37 On the last and greatest day of the festival,(A) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.(B) 38 Whoever believes(C) in me, as Scripture has said,(D) rivers of living water(E) will flow from within them.”[a](F) 39 By this he meant the Spirit,(G) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.(H) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.(I)

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

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

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

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,”(P) the guards replied.

Read full chapter

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.”

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.

Read full chapter