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Gospel Reading - Jesus and Abraham

⁵¹With all the earnestness I have I tell you this — no one who obeys me shall ever die!”

⁵²The leaders of the Jews said, “Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the mightiest prophets died, and yet you say that obeying you will keep a man from dying! ⁵³ So you are greater than our father Abraham, who died? And greater than the prophets, who died? Who do you think you are?” ⁵⁴Then Jesus told them this: “If I am merely boasting about myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father—and you claim him as your God—who is saying these glorious things about me. ⁵⁵But you do not even know him. I do. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But it is true — I know him and fully obey him. ⁵⁶Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He knew I was coming and was glad.”

⁵⁷The Jewish leaders: “You aren’t even fifty years old — sure, you’ve seen Abraham!”

⁵⁸Jesus: “The absolute truth is that I was in existence before Abraham was ever born!”

⁵⁹At that point the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill him. But Jesus was hidden from them, and walked past them and left the Temple.