24 "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice29 and come out-those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. The religious leaders thought He was either crazy or from the devil. He again is claiming divinity, though giving credit to the Father.
31 "If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.
33 "You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
36 "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish-the very works that I am doing-testify that the Father has sent me.37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life. This carpenter's son from Nazareth was telling these powerful religious leaders that they had it wrong and needed to accept Him being God to be saved. No wonder they wanted to kill Him. There were those like Nicodemus who cared only about the Truth and did follow Jesus and accepted Him as messiah.
41 "I do not accept glory from human beings,42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
45 "But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?" Jesus was amazingly harsh with them. Their lives were based on the scriptures and commandments from God that Moses brought down from the mountain. It's miraculous they let Him live as long as He did. God, of course, is in charge and they had no power over Him until the time appointed by the Father.
