Abraham’s Children and the Devil’s Children

31  Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples 32  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” they replied, “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34  Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin. 35  The slave does not remain in the family forever, but the son remains forever. 36  So if the son sets you free, you will be really free. 37  I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. But you want to kill me, because my teaching makes no progress among you. 38  I am telling you the things I have seen while with the Father; as for you, practice the things you have heard from the Father!”

39  They answered him, “Abraham is our father!” Jesus replied, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would be doing the deeds of Abraham. 40  But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth I heard from God. Abraham did not do this! 41  You people are doing the deeds of your father.”

Then they said to Jesus, “We were not born as a result of immorality! We have only one Father, God himself.” 42  Jesus replied, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. I have not come on my own initiative, but he sent me. 43  Why don’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot accept my teaching. 44  You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45  But because I am telling you the truth, you do not believe me. 46  Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47  The one who belongs to God listens and responds to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond, because you don’t belong to God.”

48  The Judeans replied, “Aren’t we correct in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?” 49  Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, but I honor my Father – and yet you dishonor me. 50  I am not trying to get praise for myself. There is one who demands it, and he also judges. 51  I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death.”

52  Then the Judeans responded, “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon! Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say, ‘If anyone obeys my teaching, he will never experience death.’ 53  You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?” 54  Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people say, ‘He is our God.’ 55  Yet you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his teaching. 56  Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”

57  Then the Judeans replied, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?” 58  Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!” 59  Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area.

9  Now as Jesus was passing by, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man or his parents?” 3  Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but he was born blind so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him. 4  We must perform the deeds of the one who sent me as long as it is daytime. Night is coming when no one can work. 5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6  Having said this, he spat on the ground and made some mud with the saliva. He smeared the mud on the blind man’s eyes 7  and said to him, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated “sent”). So the blind man went away and washed, and came back seeing.

8  Then the neighbors and the people who had seen him previously as a beggar began saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9  Some people said, “This is the man!” while others said, “No, but he looks like him.” The man himself kept insisting, “I am the one!” 10  So they asked him, “How then were you made to see?” 11  He replied, “The man called Jesus made mud, smeared it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and was able to see.” 12  They said to him, “Where is that man?” He replied, “I don’t know.”