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The Signs Gospel

Signs Gospel

Quoting Andrew Bernhard, author of The Lost Gospels, "The following reconstruction of the hypothetical source employed by the author of the fourth gospel is derived from the analysis found in Robert Fortna's The Fourth Gospel and Its Predecessor. The text of the Signs Gospel has been reconstructed using the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Gospel of John; differences between the text of the Signs Gospel and the NRSV are printed in italics."

John 1  

(6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (7) He came as a witness, so that all might believe through him.

(19) This is the testimony given by John when priests and Levites came to ask him, "Who are you?"

(20) He confessed, "I am not the Messiah."

(21) And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?"

He said, "I am not."

"Are you the prophet?"

He answered, "No."

(22) Then they said to him, "Who are you? What do you say about yourself?"

(23) He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' " as the prophet Isaiah said. I baptize with water. Among you stands (27) the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal."

(28) He saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God. I came for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel. I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove on him. (34) And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God."

 

 

   

(35) Now John was standing with two of his disciples who heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. (38) They said to him, "Rabbi, where are you staying?"

(39) He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.

(40) One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew. (41) He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah." (42)

He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas."

He found Philip and Jesus said to him, "Follow me." (44) Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

(45) Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth."

(46) Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

Philip said to him, "Come and see."

(47) When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite."

(49) Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

 

 

John 2  

(1) There was a wedding in Cana, and the mother of Jesus was there. (2) Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. (3) When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." (6) Now standing there were six stone water jars, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.

(7) Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim.

(8) He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." So they took it.

(9) When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, the steward called the bridegroom (10) and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now."

(11) Jesus did this, the first of his signs; and his disciples believed in him.

 

(12) After this he went down to Capernaum with his disciples.

John 4  

(46) Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. (47) He went and said to him, "Sir, come down before my little boy dies."

(50) Jesus said, "Go; your son will live."

The man started on his way. (51) As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. (52) So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, "Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him." (53) So he himself believed, along with his whole household.

(54) Now this was the second sign that Jesus did.

 

 

John 21  

(2) Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana, the sons of Zebedee. (3) Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."

They said to him, "We will go with you."

They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

(4) Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach. (6) He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some."

So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. (7) Simon Peter put on some clothes and jumped into the sea (8) for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. (11) So Simon Peter went ashore and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. (14) This was now the third sign that Jesus did before the disciples.

 

 

John 6  

(1) After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Tiberias. (3) He went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. (5) When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?"

(7) Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little."

(8) One of his disciples said to him, (9) "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?"

(10) Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. (11) Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.

(13) And from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. (14) When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world."

(15) Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (16) When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, (17) got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. (18) The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. (19) When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and they were terrified. (20) But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." (21) And immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

 

 

John 11  

(1) Now a certain Mary; (2) her brother Lazarus was ill. (3) She sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, he whom you love is ill."

(7) He said to the disciples, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. Let us go to him."

(17) When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. (32) When Mary saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

(33) When Jesus saw her weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. (34) He said, "Where have you laid him?"

They said to him, "Lord, come and see."

(38) Then Jesus came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. (39) Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Then he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"

(44) The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

(45) Those who had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

 

 

John 9  

(1) As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. (6) He spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, (7) saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam." Then he went and washed and came back able to see. (8) The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?"

 

 

John 5  

(2) Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. (3) In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. (5) One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. (6) When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"

(7) The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me."

(8) Jesus said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk."

(9) At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.

 

 

John 2  

(14) In the temple Jesus found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. (15) Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. (16) He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!"

(18) The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?"

19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

 

 

John 11  

(47) So the chief priests called a meeting of the council, and said, "This man is performing many signs. (48) If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy our nation."

(49) But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, (50) "It is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed." (53) So from that day on they planned to put him to death.

John 12  

(37) Although he had performed so many signs, they did not believe in him. (38) This was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah: "Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (39) And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said, (40) "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not look with their eyes, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them."

 

 

(1) Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. (2) There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. (3) Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

(4) But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, said, (5) "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?"

(7) Jesus said, "She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. (8) You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

 

 

(12) The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. (13) So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!"

(14) Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: (15) "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!"

 

 

John 13  

(1) Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. (2) The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper (3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, (4) got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. (5) Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. (6) He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

(7) Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

(8) Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet."

Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me."

(9) Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"

(10) Jesus said to him, "One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you." (11) For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, "Not all of you are clean."

(12) After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? (13) You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. (14) So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. (15) For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. (16) Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. (17) If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. (18) I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, 'The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' (19) I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he. (20) Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me."

 

 

John 18  

(1) Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden. (2) Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. (3) So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. (4) Then Jesus asked them, "Whom are you looking for?"

(5) They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth."

Jesus replied, "I am he."

(10) Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus.

(11) Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?" (12) So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him.

 

 

(13) First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. (15) Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, (16) but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in.

(17) The woman said to Peter, "You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?"

He said, "I am not."

(18) Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself.

(19) Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his teaching. (20) Jesus answered, "I have always taught in the temple, where all come together. (21) Why do you ask me?"

(22) When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"

(24) Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. (25)They asked him, "You are not also one of his disciples, are you?"

He denied it and said, "I am not."

(26) One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?"

(27) Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.

 

 

(28) Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate's headquarters. It was early in the morning. (29) Pilate said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?"

(33) Then Pilate summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"

Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king."

(38) He told them, "I find no case against him. (39) But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?"

(40) They shouted in reply, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a bandit.

John 19  

(1) Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. (2) And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. (3) They kept coming up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and striking him on the face.

(6) And the police saw him, they shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"

Pilate said to them, "I find no case against him."

(13) Pilate brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge's bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. (14) Now it was the day of Preparation; and it was about noon. (16) Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

 

 

So they took Jesus. (17) He went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. (18) There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side. (19) And there was written, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." (20) And it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

(23) When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. (24) So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it." This was to fulfill what the scripture says, "They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots."

(25) And that is what the soldiers did. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (28) After this, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), "I am thirsty."

(29) A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth.

(30) When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is finished." Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

(31) Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. (32) Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. (33) But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. (34) Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (36) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, "None of his bones shall be broken."

(37) And again another passage of scripture says, "They will look on the one whom they have pierced." (38) After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths.

(41) Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. (42) And so, because it was the day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

 

 

John 20  

(1) Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. (2) So she ran and went to Simon Peter and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."

(3) Then Peter set out and went toward the tomb and went into the tomb. (9) For as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. (10) Then he returned to his home.

(11) But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; (12) and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. (14) She turned around and saw Jesus standing there.

(15) Jesus said to her, "Whom are you looking for, Mary?"

She said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!."

(17) Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me. But go to my brothers."

(18) Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord."

(19) When it was evening on that day and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." (20) He showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

(22) He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

(30) Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. (31) But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Kirby, Peter. "Historical Jesus Theories." Early Christian Writings. <http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-hoole.html>.