31 Still, many in the crowd believed in him.(A) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs(B) 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,(C) and then I am going to the one who sent me.(D) 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”(E)

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(F) among the Greeks,(G) 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’?”(H)

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival,(I) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.(J) 38 Whoever believes(K) in me, as Scripture has said,(L) rivers of living water(M) will flow from within them.”[a](N) 39 By this he meant the Spirit,(O) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.(P) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.(Q)

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

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

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

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,”(X) the guards replied.

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

50 Nicodemus,(AA) 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.”(AB)


[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,

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Footnotes

  1. 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.”

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.

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