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)

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,”^(AI) the guards replied.

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

⁵⁰ Nicodemus,^(AL) 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.”^(AM)