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Jesus and His Brothers

After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jews there wanted to kill him. It was time for the Jewish Feast of Shelters. So Jesus’ brothers said to him, “You should leave here and go to Judea. Then your followers there can see the miracles you do. Anyone who wants to be well known does not hide what he does. If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” (Even Jesus’ brothers did not believe in him.)

Jesus said to his brothers, “The right time for me has not yet come. But any time is right for you. The world cannot hate you. But it hates me, because I tell about the evil things it does. So you go to the feast. I will not go now. The right time for me has not yet come.” After saying this, Jesus stayed in Galilee.

10 So Jesus’ brothers left to go to the feast. When they had gone, Jesus went, too. But he did not let people see him. 11 At the feast the Jews were looking for him. They said, “Where is that man?”

12 There was a large crowd of people there. Many of them were whispering to each other about Jesus. Some said, “He is a good man.”

Others said, “No, he fools the people.” 13 But no one was brave enough to talk about Jesus openly. They were afraid of the Jews.

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

14 The feast was about half over. Then Jesus went to the Temple and began to teach. 15 The Jews were amazed. They said, “This man has never studied in school. How did he learn so much?”

16 Jesus answered, “The things I teach are not my own. My teaching comes from him who sent me. 17 If anyone chooses to do what God wants, then he will know that my teaching comes from God. He will know that this teaching is not my own. 18 He who teaches his own ideas is trying to get honor for himself. But he who tries to bring honor to the one who sent him—that person speaks the truth. There is nothing false in him. 19 Moses gave you the law,[a] but none of you obey that law. Why are you trying to kill me?”

20 The people answered, “A demon has come into you. We are not trying to kill you.”

21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 22 Moses gave you the law about circumcision. (But really Moses did not give you circumcision. Circumcision came from our ancestors.) And yet you circumcise a baby boy on a Sabbath day. 23 This shows that a baby boy can be circumcised on a Sabbath day to obey the law of Moses. So why are you angry at 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.”

Is Jesus the Christ?

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. Maybe the leaders have decided that he really is the Christ. 27 But we know where this man is from. Yet when the real Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.”

28 Jesus was still teaching in the Temple. He cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. But I have not come by my own authority. I was sent by the One who is true. You don’t know him. 29 But I know him. I am from him, and he sent me.”

30 When Jesus said this, they tried to seize him. But no one was able to touch him. It was not yet the right time. 31 But many of the people believed in Jesus. They said, “When the Christ comes, will he do more miracles than this man has done?”

Some Leaders Try to Arrest Jesus

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Jesus. So the leading priests and the Pharisees sent some Temple guards 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 The Jews said to each other, “Where will this man go so we cannot find him? Will he go to the Greek cities where our people live? Will he teach the Greek people there? 36 This man 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 Spirit

37 The last day of the feast came. It was the most important day. On that day Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 If a person believes in me, rivers of living water will flow out from his heart. This is what the Scripture says.” 39 Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit. The Spirit had not yet been given 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 The people heard these things that Jesus said. Some of them said, “This man really is the Prophet.”[b]

41 Others said, “He is the Christ.”

Still others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee. 42 The Scripture says that the Christ will come from David’s family. And the Scripture says that the Christ will come from Bethlehem, the town where David lived.” 43 So the people did not agree with each other about Jesus. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one was able to touch him.

The Leaders Won’t Believe

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

46 The Temple guards answered, “The things he says are greater than the words of any man!”

47 The Pharisees answered, “So Jesus has fooled you too! 48 Have any of the leaders or the Pharisees believed in him? No! 49 But those people, who know nothing about the law, are under God’s curse!”

50 But Nicodemus was there in that group. He was the one who had gone to see Jesus before.[c] Nicodemus said, 51 “Our law does not judge a man without hearing him. We cannot judge him until we know what he has done.”

52 They answered, “Are you from Galilee too? Study the Scriptures. You will learn that no prophet comes from Galilee.”

53 And everyone left and went home.[d]

Footnotes

  1. 7:19 law Moses gave God’s people the law that God gave him on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:29–32).
  2. 7:40 Prophet They probably meant the prophet that God told Moses he would send (Deuteronomy 18:15–19).
  3. 7:50 But Nicodemus . . . before. The story about Nicodemus going and talking to Jesus is in John 3:1–21.
  4. 7:53 Some of the earliest surviving Greek copies do not contain 7:53–8:11.

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

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

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

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.

For neither did his brethren believe in him.

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

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

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

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.

Après cela, Jésus parcourait la Galilée, car il ne voulait pas séjourner en Judée, parce que les Juifs cherchaient à le faire mourir.

Or, la fête des Juifs, la fête des Tabernacles, était proche.

Et ses frères lui dirent: Pars d'ici, et va en Judée, afin que tes disciples voient aussi les oeuvres que tu fais.

Personne n'agit en secret, lorsqu'il désire paraître: si tu fais ces choses, montre-toi toi-même au monde.

Car ses frères non plus ne croyaient pas en lui.

Jésus leur dit: Mon temps n'est pas encore venu, mais votre temps est toujours prêt.

Le monde ne peut vous haïr; moi, il me hait, parce que je rends de lui le témoignage que ses oeuvres sont mauvaises.

Montez, vous, à cette fête; pour moi, je n'y monte point, parce que mon temps n'est pas encore accompli.

Après leur avoir dit cela, il resta en Galilée.

10 Lorsque ses frères furent montés à la fête, il y monta aussi lui-même, non publiquement, mais comme en secret.

11 Les Juifs le cherchaient pendant la fête, et disaient: Où est-il?

12 Il y avait dans la foule grande rumeur à son sujet. Les uns disaient: C'est un homme de bien. D'autres disaient: Non, il égare la multitude.

13 Personne, toutefois, ne parlait librement de lui, par crainte des Juifs.

14 Vers le milieu de la fête, Jésus monta au temple. Et il enseignait.

15 Les Juifs s'étonnaient, disant: Comment connaît-il les Écritures, lui qui n'a point étudié?

16 Jésus leur répondit: Ma doctrine n'est pas de moi, mais de celui qui m'a envoyé.

17 Si quelqu'un veut faire sa volonté, il connaîtra si ma doctrine est de Dieu, ou si je parle de mon chef.

18 Celui qui parle de son chef cherche sa propre gloire; mais celui qui cherche la gloire de celui qui l'a envoyé, celui-là est vrai, et il n'y a point d'injustice en lui.

19 Moïse ne vous a-t-il pas donné la loi? Et nul de vous n'observe la loi. Pourquoi cherchez-vous à me faire mourir?

20 La foule répondit: Tu as un démon. Qui est-ce qui cherche à te faire mourir?

21 Jésus leur répondit: J'ai fait une oeuvre, et vous en êtes tous étonnés.

22 Moïse vous a donné la circoncision, -non qu'elle vienne de Moïse, car elle vient des patriarches, -et vous circoncisez un homme le jour du sabbat.

23 Si un homme reçoit la circoncision le jour du sabbat, afin que la loi de Moïse ne soit pas violée, pourquoi vous irritez-vous contre moi de ce que j'ai guéri un homme tout entier le jour du sabbat?

24 Ne jugez pas selon l'apparence, mais jugez selon la justice.

25 Quelques habitants de Jérusalem disaient: N'est-ce pas là celui qu'ils cherchent à faire mourir?

26 Et voici, il parle librement, et ils ne lui disent rien! Est-ce que vraiment les chefs auraient reconnu qu'il est le Christ?

27 Cependant celui-ci, nous savons d'où il est; mais le Christ, quand il viendra, personne ne saura d'où il est.

28 Et Jésus, enseignant dans le temple, s'écria: Vous me connaissez, et vous savez d'où je suis! Je ne suis pas venu de moi-même: mais celui qui m'a envoyé est vrai, et vous ne le connaissez pas.

29 Moi, je le connais; car je viens de lui, et c'est lui qui m'a envoyé.

30 Ils cherchaient donc à se saisir de lui, et personne ne mit la main sur lui, parce que son heure n'était pas encore venue.

31 Plusieurs parmi la foule crurent en lui, et ils disaient: Le Christ, quand il viendra, fera-t-il plus de miracles que n'en a fait celui-ci?

32 Les pharisiens entendirent la foule murmurant de lui ces choses. Alors les principaux sacrificateurs et les pharisiens envoyèrent des huissiers pour le saisir.

33 Jésus dit: Je suis encore avec vous pour un peu de temps, puis je m'en vais vers celui qui m'a envoyé.

34 Vous me chercherez et vous ne me trouverez pas, et vous ne pouvez venir où je serai.

35 Sur quoi les Juifs dirent entre eux: Où ira-t-il, que nous ne le trouvions pas? Ira-t-il parmi ceux qui sont dispersés chez les Grecs, et enseignera-t-il les Grecs?

36 Que signifie cette parole qu'il a dite: Vous me chercherez et vous ne me trouverez pas, et vous ne pouvez venir où je serai?

37 Le dernier jour, le grand jour de la fête, Jésus, se tenant debout, s'écria: Si quelqu'un a soif, qu'il vienne à moi, et qu'il boive.

38 Celui qui croit en moi, des fleuves d'eau vive couleront de son sein, comme dit l'Écriture.

39 Il dit cela de l'Esprit que devaient recevoir ceux qui croiraient en lui; car l'Esprit n'était pas encore, parce que Jésus n'avait pas encore été glorifié.

40 Des gens de la foule, ayant entendu ces paroles, disaient: Celui-ci est vraiment le prophète.

41 D'autres disaient: C'est le Christ. Et d'autres disaient: Est-ce bien de la Galilée que doit venir le Christ?

42 L'Écriture ne dit-elle pas que c'est de la postérité de David, et du village de Bethléhem, où était David, que le Christ doit venir?

43 Il y eut donc, à cause de lui, division parmi la foule.

44 Quelques-uns d'entre eux voulaient le saisir, mais personne ne mit la main sur lui.

45 Ainsi les huissiers retournèrent vers les principaux sacrificateurs et les pharisiens. Et ceux-ci leur dirent: Pourquoi ne l'avez-vous pas amené?

46 Les huissiers répondirent: Jamais homme n'a parlé comme cet homme.

47 Les pharisiens leur répliquèrent: Est-ce que vous aussi, vous avez été séduits?

48 Y a-t-il quelqu'un des chefs ou des pharisiens qui ait cru en lui?

49 Mais cette foule qui ne connaît pas la loi, ce sont des maudits!

50 Nicodème, qui était venu de nuit vers Jésus, et qui était l'un d'entre eux, leur dit:

51 Notre loi condamne-t-elle un homme avant qu'on l'entende et qu'on sache ce qu'il a fait?

52 Ils lui répondirent: Es-tu aussi Galiléen? Examine, et tu verras que de la Galilée il ne sort point de prophète.

53 Et chacun s'en retourna dans sa maison.

Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles

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) But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles(C) was near, Jesus’ brothers(D) said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.(E)

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