John – Gospel 18 – Christ’s Kingdom Is Now

When Jesus had said this, he went out with his disciples and crossed the brook Cedron to a place where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples went. 2 The place was well known to Judas, the betrayer, for Jesus and his disciples had often met there. 3 So Judas (who had obtained soldiers of the Roman garrison, and some officers from the chief priests and Pharisees) came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4 Jesus, aware of all that was coming upon him, went to meet them, and said to them: “For whom are you looking?”

5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” was their answer. “I am he,” said Jesus. (Judas, the betrayer, was also standing with them.) 6 When Jesus said ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he again asked for whom they were looking, and they answered: “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 “I have already told you that I am he,” replied Jesus, “so, if it is for me that you are looking, let these men go.” 9 This was in fulfillment of his words: ‘Of those whom thou has given me I have not lost one.’

10 At this, Simon Peter, who had a sword with him, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 But Jesus said to Peter: “Sheathe your sword. Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?” 12 So the soldiers of the garrison, with their captain and the Jewish officers, arrested Jesus and bound him, 13 And took him first of all to Annas. Annas was the father-in- law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews that it was best that one man should die for the people.

15 Meanwhile Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple, being well-known to the high priest, went with Jesus into the high priest’s court-yard, 16 While Peter stood outside by the door. Presently the other disciple—the one well-known to the high priest—went out and spoke to the maidservant, and brought Peter in. 17 So the maidservant said to Peter: “Are not you also one of this man’s disciples?” “No, I am not,” he said.

18 The servants and officers were standing round a charcoal fire (which they had made because it was cold), and were warming themselves. Peter, too, was with them, standing and warming himself. 19 The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.

20 “For my part,” answered Jesus, “I have spoken to all the world openly. I always taught in some synagogue, or in the temple courts, places where all the Jews assemble, and I never spoke of anything in secret. 21 Why question me? Question those who have listened to me as to what I have spoken about to them. They must know what I said.”

22 When Jesus said this, one of the officers, who was standing near, gave him a blow with his hand. “Do you answer the high priest like that?” he exclaimed. 23 “If I said anything wrong, give evidence about it,” replied Jesus; “but if not, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

25 Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing there, warming himself; so they said to him: “Are not you also one of his disciples?” Peter denied it. “No, I am not,” he said. 26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relation of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, exclaimed: “Did not I myself see you with him in the garden?” 27 Peter again denied it; and at that moment a cock crowed.

28 From Caiaphas they took Jesus to the government house. It was early in the morning. But they did not enter the government house themselves; otherwise they should become ‘defiled,’ and so be unable to eat the Passover. 29 Therefore Pilate came outside to speak to them. “What charge do you bring against this man?” he asked.

30 “If he had not been a criminal, we should not have given him up to you,” they answered. 31 “Take him yourselves,” said Pilate, “and try him by your own law.” “We have no power to put anyone to death,” the Jews replied—32 In fulfillment of what Jesus had said when indicating the death that he was destined to die.

33 After that, Pilate went into the Government House again, and calling Jesus up, asked him: “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 “Do you ask me that yourself?” replied Jesus, “or did others say it to you about me?” 35 “Do you take me for a Jew?” was Pilate’s answer. “It is your own nation, and the chief priests, who have given you up to me. What have you done?”

36 “My kingdom,” replied Jesus, “is not of this world. If it had been so, my servants would be doing their utmost to prevent my being given up to the Jews; but now is my kingdom, not from hence.”

37 “Are you a king then?” asked Pilate. “You say that I am a king,” answered Jesus. “To this end was I born, and for this cause I came into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to my voice.” 38 “What is truth?” asked Pilate.

After saying this, he went out to the Jews again, and said: “For my part, I find nothing with which he can be charged. 39 It is, however, the custom for me to grant you the release of one man at the Passover festival. Do you wish for the release of the King of the Jews?” 40 “No, not this man,” they shouted again, “but Barabbas!” This Barabbas was a robber.

To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 19.

This Online New Testament Gospel of John is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learning Easy Thai Language Books, as well as works on progressive spirituality.

John – Gospel 20 – Doubting Thomas

On the first day of the week, early in the morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been removed. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter, and to that other disciple who was Jesus’ friend, and said to them: “They have taken away the Master out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him!” 3 Upon this, Peter started off with that other disciple, and they went to the tomb. 4 The two began running together; but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first.

5 Stooping down, he saw the linen wrappings lying there, but did not go in. 6 Presently Simon Peter came following behind him, and went into the tomb; and he looked at the linen wrappings lying there, 7 And the cloth which had been upon Jesus’ head, not lying with the wrappings, but rolled up on one side, separately. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, went inside too, and he saw for himself and was convinced. 9 For they did not then understand the passage of scripture which says that Jesus must rise again from the dead.

10 The disciples then returned to their companions. 11 Meanwhile Mary was standing close outside the tomb, weeping. Still weeping, she leant forward into the tomb, 12 And perceived two angels clothed in white sitting there, where the body of Jesus had been lying, one where the head and the other where the feet had been. 13 “Why are you weeping?” asked the angels. “They have taken my Master away,” she answered, “and I do not know where they have laid him.”

14 After saying this, she turned round and looked at Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 “Why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” he asked. Supposing him to be the gardener, Mary answered: “If it was you, sir, who carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away myself.” 16 “Mary!” said Jesus. She turned round, and exclaimed in Hebrew: “Rabboni!” (or, as we would say, ‘Teacher’).

17 “Do not hold me,” Jesus said; “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my Brothers, and tell them that I am ascending to him who is my Father and their Father, my God and their God.” 18 Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen the Master, and that he had said this to her.

19 In the evening of the same day—the first day of the week—after the doors of the room in which the disciples were had been shut for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said: “Peace be with you”; 20 After which he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Master.

21 Again Jesus said to them: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me as his messenger, so I am sending you.” 22 After saying this, he breathed on them, and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit; 23 If you remit anyone’s sins, they have been remitted; and, if you retain them, they have been retained.”

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus was not with them when Jesus came; 25 So the rest of the disciples said to him: “We have seen the Master!” “Unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands,” he exclaimed, “and put my finger into the marks, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”

26 A week later the disciples were again in the house, and Thomas with them. After the doors had been shut, Jesus came and stood among them, and said: “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas: “Place your finger here, and look at my hands; and place your hand here, and put it into my side; and do not refuse to believe, but believe.” 28 And Thomas exclaimed: “My Master, and my God!” 29 “Is it because you have seen me that you have believed?” said Jesus. “Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed!”

30 There were many other signs of his mission that Jesus gave in presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book; 31 But these have been recorded that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God—and that through your belief in his name you may have life.

To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go toThe Gospel of John – 21.

This Online New Testament Gospel of John is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learning Easy Thai Language Books, as well as works on progressive spirituality.

John – Gospel 21 – Jesus’s Will: Follow Me

Later on, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. 2 It was in this way: Simon Peter, Thomas, who was called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, Zebediah’s sons, and two other disciples of Jesus were together when Simon Peter said: 3 “I am going fishing.” “We will come with you,” said the others. They went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.

4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus came and stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was he. 5 “My children,” he said, “have you anything to eat?” “No,” they answered. 6 “Cast your net to the right of the boat,” he said, “and you will find fish.” So they cast the net, and now they could not haul it in on account of the quantity of fish. 7 Upon this the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter: “It is the Master!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Master, he fastened his coat round him (for he had taken it off), and threw himself into the sea.

8 But the rest of the disciples came in the boat (for they were only about a hundred yards from shore), dragging the net full of fish. 9 When they had come ashore, they found a charcoal fire ready, with some fish already on it, and some bread as well. 10 “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught,” said Jesus. 11 So Simon Peter got into the boat and hauled the net ashore full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and yet, although there were so many, the net had not been torn.

12 And Jesus said to them: “Come and breakfast.” Not one of the disciples ventured to ask him who he was, knowing that it was the Master. 13 Jesus went and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish too. 14 This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after he had risen from the dead.

15 When breakfast was over, Jesus said to Simon Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than the others?” “Yes, Master,” he answered, “you know that I am your friend.” “Feed my lambs,” said Jesus.

16 Then, a second time, Jesus asked: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Master,” he answered, “you know that I am your friend.” “Tend my sheep,” said Jesus. 17 The third time, Jesus said to him: “Simon, son of John, are you my friend?” Peter was hurt at his third question being ‘Are you my friend?’ and exclaimed: “Master, you know everything! You can tell that I am your friend.” “Feed my sheep,” said Jesus.

18 “In truth I tell you,” he continued, “when you were young, you gird your loins, and walked wherever you wished; but, when you have grown old, you will have to stretch out your hands, while someone else harnesses you, and takes you where you do not wish.” 19 Jesus said this to show the death by which Peter was to honor God, and then he added: “Follow me.”

20 Peter turned round, and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following—the one who at the supper leaned back on the Master’s shoulder, and asked him who it was that would betray him. 21 Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus: “Master, what about this man?” 22 “If it is my will that he should wait till I come,” answered Jesus, “what has that to do with you? Follow me yourself.”

23 So the report spread among the brethren that that disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say that he was not to die, but said “If it is my will that he should wait till I come, what has that to do with you?” 24 It is this disciple who states these things, and who recorded them; and we know that his statement is true.
25 There are many other things which Jesus did; but, if every one of them were to be recorded in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not hold the books that would be written.

To read the previous chapter the Book of John, please Gospel of John – 20.

This Online New Testament Gospel of John is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learning Easy Thai Language Books, as well as works on progressive spirituality.