¹⁴ Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning^(A) or something worse may happen to you.” ¹⁵ The man went away and told the Jewish leaders^(B) that it was Jesus who had made him well.

The Authority of the Son

¹⁶ So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. ¹⁷ In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father^(C) is always at his work^(D) to this very day, and I too am working.” ¹⁸ For this reason they tried all the more to kill him;^(E) not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.^(F)

¹⁹ Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself;^(G) he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son^(H) and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these,^(I) so that you will be amazed. ²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life,^(J) even so the Son gives life^(K) to whom he is pleased to give it. ²² Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,^{(L) 23} that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.^(M)

²⁴ “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me^(N) has eternal life^(O) and will not be judged^(P) but has crossed over from death to life.^{(Q) 25} Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come^(R) when the dead will hear^(S) the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life^(T) in himself. ²⁷ And he has given him authority to judge^(U) because he is the Son of Man.

²⁸ “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming^(V) when all who are in their graves will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.^{(W) 30} By myself I can do nothing;^(X) I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just,^(Y) for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.^(Z)

Testimonies About Jesus

³¹ “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.^{(AA) 32} There is another who testifies in my favor,^(AB) and I know that his testimony about me is true.

³³ “You have sent to John and he has testified^(AC) to the truth. ³⁴ Not that I accept human testimony;^(AD) but I mention it that you may be saved.^{(AE) 35} John was a lamp that burned and gave light,^(AF) and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

³⁶ “I have testimony weightier than that of John.^(AG) For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing^(AH)—testify that the Father has sent me.^{(AI) 37} And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me.^(AJ) You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,^{(AK) 38} nor does his word dwell in you,^(AL) for you do not believe^(AM) the one he sent.^{(AN) 39} You study^[a] the Scriptures^(AO) diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.^(AP) These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,^{(AQ) 40} yet you refuse to come to me^(AR) to have life.

⁴¹ “I do not accept glory from human beings,^{(AS) 42} but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. ⁴³ I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. ⁴⁴ How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God^[b]?^(AT)

⁴⁵ “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses,^(AU) on whom your hopes are set.^{(AV) 46} If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.^{(AW) 47} But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”^(AX)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand^(AY)

6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), ² and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs^(AZ) he had performed by healing the sick. ³ Then Jesus went up on a mountainside^(BA) and sat down with his disciples. ⁴ The Jewish Passover Festival^(BB) was near.

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip,^(BC) “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

⁷ Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages^[c] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,^(BD) spoke up, ⁹ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”^(BE)

¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks,^(BF) and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

¹⁴ After the people saw the sign^(BG) Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”^{(BH) 15} Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king^(BI) by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.^(BJ)

Jesus Walks on the Water^(BK)

¹⁶ When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, ¹⁷ where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. ¹⁸ A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. ¹⁹ When they had rowed about three or four miles,^[d] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water;^(BL) and they were frightened. ²⁰ But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”^{(BM) 21} Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

²² The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake^(BN) realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone.^{(BO) 23} Then some boats from Tiberias^(BP) landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.^{(BQ) 24} Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

Jesus the Bread of Life

²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi,^(BR) when did you get here?”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,^(BS) not because you saw the signs^(BT) I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures^(BU) to eternal life,^(BV) which the Son of Man^(BW) will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal^(BX) of approval.”

²⁸ Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe^(BY) in the one he has sent.”^(BZ)

³⁰ So they asked him, “What sign^(CA) then will you give that we may see it and believe you?^(CB) What will you do? ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna^(CC) in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[e]”^(CD)

³² Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven^(CE) and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”^(CF)

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am^(CG) the bread of life.^(CH) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes^(CI) in me will never be thirsty.^{(CJ) 36} But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me^(CK) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven^(CL) not to do my will but to do the will^(CM) of him who sent me.^{(CN) 39} And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,^(CO) but raise them up at the last day.^{(CP) 40} For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son^(CQ) and believes in him shall have eternal life,^(CR) and I will raise them up at the last day.”

⁴¹ At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph,^(CS) whose father and mother we know?^(CT) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”^(CU)

⁴³ “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,^(CV) and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’^[f](CW) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;^(CX) only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.^{(CY) 48} I am the bread of life.^{(CZ) 49} Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.^{(DA) 50} But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,^(DB) which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread^(DC) that came down from heaven.^(DD) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”^(DE)

⁵² Then the Jews^(DF) began to argue sharply among themselves,^(DG) “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

⁵³ Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh^(DH) of the Son of Man^(DI) and drink his blood,^(DJ) you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.^{(DK) 55} For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.^{(DL) 57} Just as the living Father sent me^(DM) and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”^{(DN) 59} He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

⁶⁰ On hearing it, many of his disciples^(DO) said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”^(DP)

⁶¹ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?^{(DQ) 62} Then what if you see the Son of Man^(DR) ascend to where he was before!^{(DS) 63} The Spirit gives life;^(DT) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit^[g] and life. ⁶⁴ Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known^(DU) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.^{(DV) 65} He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”^(DW)

⁶⁶ From this time many of his disciples^(DX) turned back and no longer followed him.

⁶⁷ “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.^(DY)

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him,^(DZ) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.^{(EA) 69} We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”^(EB)

⁷⁰ Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you,^(EC) the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”^{(ED) 71} (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,^(EE) who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)^(EF)

Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles

7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want^[h] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders^(EG) there were looking for a way to kill him.^{(EH) 2} But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles^(EI) was near, ³ Jesus’ brothers^(EJ) said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. ⁴ No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” ⁵ For even his own brothers did not believe in him.^(EK)

⁶ Therefore Jesus told them, “My time^(EL) is not yet here; for you any time will do. ⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it hates me^(EM) because I testify that its works are evil.^{(EN) 8} You go to the festival. I am not^[i] going up to this festival, because my time^(EO) has not yet fully come.” ⁹ 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^(EP) 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.”^{(EQ) 13} But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.^(ER)

Jesus Teaches at the Festival

¹⁴ Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.^{(ES) 15} The Jews^(ET) there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning^(EU) without having been taught?”^(EV)

¹⁶ Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.^{(EW) 17} Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out^(EX) 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,^(EY) 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?^(EZ) Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”^(FA)

²⁰ “You are demon-possessed,”^(FB) the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

²¹ Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle,^(FC) and you are all amazed. ²² Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision^(FD) (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs),^(FE) 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.”^(FF)

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?^{(FG) 26} Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities^(FH) really concluded that he is the Messiah?^{(FI) 27} But we know where this man is from;^(FJ) when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

²⁸ Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts,^(FK) cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from.^(FL) I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true.^(FM) You do not know him, ²⁹ but I know him^(FN) because I am from him and he sent me.”^(FO)

³⁰ At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him,^(FP) because his hour had not yet come.^{(FQ) 31} Still, many in the crowd believed in him.^(FR) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs^(FS) 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,^(FT) and then I am going to the one who sent me.^{(FU) 34} You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”^(FV)

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^(FW) among the Greeks,^(FX) 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’?”^(FY)

³⁷ On the last and greatest day of the festival,^(FZ) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.^{(GA) 38} Whoever believes^(GB) in me, as Scripture has said,^(GC) rivers of living water^(GD) will flow from within them.”^{[j](GE) 39} By this he meant the Spirit,^(GF) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.^(GG) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.^(GH)

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

⁴¹ Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

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

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,”^(GO) the guards replied.

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

⁵⁰ Nicodemus,^(GR) 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.”^(GS)

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[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, 8 ¹ but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.^(GT)

² At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.^{(GU) 3} The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.^(GV) Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap,^(GW) in order to have a basis for accusing him.^(GX)

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone^(GY) at her.”^{(GZ) 8} Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”^(HA) Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”^(HB)

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Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am^(HC) the light of the world.^(HD) Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”^(HE)

¹³ The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”^(HF)

¹⁴ Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.^(HG) But you have no idea where I come from^(HH) or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge by human standards;^(HI) I pass judgment on no one.^{(HJ) 16} But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.^{(HK) 17} In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.^{(HL) 18} I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”^(HM)

¹⁹ Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,”^(HN) Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”^{(HO) 20} He spoke these words while teaching^(HP) in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.^(HQ) Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.^(HR)

Dispute Over Who Jesus Is

²¹ Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die^(HS) in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”^(HT)

²² This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

²³ But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.^{(HU) 24} I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he,^(HV) you will indeed die in your sins.”

²⁵ “Who are you?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. ²⁶ “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy,^(HW) and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”^(HX)

²⁷ They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up^[k] the Son of Man,^(HY) then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.^{(HZ) 29} The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,^(IA) for I always do what pleases him.”^{(IB) 30} Even as he spoke, many believed in him.^(IC)

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,^(ID) you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”^(IE)

³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants^(IF) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.^{(IG) 35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.^(IH)