Bible Text
John 1:1-5 MEV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 The light shines in darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.
John 5:19 NKJV Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
John 8:26 NKJV
I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
Left off with
First Cleansing of the Temple
John 2:13-22 MEV
The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple He found those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers sitting there.
15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. He poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”
17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”
18 Then the Jews said to Him, “What sign do You show us, seeing that You do these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
21 But He was speaking concerning the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them. And they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
Ministry Begins: Part 2
Received at Jerusalem
John 2:23-25 MEV
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
Signs are meant for a witness
24 But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and did not need anyone to bear witness of man, for He knew what was in man.
Hebrews 4:12 MEV For the word of God is alive, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Teaches Nicodemus Second Birth
John 3:1-21 MEV
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 He came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
He was a ruler of the Jews
He came by night
He recognized Jesus as a teacher from God
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can this be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, but you do not know these things? 11 Truly, truly I say to you, We speak of what We know and bear witness of what We have seen, but you do not receive Our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended to heaven except He who descended from heaven, even the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 He who believes in Him is not condemned. But he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 This is the verdict, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that it may be revealed that his deeds have been done in God.”
Co-Ministry with John the Baptist
John 3:22-30 MEV
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea. He remained with them there and baptized.
23 John also was baptizing in Aenon toward Salim, because much water was there. And people came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been put in prison.
25 Then a dispute arose between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about ceremonial cleansing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, look, He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”
The Jews are coming to disturb the works of God
They called John, “Rabbi” to flatter him. That’s not what they called him otherwise
”to whom you bore witness, so they knew who Jesus was because they heard John witness of Him
They tried to make John jealous by saying “everyone” is going to Him
27 John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear witness of me, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but ‘I have been sent before Him.’
John didn’t buy into their deception
29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom. But the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
The best man is not envious of the groom, instead he is honored for his position and his part
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”