King James Bible
"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again."
Jesus declares a specific reason for the Father's love, linking it to his upcoming sacrificial act. This 'therefore' connects to his role as the Good Shepherd who willingly dies for the sheep, emphasizing the Father's approval of Jesus' obedient mission. Jesus emphasizes the voluntary nature of his death—he actively 'lays down' his life rather than having it taken. This willing sacrifice demonstrates perfect obedience to the Father's redemptive plan and supreme love for humanity. The purpose clause reveals death is not the end but a means to resurrection. Jesus possesses divine authority over both death and life, foreshadowing his victory over the grave and validating his claim to be the source of eternal life for believers.