Who Said This? 

    "Soldiers pierced Jesus' side, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony and his testimony is true. He tells the truth and he testifies so that you may also believe." 

     "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes ... and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life." 

     "Grace, mercy and peace - from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son - will be with us in truth and love." 

     "Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good."

     "Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come ... and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first born from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth." 

Do You Say...

     "John?" The dates aren't precise, but John was the last living disciple, writing his gospel, three letters and what the Lord revealed to him, soon called the "Revelation." 

     As with other disciples and numerous additional believers, including Luke, a gentile, these writings occurred long after Jesus ascended. John, the longest to live, wrote anywhere from 50 to 65 years after our Lord in resurrected body returned to the Father. 

     Same can be said about Matthew, Mark, Luke and Paul, although their writings were approximately 30 to 45 years after their Messiah had departed.

     Unlike rebels, whose survivors quit, Jesus' followers - and converts - had interacted with him following his crucifixion. Like John, they knew what they knew that they knew.

     Next, look for our list of disciples who - historians say - never quit, but took the news to the known world. Most of them were killed. But, they knew the truth and were never going to deny it to save their human lives. God protected John for the purpose Jesus hinted while answering Peter's question.