The Bible Story Part 247

Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of G.o.d heareth the words of G.o.d: for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of G.o.d."

The Jews answered and said unto him, "Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon?"

Jesus answered, "I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me. But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word he shall never see death."

The Jews said unto him, "Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, 'If a man keep my word, he shall never taste of death.' Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?"

Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your G.o.d; and ye have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I know him, and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad."

The Jews therefore said unto him, "Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?"

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Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."

They took up stones therefore to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.

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IX

AT THE FEAST OF THE DEDICATION

_How the Lord Jesus Visited Jerusalem Yet Again, How He Restored Sight to the Blind, and How He Taught of the Good Shepherd_.

At the feast of the dedication in the winter season, Jesus came again to Jerusalem. And as he pa.s.sed by, he saw a man blind from his birth.

And his disciples asked him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind?"

Jesus answered, "Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but this happened that the works of G.o.d should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. When I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay, and said unto him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam."

He went away therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The neighbors therefore, and they which saw him before, and knew him as a beggar, said, "Is not this he that sat and begged?"

Some said, "It is he": others said, "No, but he is like him."

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He said, "I am he,"

They said therefore unto him, "How then were thine eyes opened?"

He answered, "The man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, 'Go to Siloam, and wash': so I went away and washed, and I received sight."

And they said unto him, "Where is he?"

He saith, "I know not."

They brought to the Pharisees him that before was blind.

Now it was the Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. And he said unto them, "He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and see."

Some therefore of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from G.o.d, because he keepeth not the Sabbath."

But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"

And there was a division among them. They said therefore unto the blind man again, "What sayest thou of him, now that he has opened thine eyes?"

And he said, "He is a prophet."

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight, and asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?"

His parents answered and said, "We know that this is {199} our son, and that he was born blind: but how he now seeth, we know not; or who opened his eyes, we know not; ask him; he is of age; he shall speak for himself."

These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man should confess Jesus to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, "He is of age; ask him." So they called a second time the man that was blind, and said unto him, "Give glory to G.o.d: we know that this man is a sinner."

He therefore answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see."

They said therefore unto him, "What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?"

He answered them, "I told you even now, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? would ye also become his disciples?"

And they reviled him, and said, "Thou art his disciple; but we are disciples of Moses. We know that G.o.d hath spoken unto Moses: but as for this man, we know not whence he is."

The man answered and said unto them, "Why, herein is the marvel, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he opened mine eyes. We know that G.o.d heareth not sinners: but if any man be a wors.h.i.+per of G.o.d, and do his will, him he heareth. Since the world began it was never heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from G.o.d, he could do nothing."

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They answered and said unto him, "Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?" And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and finding him, he said, "Dost thou believe on the Son of G.o.d?"

He answered and said, "And who is he, Lord, that I may believe on him?"

Jesus said unto him, "Thou hast both seen him, and he it is that speaketh with thee."

And he said, "Lord, I believe." And he wors.h.i.+ped him. And Jesus said, "For judgment came I into this world, that they which see not may see; and that they which see may become blind."

Those of the Pharisees which were with him heard these things, and said unto him, "Are we also blind?"

Jesus said unto them, "If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, 'We see': your sin remaineth." Jesus then told them of--

_The Good Shepherd and the Sheep_.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.