John 7:1-9

Contemporary English Version

Jesus' Brothers Don't Have Faith in Him

7 Jesus decided to leave Judea and to start going through Galilee because the leaders of the people wanted to kill him. ^2 (A) It was almost time for the Festival of Shelters, ³ and Jesus' brothers said to him, “Why don't you go to Judea? Then your disciples can see what you are doing. ⁴ No one does anything in secret, if they want others to know about them. So let the world know what you are doing!” ⁵ Even Jesus' own brothers had not yet become his followers.

⁶ Jesus answered, “My time hasn't yet come,^[a] but your time is always here. ⁷ The people of this world cannot hate you. They hate me, because I tell them that they do evil things. ⁸ Go on to the festival. My time hasn't yet come, and I am not going.” ⁹ Jesus said this and stayed on in Galilee.