Good people speak the truth and can be trusted in court, but liars make bad witnesses. Speak without thinking, and your words can cut like a knife. Be wise, and your words can heal. Lies last only a moment, but the truth lasts forever. People who work for evil make trouble, but those who plan for peace bring happiness. The Lord will keep good people safe, but evil people will have many troubles. The LORD hates people who tell lies, but he is pleased with those who tell the truth.

There was a man named John, who was sent by God. He came to tell people about the light. Through him all people could hear about the light and believe. John was not the light. But he came to tell people about the light. The true light was coming into the world. This is the true light that gives light to all people. The Word was already in the world. The world was made through him, but the world did not know him.

He came to the world that was his own. And his own people did not accept him. But some people did accept him. They believed in him, and he gave them the right to become children of God. They became God's children, but not in the way babies are usually born. It was not because of any human desire or plan. They were born from God himself. The Word became a man and lived among us. We saw his divine greatness—the greatness that belongs to the only Son of the Father. The Word was full of grace and truth.

So Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, "If you continue to accept and obey my teaching, you are really my followers. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." They answered, "We are Abraham's descendants. And we have never been slaves. So why do you say that we will be free?" Jesus said, "The truth is, everyone who sins is a slave—a slave to sin. A slave does not stay with a family forever. But a son belongs to the family forever. So if the Son makes you free, you are really free.

I know you are Abraham's descendants. But you want to kill me, because you don't want to accept my teaching. I am telling you what my Father has shown me. But you do what your father has told you." They said, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said, "If you were really Abraham's descendants, you would do what Abraham did. I am someone who has told you the truth I heard from God. But you are trying to kill me. Abraham did nothing like that. So you are doing what your own father did." But they said, "We are not like children who never knew who their father was. God is our Father. He is the only Father we have."

Jesus said to them, "If God were really your Father, you would love me. I came from God, and now I am here. I did not come by my own authority. God sent me. You don't understand the things I say, because you cannot accept my teaching. Your father is the devil. You belong to him. You want to do what he wants. He was a murderer from the beginning. He was always against the truth. There is no truth in him. He is like the lies he tells. Yes, the devil is a liar. He is the father of lies. "I am telling you the truth, and that's why you don't believe me. Can any of you prove that I am guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, why don't you believe me? Whoever belongs to God accepts what he says. But you don't accept what God says, because you don't belong to God."