(43-26a)
For this week’s study:
- Any time you read or study the Bible, always start with prayer, asking God to guide you, so you understand God’s message and learn His methods for living.
- Read John 8:12-20 several times using your Bible, and the two translations provided below, to understand the boundaries, content and flow of the study passage. (Reading the passage once a day from any of those translations is recommended.)
- Read and respond to the “Study Guide” and use the “Study Resources” provided below to learn more from this study passage.
Read the Passage
Berean Standard Bible
(BSB)
Jesus the Light of the World
(1 John 1:5–10)
<12>Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
<13>So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”
<14>Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going. <15>You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. <16>But even if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone; I am with the Father who sent Me.1 <17>Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.2 <18>I am One who testifies about Myself, and the Father, who sent Me, also testifies about Me.”
<19>“Where is Your Father?” they asked Him.
“You do not know Me or My Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would know My Father as well.”
<20>He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts, near the treasury. Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.
Word Come Alive
(WCA)
(An extended translation)*
‘I am the light of the world’
<12>Jesus spoke once more to the people, ‘The whole world is in darkness, but I give light to everyone. I am the light of the world. If you walk with me through life, trusting me and following my example, you won’t stumble along in the gloom. No, I lift the darkness. I will light up your path and show you the right way to live. You will then be able to see the way ahead clearly and know where you’re going.’
<13>The Pharisees took issue with him, because they thought his claims were arrogant, ‘You’re getting too big for your boots! You cannot give evidence on your own behalf. If you do so, your evidence cannot be accepted as valid. According to our law, you need another witness to support you.’
<14>Jesus answered them, ‘Even if I’m the only one to give evidence for myself, that evidence is still valid, because I know where I came from and where I’m going to. But you know nothing about where I come from or where I’m going to. I came from the Father to bring his message to this world, and when I have completed my mission, I will return to the Father. <15>When you size someone up, you look only on the outside. You judge only by human standards, and that is why you consider my testimony worthless. I haven’t come to judge or condemn the world, but to save it. <16>Yet when I do judge, the decisions I reach are right and true because I don’t arrive at those decisions by myself. I do not act independently of the Father. I am qualified to judge because my authority is based on my unique relationship with my Father. I am one with the Father, who sent me. <17>Even your own law states that the evidence brought by two reliable witnesses is true. <18>I am the One who gives evidence about myself and my other witness is the Father, who sent me.’
<19>‘Where is this father of yours you keep on about? We can’t see him,’ they sneered.
Jesus replied, ‘You don’t know me or my Father. If you really knew me, you would also know my Father.’
<20>Jesus spoke all this while he was teaching in the temple courts near the place where people gave their money for the upkeep of the temple, so there were lots of people there. No one arrested him, however, because the right time had not yet come for him.
* Words in italics are not translated from the original Greek text. They have been added to explain and at times apply the text, much as a preacher does on a Sunday or notes do at the foot of the page in a study Bible. These additions are integrated with the text itself, and are in italics, so readers can see what has been explained, changed or added.
Study the Passage
Study Guide
(NOTE: The Word Come Alive Extended Translation above can help you with these questions.)
What does Jesus mean when He claims to be the ‘light of the world’?
In what ways can we reflect the ‘light of life’ in our daily lives?
How can we encourage each other to walk in the light that Jesus offers?
How can we respond to people who question our faith, similar to how the Pharisees questioned Jesus?
What does it mean to judge according to the flesh versus judging with spiritual insight?
In moments of uncertainty, how can we seek to know both Jesus and the Father better?
Study Resources
To learn more about this study passage, go to
https://www.bibleref.com/John/8/John-8-12.html. Read the commentary of each verse in the study passage. (Also read the Context Summary and the Chapter Summary.)
If you have any questions about this passage, type the verse reference or your question in the search box at the top of
https://www.gotquestions.org/ and explore the results.
If you have a study Bible, read the footnotes and study notes and see how they help you understand this passage. Also check out any maps, charts and articles related to the study passage.
Thessalonian Faith 