John 14

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Jesus Comforts His Followers

14 <1> Jesus said, "Don't be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. <2> There are many rooms in my Father's house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. <3> After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back. Then I will take you with me, so that you can be where I am. <4> You know the way to the place where I am going."

<5> Thomas said, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

<6> Jesus answered, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me. <7> If you really knew me, you would know my Father too. But now you know the Father. You have seen him."

<8> Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need."

<9> Jesus answered, "Philip, I have been with you for a long time. So you should know me. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father too. So why do you say, 'Show us the Father'? <10> Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The things I have told you don't come from me. The Father lives in me, and he is doing his own work. <11> Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or believe because of the miracles[223] I have done.

<12> "I can assure you that whoever believes in me will do the same things I have done. And they will do even greater things than I have done, because I am going to the Father. <13> And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you. Then the Father's glory[224] will be shown through the Son. <14> If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

<15> "If you love me, you will do what I command. <16> I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper[225] to be with you forever. <17> The Helper is the Spirit of truth.[226] The people of the world cannot accept him, because they don't see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you.

<18> "I will not leave you all alone like children without parents. I will come back to you. <19> In a very short time the people in the world will not see me anymore. But you will see me. You will live because I live. <20> On that day you will know that I am in the Father. You will know that you are in me and I am in you. <21> Those who really love me are the ones who not only know my commands but also obey them. My Father will love such people, and I will love them. I will show myself to them."

<22> Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But Lord, why do you plan to show yourself to us, but not to the world?"

<23> Jesus answered, "All who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them. My Father and I will come to them and live with them. <24> But anyone who does not love me does not obey my teaching. This teaching that you hear is not really mine. It is from my Father who sent me.

<25> "I have told you all these things while I am with you. <26> But the Helper will teach you everything and cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit[227] that the Father will send in my name.

<27> "I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don't be troubled. Don't be afraid. <28> You heard me say to you, 'I am leaving, but I will come back to you.' If you loved me, you would be happy that I am going back to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. <29> I have told you this now, before it happens. Then when it happens, you will believe.

<30> "I will not talk with you much longer. The ruler of this world[228] is coming. He has no power over me. <31> But the world must know that I love the Father. So I do exactly what the Father told me to do.

"Come now, let's go."