John 7-8 (Amplified Bible)

John 7

 ¹AFTER THIS, Jesus went from place to place in Galilee, for He would not travel in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

    ²Now the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was drawing near.

    ³So His brothers said to Him, Leave here and go into Judea, so that ^[a]Your disciples [there] may also see the works that You do. [This is no place for You.]

    ⁴For no one does anything in secret when he wishes to be conspicuous and secure publicity. If You [must] do these things [if You must act like this], show Yourself openly and make Yourself known to the world!

    ⁵For [even] His brothers did not believe in or adhere to or trust in or rely on Him either.

    ⁶Whereupon Jesus said to them, My time (opportunity) has not come yet; but any time is suitable for you and your opportunity is ready any time [is always here].

    ⁷The world cannot [be expected to] hate you, but it does hate Me because I denounce it for its wicked works and reveal that its doings are evil.

    ⁸Go to the Feast yourselves. I am not [yet] going up to the Festival, because My time is not ripe. [My term is not yet completed; it is not time for Me to go.]

    ⁹Having said these things to them, He stayed behind in Galilee.

    ¹⁰But afterward, when His brothers had gone up to the Feast, He went up also, not publicly [not with a caravan], but by Himself quietly and as if He did not wish to be observed.

    ¹¹Therefore the Jews kept looking for Him at the Feast and asking, Where can He be? [Where is that Fellow?]

    ¹²And there was among the mass of the people much whispered discussion and hot disputing about Him. Some were saying, He is good! [He is a good Man!] Others said, No, He misleads and deceives the people [gives them false ideas]!

    ¹³But no one dared speak out boldly about Him for fear of [the leaders of] the Jews.

    ¹⁴When the Feast was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple [^[b]court] and began to teach.

    ¹⁵The Jews were astonished. They said, How is it that this Man has learning [is so versed in the sacred Scriptures and in theology] when He has never studied?

    ¹⁶Jesus answered them by saying, My teaching is not My own, but His Who sent Me.

    ¹⁷If any man desires to do His will (God's pleasure), he will know (have the needed illumination to recognize, and can tell for himself) whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking from Myself and of My own accord and on My own authority.

    ¹⁸He who speaks on his own authority seeks to win honor for himself. [He whose teaching originates with himself seeks his own glory.] But He Who seeks the glory and is eager for the honor of Him Who sent Him, He is true; and there is no unrighteousness or falsehood or deception in Him.

    ¹⁹Did not Moses give you the Law? And yet not one of you keeps the Law. [If that is the truth] why do you seek to kill Me [for not keeping it]?

    ²⁰The crowd answered Him, You are possessed by a demon! [You are raving!] Who seeks to kill You?

    ²¹Jesus answered them, I did one work, and you all are astounded.^(A)

    ²²Now Moses established circumcision among you--though it did not originate with Moses but with the previous patriarchs--and you circumcise a person [even] on the Sabbath day.

    ²³If, to avoid breaking the Law of Moses, a person undergoes circumcision on the Sabbath day, have you any cause to be angry with (indignant with, bitter against) Me for making a man's whole body well on the Sabbath?

    ²⁴Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously.

    ²⁵Then some of the Jerusalem people said, Is not this the Man they seek to kill?

    ²⁶And here He is speaking openly, and they say nothing to Him! Can it be possible that the rulers have discovered and know that this is truly the Christ?

    ²⁷No, we know where this Man comes from; when the Christ arrives, no one is to know from what place He comes.

    ²⁸Whereupon Jesus called out as He taught in the temple [^[c]porches], Do you know Me, and do you know where I am from? I have not come on My own authority and of My own accord and as self-appointed, but the One Who sent Me is true (real, genuine, steadfast); and Him you do not know!

    ²⁹I know Him [Myself] because I come from His [very] presence, and it was He [personally] Who sent Me.

    ³⁰Therefore they were eager to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, for His hour (time) had not yet come.

    ³¹And besides, many of the multitude believed in Him [adhered to Him, trusted in Him, relied on Him]. And they kept saying, When the Christ comes, will He do [can He be expected to do] more miracles and produce more proofs and signs than what this Man has done?

    ³²The Pharisees learned how the people were saying these things about Him under their breath; and the chief priests and Pharisees sent attendants (guards) to arrest Him.

    ³³Therefore Jesus said, For a little while I am [still] with you, and then I go back to Him Who sent Me.

    ³⁴You will look for Me, but you will not [be able to] find Me; where I am, you cannot come.

    ³⁵Then the Jews said among themselves, Where does this Man intend to go that we shall not find Him? Will He go to the Jews who are scattered in the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

    ³⁶What does this statement of His mean, You will look for Me and not be able to find Me, and, Where I am, you cannot come?

    ³⁷Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!

    ³⁸He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.

    ³⁹But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).

    ⁴⁰Listening to those words, some of the multitude said, This is certainly and beyond doubt the Prophet!^(B)

    ⁴¹Others said, This is the Christ (the Messiah, Anointed One)! But some said, What? Does the Christ come out of Galilee?

    ⁴²Does not the Scripture tell us that the Christ will come from the offspring of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?^(C)

    ⁴³So there arose a division and dissension among the people concerning Him.

    ⁴⁴Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one [ventured and] laid hands on Him.

    ⁴⁵Meanwhile the attendants (guards) had gone back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, Why have you not brought Him here with you?

    ⁴⁶The attendants replied, Never has a man talked as this Man talks! [No mere man has ever spoken as He speaks!]

    ⁴⁷The Pharisees said to them, Are you also deluded and led astray? [Are you also swept off your feet?]

    ⁴⁸Has any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in Him?

    ⁴⁹As for this multitude (rabble) that does not know the Law, they are contemptible and doomed and accursed!

    ⁵⁰Then Nicodemus, who came to Jesus before at night and was one of them, asked,

    ⁵¹Does our Law convict a man without giving him a hearing and finding out what he has done?

    ⁵²They answered him, Are you too from Galilee? Search [the Scriptures yourself], and you will see that no prophet comes (will rise to prominence) from Galilee.

    ^53[d]And they went [back], each to his own house.

   

John 8

 ¹BUT JESUS went to the Mount of Olives.

    ²Early in the morning (at dawn), He came back into the temple [^[e]court], and the people came to Him in crowds. He sat down and was teaching them,

    ³When the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the middle of the court and put the case before Him.

    ⁴Teacher, they said, This woman has been caught in the very act of adultery.

    ⁵Now Moses in the Law commanded us that such [women--offenders] shall be stoned to death. But what do You say [to do with her--what is Your sentence]?^(D)

    ⁶This they said to try (test) Him, hoping they might find a charge on which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger.

    ⁷However, when they persisted with their question, He raised Himself up and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.

    ⁸Then He bent down and went on writing on the ground with His finger.

    ⁹They listened to Him, and then they began going out, conscience-stricken, one by one, from the oldest down to the last one of them, till Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing there before Him in the center of the court.

    ¹⁰When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?

    ¹¹She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more.

    ¹²Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.

    ¹³Whereupon the Pharisees told Him, You are testifying on Your own behalf; Your testimony is not valid and is worthless.

    ¹⁴Jesus answered, Even if I do testify on My own behalf, My testimony is true and reliable and valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

    ¹⁵You [set yourselves up to] judge according to the flesh (by what you see). [You condemn by external, human standards.] I do not [set Myself up to] judge or condemn or sentence anyone.

    ¹⁶Yet even if I do judge, My judgment is true [My decision is right]; for I am not alone [in making it], but [there are two of Us] I and the Father, Who sent Me.

    ¹⁷In your [own] Law it is written that the testimony (evidence) of two persons is reliable and valid.^(E)

    ¹⁸I am One [of the Two] bearing testimony concerning Myself; and My Father, Who sent Me, He also testifies about Me.

    ¹⁹Then they said to Him, Where is this ^[f]Father of Yours? Jesus answered, You know My Father as little as you know Me. If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.

    ²⁰Jesus said these things in the treasury while He was teaching in the temple [^[g]court]; but no one ventured to arrest Him, because His hour had not yet come.

    ²¹Therefore He said again to them, I am going away, and you will be looking for Me, and you will die in (under the curse of) your sin. Where I am going, it is not possible for you to come.

    ²²At this the Jews began to ask among themselves, Will He kill Himself? Is that why He says, Where I am going, it is not possible for you to come?

    ²³He said to them, You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world (of this earthly order); I am not of this world.

    ²⁴That is why I told you that you will die in (under the curse of) your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He [Whom I claim to be--if you do not adhere to, trust in, and rely on Me], you will die in your sins.

    ²⁵Then they said to Him, Who are You anyway? Jesus replied, [Why do I even speak to you!] I am exactly what I have been telling you from the first.

    ²⁶I have much to say about you and to judge and condemn. But He Who sent Me is true (reliable), and I tell the world [only] the things that I have heard from Him.

    ²⁷They did not perceive (know, understand) that He was speaking to them about the Father.

    ²⁸So Jesus added, When you have lifted up the Son of Man [on the cross], you will realize (know, understand) that I am He [for Whom you look] and that I do nothing of Myself (of My own accord or on My own authority), but I say [exactly] what My Father has taught Me.

    ²⁹And He Who sent Me is ever with Me; My Father has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.

    ³⁰As He said these things, many believed in Him [trusted, relied on, and adhered to Him].

    ³¹So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.

    ³²And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.

    ³³They answered Him, We are Abraham's offspring (descendants) and have never been in bondage to anybody. What do You mean by saying, You will be set free?

    ³⁴Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin.

    ³⁵Now a slave does not remain in a household permanently (forever); the son [of the house] does remain forever.

    ³⁶So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.

    ³⁷[Yes] I know that you are Abraham's offspring; yet you plan to kill Me, because My word has no entrance (makes no progress, does not find any place) in you.

    ³⁸I tell the things which I have seen and learned at My Father's side, and your actions also reflect what you have heard and learned from your father.

    ³⁹They retorted, Abraham is our father. Jesus said, If you were [truly] Abraham's children, then you would do the works of Abraham [follow his example, do as Abraham did].

    ⁴⁰But now [instead] you are wanting and seeking to kill Me, a Man Who has told you the truth which I have heard from God. This is not the way Abraham acted.

    ⁴¹You are doing the works of your [own] father. They said to Him, We are not illegitimate children and born out of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

    ⁴²Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love Me and respect Me and welcome Me gladly, for I proceeded (came forth) from God [out of His very presence]. I did not even come on My own authority or of My own accord (as self-appointed); but He sent Me.

    ⁴³Why do you misunderstand what I say? It is because you are unable to hear what I am saying. [You cannot bear to listen to My message; your ears are shut to My teaching.]

    ⁴⁴You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false.

    ⁴⁵But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me [do not trust Me, do not rely on Me, or adhere to Me].

    ⁴⁶Who of you convicts Me of wrongdoing or finds Me guilty of sin? Then if I speak truth, why do you not believe Me [trust Me, rely on, and adhere to Me]?

    ⁴⁷Whoever is of God listens to God. [Those who belong to God hear the words of God.] This is the reason that you do not listen [to those words, to Me]: because you do not belong to God and are not of God or in harmony with Him.

    ⁴⁸The Jews answered Him, Are we not right when we say You are a Samaritan and that You have a demon [that You are under the power of an evil spirit]?

    ⁴⁹Jesus answered, I am not possessed by a demon. On the contrary, I honor and reverence My Father and you dishonor (despise, vilify, and scorn) Me.

    ⁵⁰However, I am not in search of honor for Myself. [I do not seek and am not aiming for My own glory.] There is One Who [looks after that; He] seeks [My glory], and He is the Judge.

    ⁵¹I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone observes My teaching [lives in accordance with My message, keeps My word], he will by no means ever see and experience death.

    ⁵²The Jews said to Him, Now we know that You are under the power of a demon (^[h]insane). Abraham died, and also the prophets, yet You say, If a man keeps My word, he will never taste of death into all eternity.

    ⁵³Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, and all the prophets died! Who do You make Yourself out to be?

    ⁵⁴Jesus answered, If I were to glorify Myself (magnify, praise, and honor Myself), I would have no real glory, for My glory would be nothing and worthless. [My honor must come to Me from My Father.] It is My Father Who glorifies Me [Who extols Me, magnifies, and praises Me], of Whom you say that He is your God.

    ⁵⁵Yet you do not know Him or recognize Him and are not acquainted with Him, but I know Him. If I should say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I know Him and keep His word [obey His teachings, am faithful to His message].

    ⁵⁶Your forefather Abraham was extremely happy at the hope and prospect of seeing My day (My incarnation); and he did see it and was delighted.^(F)

    ⁵⁷Then the Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?

    ⁵⁸Jesus replied, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I AM.^(G)

    ⁵⁹So they took up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus, by mixing with the crowd, concealed Himself and went out of the temple [^[i]enclosure].