Study Desk

But you are filled with sadness because I have told you all this.

Let me assure you, it is better for you that I go away. I say this because when I go away I will send the Helper to you. But if I did not go, the Helper would not come.

He will prove that they are guilty of sin, because they don't believe in me.

He will show them how wrong they are about how to be right with God. The Helper will do this, because I am going to the Father. You will not see me then.

And he will show them how wrong their judgment is, because their leader has already been condemned.

Some of the followers said to each other, "What does he mean when he says, ‘After a short time you won't see me. Then after another short time you will see me again'? And what does he mean when he says, ‘Because I am going to the Father'?"

"When a woman gives birth to a baby, she has pain, because her time has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the pain. She forgets because she is so happy that a child has been born into the world.

The Father himself loves you because you have loved me. And he loves you because you have believed that I came from God.

Listen to me. A time is coming when you will be scattered, each to his own home. In fact, that time is already here. You will leave me, and I will be alone. But I am never really alone, because the Father is with me.

I pray for them now. I am not praying for the people in the world. But I am praying for these people you gave me, because they are yours.

I have given them your teaching. And the world has hated them, because they don't belong to the world, just as I don't belong to the world.

"I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching.

"Father, I want these people you have given me to be with me in every place I am. I want them to see my glory—the glory you gave me because you loved me before the world was made.

Judas, the one responsible for handing Jesus over, knew where this place was. He knew because Jesus often met there with his followers.

Then the guards took Jesus from Caiaphas' house to the Roman governor's palace. It was early in the morning. The Jews there would not go inside the palace. They did not want to make themselves unclean, because they wanted to eat the Passover meal.

The Jewish leaders answered, "We have a law that says he must die, because he said he is the Son of God."

The sign was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was nailed to the cross was near the city.

Later, a man named Joseph from Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. (Joseph was a follower of Jesus, but he did not tell anyone, because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders.) Pilate said Joseph could take Jesus' body, so he came and took it away.

The men put Jesus in that tomb because it was near, and the Jews were preparing to start their Sabbath day.

The day was Sunday, and that same evening the followers were together. They had the doors locked because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them. He said, "Peace be with you!"