Could This Be the Christ?

25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to (A)kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. (B)Do the rulers know indeed that this is [a]truly the Christ? 27 (C)However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”

28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, (D)“You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and (E)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me (F)is true, (G)whom you do not know. 29 [b]But (H)I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”

30 Therefore (I)they sought to take Him; but (J)no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And (K)many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”

Jesus and the Religious Leaders

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. 33 Then Jesus said [c]to them, (L)“I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I (M)go to Him who sent Me. 34 You (N)will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you (O)cannot come.”

35 Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to (P)the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

37 (Q)On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, (R)“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 (S)He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, (T)out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 (U)But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those [d]believing in Him would receive; for the [e]Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet (V)glorified.

Who Is He?

40 Therefore [f]many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is (W)the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is (X)the Christ.”

But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 (Y)Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, (Z)where David was?” 43 So (AA)there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now (AB)some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

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Footnotes

  1. John 7:26 NU omits truly
  2. John 7:29 NU, M omit But
  3. John 7:33 NU, M omit to them
  4. John 7:39 NU who believed
  5. John 7:39 NU omits Holy
  6. John 7:40 NU some

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?(A) 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities(B) really concluded that he is the Messiah?(C) 27 But we know where this man is from;(D) when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

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

30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him,(J) because his hour had not yet come.(K) 31 Still, many in the crowd believed in him.(L) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs(M) 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,(N) and then I am going to the one who sent me.(O) 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”(P)

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(Q) among the Greeks,(R) 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’?”(S)

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival,(T) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.(U) 38 Whoever believes(V) in me, as Scripture has said,(W) rivers of living water(X) will flow from within them.”[a](Y) 39 By this he meant the Spirit,(Z) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.(AA) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.(AB)

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

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

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

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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.”