Father.

28So Jesus said to them, ‘You will lift up the Son of Man on a cross. Then you will know that “I am who I am”. And you will know that I do nothing by myself. I say only what the Father has taught me to say.

29He who sent me is with me. I always do the things that make him happy. So he has never gone away and left me alone.’

30Many people who heard Jesus say these things believed in him.