45. The Second Passover; the Teaching of the Lord Jesus Concerning His Equality With God the Father. Jn. 5:1–16

Jesus answered them, My Father works even until now, and I work.

For this reason the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only was breaking the Sabbath, but was also calling God his Father, making himself equal to God.

Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of himself, except what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself does; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.

For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son; that all may honor the Son even as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour 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 as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come forth—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. I can do nothing of myself. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is righteous, for I seek not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

If I bear witness of myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness of me, and I know that the testimony which he bears of me is true. You sent to John, and he bore witness to the truth. Not that I accept human testimony, but I say these things that you may be saved. He was a lamp burning and shining, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

But I have a greater testimony than that of John; for the works which the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness that the Father has sent me.

And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness to me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form. And you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he sent.

Investigate the Scriptures, for you think through them to have eternal life; and they testify of Me. But you do not wish to come to Me, that you might have life.

I do not accept glory from people, but I know you: you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I came in the name of My Father, and you do not receive Me; but if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe when you receive glory from one another, and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father: there is Moses who accuses you, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote concerning Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?