“I am the good shepherd;
I know my own sheep,
and they know me,
just as my Father knows me and I know the Father.
So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep, too,
that are not in this sheepfold.
I must bring them also.
They will listen to my voice,
and there will be one flock with one shepherd.”
…”I tell you the truth,
I am the gate for the sheep.
Yes, I am the gate.
Those who come in through me will be saved.
They will come and go freely
and will find good pastures.”
Jesus spoke…
“I am the light of the world.
If you follow me,
you won’t have to walk in darkness,
because you will have the light
that leads to life.”
…The Spirit alone gives eternal life.
Human effort accomplishes nothing.
And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
But some of you do not believe me.
…
Don’t be so surprised!
Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves
will hear the voice of God’s Son,
and they will rise again.
Those who have done good
will rise to experience eternal life,
and those who have continued in evil
will rise to experience judgment.
…the time is coming—
indeed it’s here now—
when true worshipers will worship the Father
in spirit and in truth.
The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
for God is Spirit,
so those who worship him
must worship in spirit and in truth.
He has come from above and is greater than anyone else.
We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things,
but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.
He testifies about what he has seen and heard,
but how few believe what he tells them!
…he is sent by God.
He speaks God’s words,
for God gives him the Spirit without limit.
…Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son
will never experience eternal life
but remains under God’s angry judgment.
Jesus replied, “I assure you,
no one can enter the Kingdom of God without
being born of water and the Spirit.
Humans can reproduce only human life,
but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.
So don’t be surprised when I say,
‘You must be born again.’
The wind blows wherever it wants.
Just as you can hear the wind
but can’t tell where it comes from
or where it is going,
so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
He came into the very world he created,
but the world didn’t recognize him.
But to all who believed him and accepted him,
he gave the right to become children of God.
They are reborn—not with physical birth
resulting from human passion or plan,
but a birth that comes from God.
