THIS MIGHT SURPRISE YOU

The Gospel of John ends twice. Which chapter holds the line "these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah"?

The answer

John 20. The line is John 20:30-31, and most scholars take it as the Gospel's original ending. Then chapter 21 adds an epilogue and a second ending, in which a "we" vouches for the disciple's testimony (John 21:24-25).

Why it’s interesting

Every surviving manuscript includes chapter 21, and it is written in the same style as the rest. That is why some scholars think it was there from the start.

Scholarly consensus

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