John 12:36-50

So believe and cling to the light while I am with you, so that you will become children of light.” After saying this, Jesus then entered into the crowd and hid himself from them. Even with the overwhelming evidence of all the many signs and wonders that Jesus had performed in front of them, his critics still refused to believe. This fulfilled the prophecy given by Isaiah: Lord, who has believed our message? Who has seen the unveiling of your great power? And the people were not able to believe, for Isaiah also prophesied: God has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts to the truth. So with their eyes and hearts closed they cannot understand the truth nor turn to me so that I could instantly cleanse and heal them. Isaiah said these things because he had seen and experienced the splendor of Jesus and prophesied about him. Yet there were many Jewish leaders who believed in Jesus, but because they feared the Pharisees they kept it secret, so they wouldn’t be ostracized by the assembly of the Jews. For they loved the glory that men could give them rather than the glory that came from God! Jesus shouted out passionately, “To believe in me is to also believe in God who sent me. For when you look at me you are seeing the One who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world so that all who trust in me will no longer wander in darkness. If you hear my words and refuse to follow them, I do not judge you. For I have not come to judge you but to save you. If you reject me and refuse to follow my words, you already have a judge. The message of truth I have given you will rise up to judge you at the Day of Judgment. For I’m not speaking as someone who is self-appointed, but I speak by the authority of the Father himself who sent me, and who instructed me what to say. And I know that the Father’s commands result in eternal life, and that’s why I speak the very words I’ve heard him speak.”