I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on Him. And I did not recognize Him. But the one who sent me to baptise with water said to me, the One on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, this is the One who baptises with the Holy Spirit.
I have both seen and testified that this man is The Chosen One of God.
Now a certain man, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council, came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher that has come from God, for no one can perform the miraculous signs that you do, unless God is within them.”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth: unless a person is born from above, they cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him, “How can one be born when they are old? They cannot enter their mother’s womb and be born a second time, can they?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth: unless a person is born of water and spirit, they cannot enter the Kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘you must all be born from above.’ The wind blows from wherever it will, and you hear the sound that it makes, but you do not know where it comes from, and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit.”
Nicodemus replied, “How can these things be?”
Jesus answered, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you don’t understand these things? I tell you the solemn truth: we speak about what we know, and testify about what we have seen. But you people do not accept our testimony. If I have told you people about earthly things, and you don’t believe — how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven, except for the One who descended from heaven.”
“For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. The one who believes in Him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because they have not believed in the Name of the One and only Son of God. Now this is the basis for judging: that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil deeds hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that it might be plainly evident that their deeds have been done in God.”
“I tell you the solemn truth: the one who hears my message, and believes the One who sent me, has eternal life; and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life.”
“I tell you the solemn truth: a time is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear, will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, thus he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has granted the Son authority to execute judgement.”
Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life, the one who comes to me will never go hungry. And the one who believes in me will never be thirsty. But I told you that you have seen me, and still do not believe. Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never send away. For I have come down from Heaven, not to do my own will, but the Will of the One who sent me. Now this is the Will of the One who sent me, that I should not lose one person of everyone he has given me — but raise them all up at the Last Day. For this is the Will of my Father, for everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him, to have Eternal Life. And I will raise them up at the Last Day.”
“If anyone is thirsty, let them come to me and let the one who believes in me drink. Just as the scripture says: from within them, will flow rivers of living water. I am the light of the world, the one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you people do not know where I came from or where I am going. You people judge by outward appearances, I do not judge anyone. But if I do judge, my evaluation is accurate, because I am not alone when I judge, but I and the Father who sent me do so together. I am going away, and you will look for me, but will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
So the Jewish leaders began to say, “Perhaps he is going to kill himself, because he says, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’” Jesus replied, “You people are from below, I am from above. You people are from this world, I am not from this world. Thus I told you that you will die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
“I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak just what the Father taught me, and the One who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do those things that please him.”
“I have come as the Light unto the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not obey them, I do not judge them. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world.”
“The one who rejects me, but does not accept my words, has a judge. The Word I have spoken will judge them at the last day. For I have not spoken from my own authority, but the father himself who sent me has commanded me, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is Eternal Life. Thus the things I say, I say just as the Father has told me.”
“Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God, believe also in me. There are many dwelling places in my Father’s House, otherwise I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me. So that where I am, you may be too. And you know the way where I am going.”
Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going — how can we know the way?”
Jesus replied, “I am The Way, and The Truth, and The Life — no one comes to the Father except through me. If you have known me, you will know my Father too. And from now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”
“If you love me, you will obey my commandments. Then I will ask the Father and he will give you another advocate to be with you forever; the spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot accept — because it does not see it, or know it. But you know it, because it resides with you and will be in you. I will not abandon you as orphans, I will come to you. In a little while, the world will not see me any longer, but you will see me; because I live — you will live too. You will know at that time, that I am in my Father and you are in me, and I am in you. The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and will reveal myself to them. I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener: He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me; He prunes every branch that bears fruit, so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already, becasue of the Word that I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine; so neither can you, unless you remain in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I am in them bears much fruit, because apart from me, you can accomplish nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, they are thrown out like a branch and dried up. And such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want — and it will be done for you. My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples. Just as The Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love. Just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments, and remain in His love. I have told you these things, so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. My commandment is this: to love one another, just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, that one lays down their life for their friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I have called you friends because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that remains. So that whatever you ask The Father in my name, he will give you. This I command you, to love one another.