Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.   So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. 

        He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.

I [Jesus] don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. 

          And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.

I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. 

          But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.

I [Jesus] have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.

Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. 

          For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.

Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory. 

           Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.  For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said,

     “The Lord has blinded their eyes
          and hardened their hearts—
      so that their eyes cannot see,
          and their hearts cannot understand,
      and they cannot turn to me
          and have me heal them.”

But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted:

       “Lord, who has believed our message?
             To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful 
              arm?”

Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. 

             Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”

                    After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.

The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die?  Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?”

Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine.  The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.  And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 

               He said this to indicate how he was going to die.

“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!   Father, bring glory to your name.”

             Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.”   When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.

Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.  I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone.  But its death will produce many new kernels, a plentiful harvest of new lives.  Those who love their life in this world will lose it.  Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.   Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am.  And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.”

Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration  paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. 

           They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.”  

                      Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.