14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even 15 so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth 16 in Him may have eternal life.
17 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only 18 begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not per- 19 ish, but have eternal life. For God sent not the Son into the 20 world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved 21 through Him. He that believeth on Him is not judged; he that 22 believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not 23 believed on the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this 24 is the judgment that the light is come into the world, and men 25 loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were 26 evil. For every one that doeth ill hateth the light, and cometh 27 not to the light, lest His works should be reproved. But he 28 that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be 29 made manifest, that they have been wrought in God.
30 "After these things came Jesus and His disciples into the 31 land of Judea; and there He tarried with them, and baptized. 32 And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because 33 there was much water there; and they came, and were bap- 34 tized. For John was not yet cast into prison. There arose 35 therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with a 36 Jew about purifying. And they came unto John, and said to him, 37 Rabbi, He that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou 38 hast borne witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men 39 come to Him. John answered and said, A man can receive 40 nothing, except it have been given him from heaven. Ye your- 41 selves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, 42 that I am sent before Him. He that hath the bride is the 43 bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth 44 and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's 45 voice; this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but 46 I must decrease.
47 "He that cometh from above is above all; he that is of the 48 earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: He that 49 cometh from heaven is above all. What He hath seen and 50 heard, of that He beareth witness; and no man receiveth His 51 witness. He that receiveth His witness hath set his seal to this, 52 that God is true. For He whom God hath sent speaketh the 53 words of God; for He giveth not the Spirit by measure. The 54 Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand. 55 He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that 56 obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God 57 abideth on him.
1 "When therefore the Lord knew how that the Pharisees 2 had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples 3 than John (altho Jesus Himself baptized not, but His disci- 4 ples), He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. And He 5 must needs pass through Samaria. So He cometh to a city of 6 Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that 7 Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob's well was there. 8 Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus by 9 the well. It was about the sixth hour."
NOTE.—The texts inclosed in marks of parentheses, while not essential to the lesson study, will be found to throw much light upon the lesson, and are suggested for those who wish to study further.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
In His discourse to Nicodemus, by what familiar illustration did the Saviour reveal His mission to earth? John 3:14, 15. (Num. 21:9; John 12:32.)
What motive gave Christ to such a work? Verses 16, 17. (2 Cor. 8:9; Rom. 8:32.)
By what do men escape condemnation from sin? Verse 18. (John 3:24.)
