¹⁶ For God so loved^(A) the world that he gave^(B) his one and only Son,^(C) that whoever believes^(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^{(E) 17} For God did not send his Son into the world^(F) to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.^{(G) 18} Whoever believes in him is not condemned,^(H) but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.^{(I) 19} This is the verdict: Light^(J) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.^{(K) 20} Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.^{(L) 21} But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

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

⁴¹ Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

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

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,”^(G) the guards replied.

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

⁵⁰ Nicodemus,^(J) 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.”^(K)

[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,