27“Yes, Wisdomkeeper!” she smiled and said. “I believe you are the Chosen One, the Son of the Great Spirit—the one who came down into this world from above.”
HE WEEPS WITH THOSE WHO WEEP
28After she said this, she left him and went in private to her sister Healing Tears (Mary) and said to her, “The Wisdomkeeper is nearby and wants you to come to him.”
29-30Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was still waiting outside the village where Head Woman (Martha) had met him. When Healing Tears (Mary) heard this, she got up right away and went to see him. 31The Tribal Members who were comforting Healing Tears (Mary) saw her get up and leave quickly, so they went with her, thinking she was going to the burial cave to weep.
32When Healing Tears (Mary) found Creator Sets Free (Jesus), she crumpled at his feet and wept.
“Wisdomkeeper!” she said as tears ran down her face. “If only you had been here, my brother would still be alive.”
33Creator Sets Free (Jesus) stood there watching Healing Tears (Mary) weeping at his feet. He looked around and saw all the Tribal Members who came with her also weeping. A deep anguish began to well up inside him, and he was troubled in his spirit.
He cried out, 34“Where did they bury him?”
“Wisdomkeeper, come with us,” they said to him. “We will show you.”
35Creator Sets Free (Jesus) wept.
36When the Tribal Members saw his tears, some said, “See how deeply he cared for him!”
37But others said, “If this man could open the eyes of a blind man, why could he not have kept this man from dying?”
POWER OVER DEATH
38Creator Sets Free (Jesus), still deep in anguish, found his way to the family burial place. It was a cave, and a large stone blocked the entrance.
39Creator Sets Free (Jesus) cried out, “Take away the stone!”
Head Woman (Martha) whispered to him, “Wisdomkeeper, he has been dead four days. There will be a terrible smell.”
40He looked at her and said, “Do you not remember what I told you? If you believed, you would see the shining-greatness of the Great Spirit.”
Head Woman (Martha) could say nothing. She watched as 41they rolled the stone away from the burial cave.
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) turned his eyes upward toward the sky and said, “I thank you, Father, that you have already heard my prayers and always listen to me. 42The reason I say this out loud is so that all who are standing around me can hear and believe that you sent me.”
The men and women gathered there stood silently, listening to his prayer.
43Then the voice of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) pierced the silence as he cried out with a loud voice, “Creator Helps Him (Lazarus), come out of there!”
The sound of his voice echoed from out of the burial cave and then faded into the distance. The people looked at Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and then back to the cave. No one dared say anything, so they all waited. Then suddenly, gasps could be heard from the crowd. There was movement in the cave!
44Creator Helps Him (Lazarus) came stumbling out of the burial cave with his ceremonial wrappings still clinging to his head, hands, and feet.
He was alive!
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) told the people, “Take off his wrappings and set him free.”
Head Woman (Martha) and Healing Tears (Mary) wept for joy as they tore the ceremonial wrappings from their brother.
They could not stop hugging and kissing him! All the people were full of joy and began to celebrate.
45When many of the local Tribal Members saw what Creator Sets Free (Jesus) had done, they put their trust in him. 46But some of them went to find the Separated Ones (Pharisees) to tell them what had happened.
A WAR COUNCIL IS CALLED
47When the Separated Ones (Pharisees) and the head holy men heard about this great miracle, they called the Grand Council together.
“What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man has powerful medicine and performs many signs and wonders. 48If we do not stop him, all the people will believe in him. Then the People of Iron (Romans) will come and take away our sacred lodge and, with it, our power to rule this nation.”
49Hollow in the Rock (Caiaphas), the chief holy man for that year, said to the council, “Is it too hard for you to see? 50It would be better for us if one man were to die for the people than for our whole nation to be destroyed.”
51Hollow in the Rock (Caiaphas) was not aware that, as the chief holy man for that year, he prophesied that Creator Sets Free (Jesus) would die for their nation. Little did he know that 52he would not only die for their nation but also to gather together all of Creator’s scattered children from every nation and make them into one people.
53From that day forward the Grand Council set in motion a plan to have him killed.
54Knowing this, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) no longer walked openly among the people. He went into the countryside near the desert wilderness to the Village of Fruitful Place (Ephraim). There he stayed for a time with his close followers.
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR CREATOR SETS FREE
55It was time again for the traditional Festival of Bread Without Yeast, called Passover. Tribal Members would travel from their homelands to Village of Peace (Jerusalem). Many would arrive early to perform a purification ceremony to prepare for the festival.
56The tribal leaders were all looking for Creator Sets Free (Jesus). As they stood in the courtyard of the sacred lodge, they asked each other, “What do you think? Surely he will not come here to the festival?”
57For the head holy men and the Separated Ones (Pharisees) had given instruction that anyone who saw Creator Sets Free (Jesus) should report back to them so they could arrest him.
PREPARATION FOR HIS BURIAL
1It was now six days before the Passover festival. Creator Sets Free (Jesus) returned to House of Figs (Bethany) to lodge at the home of Creator Helps Him (Lazarus), whom he had brought back to life from the dead. 2That night, they had a meal to honor Creator Sets Free (Jesus). Head Woman (Martha) was preparing the meal, and her brother, Creator Helps Him (Lazarus), was sitting with Wisdomkeeper and the other guests.
3Healing Tears (Mary), the sister of Head Woman (Martha), took a small pottery jar that held some costly ointment, broke it, and poured the sweet-smelling ointment on the feet of Creator Sets Free (Jesus). She then wiped his feet with her hair, and the scent of the sweet-smelling ointment filled the whole house.
4When Speaks Well Of (Judas), also known as Village Man (Iscariot), the one who would soon betray Creator Sets Free (Jesus), saw this, he said, 5“This could have been traded for a year’s wages and given to the poor.”
6He said this not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and, as the keeper of the money pouch, he would take what he wanted.
7“Let her be!” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to all. “She has done a good thing, saving this for the day of my burial. 8You can help the poor anytime, for they will always be with you, but I will not.”
9Word got out that Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was there. Many people came from all around to see him, and not only him but also Creator Helps Him (Lazarus), the one he had brought back from the dead. 10The head holy men were also making a plan to kill Creator Helps Him (Lazarus), 11for because of him many of the Tribal Members believed in Creator Sets Free (Jesus), that he was the Chosen One.
HIS GRAND ENTRY
12The following day, the people who had come to the Passover festival heard that Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was entering Village of Peace (Jerusalem). 13A great crowd of them took branches from palm trees and went out to greet him.
Waving palm branches in their hands, they began to shout, “Hosanna!” meaning “Help us!” They cried out with glad hearts. “We honor you as the one who is to come representing the Great Spirit. You are the Great Chief of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel)!”
14Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was riding on the colt of a donkey to give full meaning to the
ancient prophecy, 15“Do not fear, O daughter of Strong Mountain (Zion). Your Great Chief is coming to you, in a humble way, riding on a young donkey.”27
16At the time his followers did not understand these things. It was not until some time later, when he had entered his place of honor and bright shining-greatness, that they remembered how the things done to him had first been written down by the ancient prophets long ago.
17-18Among this crowd were the ones who had seen Creator Sets Free (Jesus) bring Creator Helps Him (Lazarus) back from the dead. They were telling every-one about this great miracle. That is why the crowd was so large that day.
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) came riding down Olive Mountain and went into Village of Peace (Jerusalem). His twelve followers encircled him and led the donkey forward.
He did not fit the powerful image of a conquering ruler, for he was not riding a warhorse. Instead, he rode a small, humble colt of a donkey. No mighty warriors rode next to him. No dignitaries from Village of Peace (Jerusalem) came out to meet him. It was mostly the common people who welcomed him that day.
19The Separated Ones (Pharisees) huddled together near the crowd.
“Nothing we have done to stop him has worked,” they complained. “Look! The whole world is now following him.”
WISDOM SEEKERS SEEK HIM
Along with the Tribal Members of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) who came to participate in the Passover festival, there were also many outsiders from other nations who would come.
20There were people from these nations who came to celebrate the festival from Land of Wisdom Seekers (Greece).
These were people who often prided themselves in their study of wisdom and knowledge.
21They went up to Friend of Horses (Philip), who was from House of Fishing (Bethsaida) in Circle of Nations (Galilee). Knowing him to be one who walked with Creator Sets Free (Jesus), they said to him, “Honored friend, we would like to see Creator Sets Free (Jesus), your Wisdomkeeper.”
22Friend of Horses (Philip) did not know what to do, so he found Stands with Courage (Andrew) and asked him what he thought. Then together they both went to see Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and told him that the Wisdom Seekers (Greeks) wished to see him.
23He answered them, “It is time for the True Human Being to be lifted up to his place of honor. 24I speak from my heart. If a seed is unplanted, it remains only one seed, but if it dies, falls to the earth, and enters the ground, it will then grow and become many seeds.
25“The ones who love the kind of life this world gives will lose the life they seek, but the ones who let go of their life in this world and follow my ways will find the life of the world to come that never fades away, full of beauty and harmony.
“Tell these Wisdom Seekers (Greeks) to walk the road with me. 26Anyone who wants to serve me will walk in my footsteps, and I will take them to the same place I am going. If they give up their lives to serve me in this way, my Father will honor them.”
THE TIME OF HONOR HAS COME
A look of sorrow came over the face of Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
27“But now I am deeply troubled and in anguish!” he said. “Should I ask my Father to rescue me from this hour that has now come? No! I came into the world for this time and for this purpose.”
He then lifted his face, looked up to the sky, and sent his words to the Great Spirit.
28“Father,” he prayed, “honor your name and show the world the beauty of it.”
Suddenly, a voice from above spoke out of the sky, “I have honored my name, for it represents who I am, and I will once again honor and show the beauty of it.”
29Some of the people standing nearby heard the voice and said, “Was that thunder?”
Others said, “No, a spirit-messenger has spoken to him.”
30Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to them, “This voice you heard was not for my sake, but for yours. 31It is a sign to you that it is now time for the Great Spirit to make his final decision about this world. The evil one who now rules this world will be defeated and thrown down. 32But I, the True Human Being, will be lifted up from the ground and nailed to a cross. This is the way I will bring all things, in the spirit-world above and the earth below,28 to myself.”
33Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said this to show the kind of death he would die and what his death would accomplish.
34The people who heard him said, “How can this be? We have been told from our Sacred Teachings that the Chosen One, when he comes, will remain beyond the end of all days. How can you say the True Human Being will be lifted up like this? Who are you talking about?”
35Creator Sets Free (Jesus) spoke to them with sadness in his voice. “My light will shine on you for only a little while longer, so walk in my light before the darkness comes, for the ones who walk in darkness cannot see the path. 36Put your trust in the one who gives you light, and then you will become children of light.”
He looked around at the people, knowing that these were nearly the last public words he would speak.
He then went away to hide himself from the crowds.
BLIND EYES AND HARD HEARTS
37Even though Creator Sets Free (Jesus) had healed the sick, brought the dead back to life, and shown the people powerful medicine from the Great Spirit, his own tribal nation still did not believe in him or trust him.
38-39This showed the full meaning of the ancient prophecy, “Who will believe such a thing? Who will see that Creator’s great power would be shown in weakness?”29 40and, “His great light has blinded their eyes and his great love has hardened their hearts. If only they would open their hearts to him, then they would see clearly and he would make them whole.”30
41The prophet Creator Will Help Us (Isaiah) saw the true beauty of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) long ago and prophesied the reasons the people could not believe. 42But even so, many tribal leaders did believe in him but would not tell anyone because they feared the Separated Ones (Pharisees). They knew if they openly confessed their faith in him they would be put out of the gathering houses. 43In the end, their reputation with the people was more important to them than bringing honor to the Maker of Life.
MY MESSAGE WILL DECIDE
As he was leaving, 44Creator Sets Free (Jesus) turned around, lifted his voice, and cried out to the people one last time, “If you trust me, you are not only trusting me, but the one who sent me. 45When you see me, you see the one who sent me. 46I came into this dark world as a shining light, so the ones who trust me will no longer have to stumble in the darkness.
47“I have not come to decide against the ones who have heard my words but fail to walk in them. Instead, I have come to rescue them from the worthless ways of this world and set them free. 48But a day is coming when the ones who have turned away from me and my words will be decided against. In the end, it will be the message I have spoken that will decide for or against them.
49“The message I have spoken is not from myself. It is from the one who sent me. I have spoken only what my Father gave me to speak, nothing more. 50The instructions my Father gave me lead to the life of the world to come that never fades away, full of beauty and harmony.”
THE CEREMONIAL MEAL BEGINS
1The Passover festival was drawing near. Creator Sets Free (Jesus) knew it was time to leave this world and go back to his Father. His love for the ones who walked the road with him had always been great, and now, at the end, his love for them remained strong.
2The evil trickster snake had already twisted the heart of Speaks Well Of (Judas), also known as Village Man (Iscariot), son of Man Who Hears (Simon), to betray Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
3Creator Sets Free (Jesus) knew that his Father had put all things in his hands and that he had come from the Great Spirit and was returning to him.
FOOT-WASHING CEREMONY
4Knowing all of this, during the meal Creator Sets Free (Jesus) got up from the table, took off his outer garments, and wrapped a cloth around himself like a sash. 5He poured water into a vessel and, one
by one, he began to wash the feet of his followers and dry them with the cloth.
This was a task reserved for only the lowest servant of the household.
6He came to Stands on the Rock (Peter), who said to him, “Wisdomkeeper, are you going to wash my feet?”
7“You do not understand now what I am doing, but later you will,” he answered.
8“No!” Stands on the Rock (Peter) lifted his voice, “This can never be!”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked deep into his eyes and said, “If you refuse this, then you have no part in who I am.”
9“Wisdomkeeper,” he answered back, “if this is so, then wash my hands and head also!”
10Creator Sets Free (Jesus) replied, “If you have already had a bath, only your feet need washing, and then you will be clean all over. Now, you are all clean. Except for one.”
11He said this because he knew who would betray him.
After he had finished washing all their feet, 12he put his outer garment back on and sat down again at the table.
“Do you see what I have done?” he said to them. 13“You are right to call me Wisdomkeeper and Chief—because I am. 14If I, your Wisdomkeeper and Chief, have washed your feet, then you should wash each other’s feet. 15So follow my footsteps and do for each other what I have done for you.
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