The Unbelief of Jesus’s Brothers

After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee,(A) since he did not want to travel in Judea(B) because the Jews(C) were trying to kill him.(D) The Jewish Festival of Shelters[a](E) was near. So his brothers(F) said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples can see your works(G) that you are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” (For not even his brothers believed in him.)

Jesus told them, “My time(H) has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand. The world cannot hate(I) you, but it does hate me because I testify about it—that its works are evil. Go up to the festival yourselves. I’m not going up to this festival,[b] because my time has not yet fully come.” After he had said these things, he stayed in Galilee.

Jesus at the Festival of Shelters

10 After his brothers had gone up to the festival, then he also went up, not openly but secretly. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was a lot of murmuring about him among the crowds. Some were saying, “He’s a good(J) man.” Others were saying, “No, on the contrary, he’s deceiving(K) the people.” 13 Still, nobody was talking publicly about him for fear of the Jews.

14 When the festival was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple(L) and began to teach. 15 Then the Jews were amazed and said, “How is this man so learned,(M) since he hasn’t been trained?”

16 Jesus answered them, “My teaching isn’t mine but is from the one who sent me.(N) 17 If anyone wants to do his will,(O) he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. 18 The one who speaks on his own seeks his own glory;(P) but he who seeks the glory(Q) of the one who sent him is true,(R) and there is no unrighteousness in him.(S) 19 Didn’t Moses(T) give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law.(U) Why are you trying to kill me?”

20 “You have a demon!” the crowd responded. “Who is trying to kill you?”

21 “I performed one work,(V) and you are all amazed,” Jesus answered. 22 “This is why Moses has given you circumcision(W) —not that it comes from Moses but from the fathers(X) —and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.(Y) 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath(Z) so that the law of Moses(AA) won’t be broken, are you angry at me because I made a man entirely well on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging(AB) according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment.”

The Identity of the Messiah

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem(AC) were saying, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Yet, look, he’s speaking publicly and they’re saying nothing to him. Can it be true that the authorities(AD) know he is the Messiah?(AE) 27 But we know where this man is from.(AF) When the Messiah comes, nobody will know where he is from.”

28 As he was teaching in the temple,(AG) Jesus cried out, “You know me and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on my own, but the one who sent me(AH) is true. You don’t know him;(AI) 29 I know him because I am from him, and he sent me.”(AJ)

30 Then they tried to seize him. Yet no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come. 31 However, many from the crowd believed in him and said, “When the Messiah comes, he won’t perform more signs than this man has done,(AK) will he?” 32 The Pharisees(AL) heard the crowd murmuring these things about him, and so the chief priests(AM) and the Pharisees sent servants[c] to arrest him.

33 Then Jesus said, “I am only with you for a short time.(AN) Then I’m going to the one who sent me.(AO) 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”(AP)

35 Then the Jews(AQ) said to one another, “Where does he intend to go that we won’t find him? He doesn’t intend to go to the Jewish people dispersed[d](AR) among the Greeks(AS) and teach the Greeks, does he? 36 What is this remark he made: ‘You will look for me, and you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come’(AT)?”

The Promise of the Spirit

37 On the last and most important day of the festival,(AU) Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me[e](AV) and drink.(AW) 38 The one who believes in me,(AX) as the Scripture(AY) has said, will have streams of living water(AZ) flow(BA) from deep within him.” 39 He said this about the Spirit.(BB) Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit,(BC) for the Spirit[f] had not yet been given[g] because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

The People Are Divided over Jesus

40 When some from the crowd heard these words, they said, “This truly is the Prophet.”(BD) 41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some said, “Surely the Messiah doesn’t come from Galilee, does he? 42 Doesn’t the Scripture(BE) say that the Messiah comes from David’s(BF) offspring[h] and from the town of Bethlehem,(BG) where David lived?” 43 So the crowd was divided(BH) because of him. 44 Some of them wanted to seize him,(BI) but no one laid hands on him.

Debate over Jesus’s Claims

45 Then the servants(BJ) came to the chief priests(BK) and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”

46 The servants answered, “No man ever spoke like this!” [i](BL)

47 Then the Pharisees responded to them, “Are you fooled(BM) too? 48 Have any of the rulers(BN) or Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which doesn’t know the law, is accursed.”

50 Nicodemus(BO)—the one who came to him previously and who was one of them—said to them, 51 “Our law doesn’t judge a man before it hears from him and knows what he’s doing, does it?” (BP)

52 “You aren’t from Galilee(BQ) too, are you?” they replied. “Investigate and you will see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”(BR)

[The earliest mss do not include 7:53–8:11.]

[53 Then each one went to his house.[j]

Footnotes

  1. 7:2 Or Tabernacles, or Booths
  2. 7:8 Other mss add yet
  3. 7:32 Or temple police, or officers, also in vv. 45,46
  4. 7:35 Gk diaspora; Jewish people scattered throughout Gentile lands
  5. 7:37 Other mss omit to me
  6. 7:39 Other mss read Holy Spirit
  7. 7:39 Lit the Spirit was not yet
  8. 7:42 Lit seed
  9. 7:46 Other mss read like this man
  10. 7:53–8:11 Other mss include all or some of the passage after Jn 7:36,44,52; 21:25; or Lk 21:38.

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

After these things Jesus (A)was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because (B)the Jews (C)were seeking to kill Him. Now the feast of the Jews, (D)the Feast of Booths, was near. So His (E)brothers said to Him, “Move on from here and go into Judea, so that Your (F)disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. For no one does anything in secret [a]when he himself is striving to be known publicly. If You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His (G)brothers believed in Him. So Jesus *said to them, (H)My time is not yet here, but your time is always ready. (I)The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify about it, that (J)its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves; I am not going up to this feast, because (K)My time has not yet fully arrived.” Now having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

10 But when His (L)brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as though in secret. 11 (M)So the Jews (N)were looking for Him at the feast and saying, “Where is He?” 12 And there was a great deal of talk about Him in secret among the crowds: (O)some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He is misleading the people.” 13 However, no one was speaking openly about Him, for (P)fear of [b]the Jews.

14 But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple area, and began to (Q)teach. 15 (R)The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man (S)become learned, not having been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, (T)My teaching is not My own, but His who sent Me. 17 (U)If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God, or I am speaking from Myself. 18 The one who speaks from himself (V)seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

19 (W)Did Moses not give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why are you (X)seeking to kill Me?” 20 The crowd answered, “(Y)You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did (Z)one [c]deed, and you all are astonished. 22 For this reason (AA)Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from (AB)the fathers), and even on a Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 (AC)If a man receives circumcision on a Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry at Me because I made an entire man well on a Sabbath? 24 Do not (AD)judge by the outward appearance, but judge [d]with righteous judgment.”

25 So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this man not the one whom they are seeking to kill? 26 And yet look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. (AE)The rulers do not really know that this is the [e]Christ, do they? 27 However, (AF)we know where this man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” 28 Then Jesus cried out in the temple, (AG)teaching and saying, (AH)You both know Me and you know where I am from; and (AI)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 (AJ)I do know Him, because (AK)I am from Him, and (AL)He sent Me.” 30 So they (AM)were seeking to arrest Him; and yet no one laid a hand on Him, because His (AN)hour had not yet come. 31 But (AO)many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “(AP)When the [f]Christ comes, He will not perform more [g](AQ)signs than those which this man has done, will He?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent (AR)officers to (AS)arrest Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, (AT)For a little while longer I am going to be with you, and then (AU)I am going to Him who sent Me. 34 (AV)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” 35 (AW)The Jews then said to one another, “(AX)Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He does not intend to go to (AY)the Dispersion among (AZ)the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, does He? 36 What is this statement that He said, (BA)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

37 Now on (BB)the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, (BC)If anyone is thirsty, [h]let him come to Me and drink. 38 The one who believes in Me, (BD)as the Scripture said, ‘[i]From his innermost being will flow rivers of (BE)living water.’” 39 But this He said (BF)in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for (BG)the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet (BH)glorified.

People’s Division over Jesus

40 Some of the people therefore, after they heard these words, were saying, “This truly is (BI)the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is the [j]Christ.” But others were saying, “(BJ)Surely the [k]Christ is not coming from Galilee, is He? 42 Has the Scripture not said that the Christ comes from (BK)the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So (BL)a dissension occurred in the crowd because of Him. 44 And (BM)some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

45 The (BN)officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” 46 The (BO)officers answered, “(BP)Never has a man spoken in this way!” 47 The Pharisees then replied to them, “(BQ)You have not been led astray too, have you? 48 (BR)Not one of (BS)the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 49 But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed!” 50 (BT)Nicodemus (the one who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, 51 (BU)Our Law does not judge the person unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” 52 They answered and said to him, “(BV)You are not from Galilee as well, are you? Examine the Scriptures, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” 53 [[[l]And everyone went to his home.

Footnotes

  1. John 7:4 Lit and
  2. John 7:13 I.e., the Jewish leaders
  3. John 7:21 Or work
  4. John 7:24 Lit the righteous judgment
  5. John 7:26 I.e., Messiah
  6. John 7:31 I.e., Messiah
  7. John 7:31 I.e., confirming miracles
  8. John 7:37 Or come to Me and drink
  9. John 7:38 Lit Out of his belly
  10. John 7:41 I.e., Messiah
  11. John 7:41 I.e., Messiah
  12. John 7:53 Later mss add the story of the adulterous woman, numbering it as John 7:53-8:11