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BibleStudyIt John 7

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Jesus and his brothers

7 After this, Jesus visited many places in Galilee. He did not want to visit Judea because the Jewish leaders there wanted to kill him. 2 It was almost time for the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles. [ a ] 3 So Jesus' brothers said to him, ‘You should leave this place and you should go to Judea. Then your disciples will see the great things that you do. 4 Nobody does things secretly if he wants everyone to know him. You are doing these things, so you should show yourself to everybody.’ 5 Even his own brothers did not believe in him.

6 So Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the right time for me yet. For you, any time is right. 7 People who belong to this world cannot hate you. But they hate me. The things that they do are very bad. And I tell them that those things are wrong. That is why they hate me. 8 You should go to the festival. I will not go to it now, because it is not the right time for me yet.’ 9 After Jesus said that, he stayed in Galilee.

Jesus goes to the Festival of Tabernacles

10 Some time after his brothers had gone, Jesus also went to the festival. But he did not let other people know that he was going. Instead, he went secretly. 11 The Jewish leaders were looking for him at the festival. They asked, ‘Where is that man?’ 12 People in the crowd were talking quietly to each other about Jesus. Some people said, ‘He is a good man.’ But other people said, ‘No, he is telling the people things that are not true.’ 13 But nobody spoke in public places about him, because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.

14 In the middle of the time of the festival, Jesus went to the temple. He started to teach in the yard there. 15 The Jewish leaders were very surprised. They asked, ‘How does this man know so much? He has not learned in our schools.’ 16 Jesus answered, ‘What I teach does not come from me. No, it comes from the one who sent me. 17 Anyone who chooses to do what God wants will know about my teaching. They will know whether it comes from God, or whether it comes from my own thoughts. 18 A person who teaches his own ideas wants people to think that he himself is great. But I want to show that the one who sent me is great. A person like that is honest and there is nothing false in him. 19 Moses gave God's Law to you. But not one of you obeys that Law. Why are you trying to kill me?’

20 The crowd answered, ‘You have a demon in you! Nobody is trying to kill you!’

21 Jesus replied, ‘I did one miracle on the day of rest, and all of you were surprised. 22 Moses gave you a law that you must circumcise your sons. Your ancestors taught that, even before Moses was born. So you will agree to circumcise a boy, even on the day of rest. [ b ] 23 You will do that so that you obey Moses' law. So you should not be angry with me because I made a man completely well on the day of rest. 24 Do not quickly decide whether something is right or wrong just because of what you see. Instead, think about it carefully. Then you will judge in a right way.’

The people talk about whether Jesus is the Messiah

25 Some of the people in Jerusalem began to say, ‘This is the man that our leaders want to kill. 26 But look! He is speaking to the crowds, and the leaders are not saying anything against him! Perhaps they really think that he is the Messiah! 27 But we know where this man came from. When the Messiah comes, nobody will know that. Nobody will know where he has come from.’

28 Jesus was still teaching in the yard of the temple. He shouted, ‘Yes, you say that you know me. And you know where I came from. But I have not come because I myself decided to come. He who sent me is true. You do not know him. 29 But I know him because I have come from him. He is the one who sent me.’ 30 When they heard this, they tried to take hold of him. But nobody could put their hands on him, because it was not yet the right time. 31 But many people in the crowd believed in Jesus. They said, ‘This man has done so many miracles. Surely he is the Messiah! Nobody could do more miracles than he has done.’

32 The Pharisees heard what these people were saying quietly about Jesus. Then the leaders of the priests and the Pharisees sent some of their officers to take him away.

33 Jesus said, ‘I will be with you for only a short time. Then I will return to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me. You cannot go to the place where I will be.’ 35 The Jewish leaders asked each other, ‘What is he trying to tell us? Where can he go so that we cannot find him? Perhaps he will go to our people who have gone away to live among the Greek people. [ c ] Perhaps he will go to teach the Greek people. 36 He said, “You will look for me, but you will not find me.” And he also said, “You cannot go to the place where I will be.” What does he mean?’

Streams of water that give life to people

37 The last day of the festival was the most important day. On that day, Jesus stood up and he spoke with a loud voice. He said, ‘If anyone is thirsty, he should come to me so that he may drink. 38 It says in the Bible, “God will cause streams of water to pour out from anyone who believes in me. Water that gives life will come out from inside that person.” ’ 39 Jesus was speaking about God's Spirit, who would come to people some time after that. Those people who believed in Jesus would receive God's Spirit at that later time. But God had not yet given his Spirit to people, because he had not yet raised Jesus back up to heaven. [ d ]

The people argue about who Jesus is

40 The people in the crowd heard Jesus say these words. Some of them said, ‘Surely this man must be the Prophet from God that we have been waiting for!’ 41 Other people said, ‘This man is the Messiah.’ But some other people said, ‘The Messiah will not come from Galilee! 42 The Bible says that the Messiah will come from King David's family. [ e ] He will come from Bethlehem, the town where David lived.’ 43 In this way the people had different thoughts about Jesus. 44 Some people wanted to take hold of him. But nobody could put their hands on him to take him away.

45 The officers returned to the leaders of the priests and the Pharisees. The leaders asked their officers, ‘Why did you not bring Jesus here?’ 46 The officers answered, ‘Nobody has ever spoken great things like this man speaks.’ 47 The Pharisees replied, ‘He seems to have made you believe his lies! 48 None of the Pharisees or our leaders believe in him. 49 But this crowd does not know what God's Law teaches. God will surely punish them.’

50 Nicodemus spoke to them. He himself was one of the Pharisees. He was the man who had gone to speak with Jesus before. He said, 51 ‘We must find out first what this man has done. Then we can decide if it is right to punish him. Our law says that we must listen to him first.’ 52 They answered Nicodemus, ‘Perhaps you come from Galilee, as well as him! Study what the Bible teaches. You will learn that no prophet of God ever comes from Galilee.’ 53 [Then everyone went to his own home.] [ f ]

Footnotes

  1. 7:2 The Festival of Tabernacles continued for a week. See Leviticus 23:34 , where it is called the Feast of Huts. The people built huts from branches and they lived in these small huts during the festival. This helped them to remember what God had done. A long time before this, their ancestors had left Egypt and they had lived in huts like this. God had brought them out of Egypt so that they did not have to be slaves there any longer. The festival happened each year, after Israel's people had brought in all the harvest from the fields. It was a time for the people to thank God because he was so good to them.
  2. 7:22 God had told Israel's people that they must circumcise every boy. To circumcise means to cut off the skin that covers the end of a boy's or a man's sex part. It was a mark to show that Israel's people had agreed to obey God. It showed that they belonged to God's people, Israel. They circumcised a boy eight days after he was born. Even if the eighth day was their day of rest, they circumcised the baby on that day.
  3. 7:35 Greek people come from the country called Greece. When Jesus lived on the earth, Greek people also lived in many other countries.
  4. 7:39 Many verses in the Old Testament speak about ‘water’ that gives us life. See Isaiah 44:3 ; 58:11 and Zechariah 13:1 ; 14:8 . The Jews would read these verses aloud at the Festival of Tabernacles.
  5. 7:42 The Bible that the Jews read was the Old Testament.
  6. 7:53 Many old translations do not have this verse.

Jesus and His Brothers

7 After this, Jesus traveled around the country of Galilee. He did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jewish leaders there wanted to kill him. 2 It was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters. 3 So his brothers said to him, “You should leave here and go to the festival in Judea. Then your followers there can see the miracles you do. 4 If you want to be well known, you must not hide what you do. So, if you can do such amazing things, let the whole world see you do them.” 5 Jesus’ brothers said this because even they did not believe in him.

6 Jesus said to them, “The right time for me has not yet come, but any time is right for you to go. 7 The world cannot hate you. But the world hates me, because I tell the people in the world that they do evil things. 8 So you go to the festival. I will not go now, because the right time for me has not yet come.” 9 After Jesus said this, he stayed in Galilee.

10 So his brothers left to go to the festival. After they left, Jesus went too, but he did not let people see him. 11 At the festival the Jewish leaders were looking for him. They said, “Where is that man?”

12 There was a large group of people there. Many of them were talking secretly to each other about Jesus. Some people said, “He is a good man.” But others said, “No, he fools the people.” 13 But no one was brave enough to talk about him openly. They were afraid of the Jewish leaders.

Jesus Teaches in Jerusalem

14 When the festival was about half finished, Jesus went to the Temple area and began to teach. 15 The Jewish leaders were amazed and said, “How did this man learn so much? He never had the kind of teaching we had!”

16 Jesus answered, “What I teach is not my own. My teaching comes from the one who sent me. 17 People who really want to do what God wants will know that my teaching comes from God. They will know that this teaching is not my own. 18 If I taught my own ideas, I would just be trying to get honor for myself. But if I am trying to bring honor to the one who sent me, I can be trusted. Anyone doing that is not going to lie. 19 Moses gave you the law, right? But you don’t obey that law. If you do, then why are you trying to kill me?”

20 The people answered, “A demon is making you crazy! We are not trying to kill you.”

21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle on a Sabbath day, and you were all surprised. 22 But you obey the law Moses gave you about circumcision—and sometimes you do it on a Sabbath day. (Really, Moses is not the one who gave you circumcision. It came from our ancestors who lived before Moses.) Yes, you often circumcise baby boys on a Sabbath day. 23 This shows that someone can be circumcised on a Sabbath day to obey the Law of Moses. So why are you angry with me for healing a person’s whole body on the Sabbath day? 24 Stop judging by the way things look. Be fair and judge by what is really right.”

People Wonder if Jesus Is the Messiah

25 Then some of the people who lived in Jerusalem said, “This is the man they are trying to kill. 26 But he is teaching where everyone can see and hear him. And no one is trying to stop him from teaching. Maybe the leaders have decided that he really is the Messiah. 27 But when the real Messiah comes, no one will know where he comes from. And we know where this man’s home is.”

28 Jesus was still teaching in the Temple area when he said loudly, “Do you really know me and where I am from? I am here, but not by my own decision. I was sent by one who is very real. But you don’t know him. 29 I know him because I am from him. He is the one who sent me.”

30 When Jesus said this, the people tried to grab him. But no one was able even to touch him, because the right time for him had not yet come. 31 But many of the people believed in Jesus. They said, “We are waiting for the Messiah to come. When he comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man has done?”

The Jewish Leaders Try to Arrest Jesus

32 The Pharisees heard what the people were saying about Jesus. So the leading priests and the Pharisees sent some Temple police to arrest him. 33 Then Jesus said, “I will be with you a little while longer. Then I will go back to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me. And you cannot come where I am.”

35 These Jews said to each other, “Where will this man go that we cannot find him? Will he go to the Greek cities where our people live? Will he teach the Greek people there? 36 He says, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me.’ He also says, ‘You cannot come where I am.’ What does this mean?”

Jesus Talks About the Holy Spirit

37 The last day of the festival came. It was the most important day. On that day Jesus stood up and said loudly, “Whoever is thirsty may come to me and drink. 38 If anyone believes in me, rivers of living water will flow out from their heart. That is what the Scriptures say.” 39 Jesus was talking about the Spirit. The Spirit had not yet been given to people, because Jesus had not yet been raised to glory. But later, those who believed in Jesus would receive the Spirit.

The People Argue About Jesus

40 When the people heard the things that Jesus said, some of them said, “This man really is the Prophet. [ a ] ”

41 Other people said, “He is the Messiah.”

And others said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee. 42 The Scriptures say that the Messiah will come from the family of David. And they say that he will come from Bethlehem, the town where David lived.” 43 So the people did not agree with each other about Jesus. 44 Some of the people wanted to arrest him. But no one tried to do it.

The Jewish Leaders Refuse to Believe

45 The Temple police went back to the leading priests and the Pharisees. The priests and the Pharisees asked, “Why didn’t you bring Jesus?”

46 The Temple police answered, “We have never heard anyone say such amazing things!”

47 The Pharisees answered, “So he has fooled you too! 48 You don’t see any of the leaders or any of us Pharisees believing in him, do you? 49 But those people out there know nothing about the law. They are under God’s curse!”

50 But Nicodemus was there in that group. He was the one who had gone to see Jesus before. [ b ] He said, 51 “Our law will not let us judge anyone without first hearing them and finding out what they have done.”

52 The Jewish leaders answered, “You must be from Galilee too! Study the Scriptures. You will find nothing about a prophet [ c ] coming from Galilee.”

A Woman Caught in Adultery

53 Then they all left and went home.

Footnotes

  1. John 7:40 Prophet They probably meant the prophet that God told Moses he would send. See Deut. 18:15-19.
  2. John 7:50 He was the one … before The story about Nicodemus going and talking to Jesus is in Jn. 3:1-21.
  3. John 7:52 a prophet Two early Greek copies have “the Prophet,” which would mean the “prophet like Moses” mentioned in Deut. 18:15. In Acts 3:22 and 7:37 this is understood to be the Messiah, as in verse 40 above.

7 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

2 Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand.

3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.

7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.

9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?

12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.

13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.

14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.

22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?

24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?

26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?

27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.

28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.

29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.

33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.

34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

36 What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?

42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

43 So there was a division among the people because of him.

44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.

45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?

46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?

48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?

49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.

50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)

51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.

53 And every man went unto his own house.

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

7 After these things Jesus ( A ) was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because ( B ) the Jews ( C ) were seeking to kill Him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, ( D ) the Feast of Booths, was near. 3 So His ( E ) brothers said to Him, “Move on from here and go into Judea, so that Your ( F ) disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret [ a ] when he himself is striving to be known publicly. If You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For not even His ( G ) brothers believed in Him. 6 So Jesus *said to them, “ ( H ) My time is not yet here, but your time is always ready. 7 ( I ) The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify about it, that ( J ) its deeds are evil. 8 Go up to the feast yourselves; I am not going up to this feast, because ( K ) My time has not yet fully arrived.” 9 Now having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

10 But when His ( L ) brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as though in secret. 11 ( M ) So the Jews ( N ) were looking for Him at the feast and saying, “Where is He?” 12 And there was a great deal of talk about Him in secret among the crowds: ( O ) some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He is misleading the people.” 13 However, no one was speaking openly about Him, for ( P ) fear of [ b ] the Jews.

14 But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple area , and began to ( Q ) teach. 15 ( R ) The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man ( S ) become learned, not having been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, “ ( T ) My teaching is not My own, but His who sent Me. 17 ( U ) If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God, or I am speaking from Myself. 18 The one who speaks from himself ( V ) seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

19 “ ( W ) Did Moses not give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why are you ( X ) seeking to kill Me?” 20 The crowd answered, “ ( Y ) You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did ( Z ) one [ c ] deed, and you all are astonished. 22 For this reason ( AA ) Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from ( AB ) the fathers), and even on a Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 ( AC ) If a man receives circumcision on a Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry at Me because I made an entire man well on a Sabbath? 24 Do not ( AD ) judge by the outward appearance, but judge [ d ] with righteous judgment.”

25 So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this man not the one whom they are seeking to kill? 26 And yet look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. ( AE ) The rulers do not really know that this is the [ e ] Christ, do they? 27 However, ( AF ) we know where this man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” 28 Then Jesus cried out in the temple, ( AG ) teaching and saying, “ ( AH ) You both know Me and you know where I am from; and ( AI ) I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 ( AJ ) I do know Him, because ( AK ) I am from Him, and ( AL ) He sent Me.” 30 So they ( AM ) were seeking to arrest Him; and yet no one laid a hand on Him, because His ( AN ) hour had not yet come. 31 But ( AO ) many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “ ( AP ) When the [ f ] Christ comes, He will not perform more [ g ] ( AQ ) signs than those which this man has done, will He?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent ( AR ) officers to ( AS ) arrest Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, “ ( AT ) For a little while longer I am going to be with you, and then ( AU ) I am going to Him who sent Me. 34 ( AV ) You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” 35 ( AW ) The Jews then said to one another, “ ( AX ) Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He does not intend to go to ( AY ) the Dispersion among ( AZ ) the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, does He? 36 What is this statement that He said, ‘ ( BA ) You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’ ?”

37 Now on ( BB ) the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “ ( BC ) If anyone is thirsty, [ h ] let him come to Me and drink. 38 The one who believes in Me, ( BD ) as the Scripture said, ‘ [ i ] From his innermost being will flow rivers of ( BE ) living water.’” 39 But this He said ( BF ) in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for ( BG ) the Spirit was not yet given , because Jesus was not yet ( BH ) glorified.

People’s Division over Jesus

40 Some of the people therefore, after they heard these words, were saying, “This truly is ( BI ) the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is the [ j ] Christ.” But others were saying, “ ( BJ ) Surely the [ k ] Christ is not coming from Galilee, is He? 42 Has the Scripture not said that the Christ comes from ( BK ) the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So ( BL ) a dissension occurred in the crowd because of Him. 44 And ( BM ) some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

45 The ( BN ) officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” 46 The ( BO ) officers answered, “ ( BP ) Never has a man spoken in this way!” 47 The Pharisees then replied to them, “ ( BQ ) You have not been led astray too, have you? 48 ( BR ) Not one of ( BS ) the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 49 But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed!” 50 ( BT ) Nicodemus (the one who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, 51 “ ( BU ) Our Law does not judge the person unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” 52 They answered and said to him, “ ( BV ) You are not from Galilee as well, are you? Examine the Scriptures , and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” 53 [[ [ l ] And everyone went to his home.

Footnotes

  1. John 7:4 Lit and
  2. John 7:13 I.e., the Jewish leaders
  3. John 7:21 Or work
  4. John 7:24 Lit the righteous judgment
  5. John 7:26 I.e., Messiah
  6. John 7:31 I.e., Messiah
  7. John 7:31 I.e., confirming miracles
  8. John 7:37 Or come to Me and drink
  9. John 7:38 Lit Out of his belly
  10. John 7:41 I.e., Messiah
  11. John 7:41 I.e., Messiah
  12. John 7:53 Later mss add the story of the adulterous woman, numbering it as John 7:53-8:11

Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles

7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want [ a ] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders ( A ) there were looking for a way to kill him. ( B ) 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles ( C ) was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers ( D ) said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him. ( E )

6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time ( F ) is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me ( G ) because I testify that its works are evil. ( H ) 8 You go to the festival. I am not [ b ] going up to this festival, because my time ( I ) has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.

10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus ( J ) and asking, “Where is he?”

12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”

Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” ( K ) 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders. ( L )

Jesus Teaches at the Festival

14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. ( M ) 15 The Jews ( N ) there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning ( O ) without having been taught?” ( P )

16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. ( Q ) 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out ( R ) whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, ( S ) but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? ( T ) Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” ( U )

20 “You are demon-possessed,” ( V ) the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, ( W ) and you are all amazed. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision ( X ) (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), ( Y ) you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” ( Z )

Division Over Who Jesus Is

25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? ( AA ) 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities ( AB ) really concluded that he is the Messiah? ( AC ) 27 But we know where this man is from; ( AD ) when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, ( AE ) cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. ( AF ) I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. ( AG ) You do not know him, 29 but I know him ( AH ) because I am from him and he sent me.” ( AI )

30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, ( AJ ) because his hour had not yet come. ( AK ) 31 Still, many in the crowd believed in him. ( AL ) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs ( AM ) than this man?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

33 Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, ( AN ) and then I am going to the one who sent me. ( AO ) 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.” ( AP )

35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered ( AQ ) among the Greeks, ( AR ) and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’ ?” ( AS )

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, ( AT ) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ( AU ) 38 Whoever believes ( AV ) in me, as Scripture has said, ( AW ) rivers of living water ( AX ) will flow from within them.” [ c ] ( AY ) 39 By this he meant the Spirit, ( AZ ) whom those who believed in him were later to receive. ( BA ) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. ( BB )

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” ( BC )

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? ( BD ) 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants ( BE ) and from Bethlehem, ( BF ) the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided ( BG ) because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. ( BH )

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

45 Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

46 “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” ( BI ) the guards replied.

47 “You mean he has deceived you also?” ( BJ ) the Pharisees retorted. 48 “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? ( BK ) 49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

50 Nicodemus, ( BL ) who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” ( BM )

[The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]

53 Then they all went home,

Footnotes

  1. John 7:1 Some manuscripts not have authority
  2. John 7:8 Some manuscripts not yet
  3. John 7:38 Or me. And let anyone drink 38 who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them ) will flow rivers of living water.”
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