מ Mem

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

⁶⁰ On hearing it, many of his disciples^(A) said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”^(B)

⁶¹ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?^{(C) 62} Then what if you see the Son of Man^(D) ascend to where he was before!^{(E) 63} The Spirit gives life;^(F) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit^[a] and life. ⁶⁴ Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known^(G) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.^{(H) 65} He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”^(I)

⁶⁶ From this time many of his disciples^(J) turned back and no longer followed him.

⁶⁷ “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.^(K)

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him,^(L) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.^{(M) 69} We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”^(N)

⁷⁰ Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you,^(O) the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”^{(P) 71} (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,^(Q) who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)^(R)

Warnings Against Denying the Son

¹⁸ Dear children, this is the last hour;^(A) and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming,^(B) even now many antichrists have come.^(C) This is how we know it is the last hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us,^(D) but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.^(E)

²⁰ But you have an anointing^(F) from the Holy One,^(G) and all of you know the truth.^{[a](H) 21} I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it^(I) and because no lie comes from the truth. ²² Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.^{(J) 23} No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.^(K)

²⁴ As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning^(L) remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.^{(M) 25} And this is what he promised us—eternal life.^(N)

²⁶ I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.^{(O) 27} As for you, the anointing^(P) you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things^(Q) and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.^(R)

God’s Children and Sin

²⁸ And now, dear children,^(S) continue in him, so that when he appears^(T) we may be confident^(U) and unashamed before him at his coming.^(V)

²⁹ If you know that he is righteous,^(W) you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.^(X)