John 7:31-53
New American Standard Bible
31 But (A)many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “(B)When the [a]Christ comes, He will not perform more [b](C)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 (D)officers to (E)arrest Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, “(F)For a little while longer I am going to be with you, and then (G)I am going to Him who sent Me. 34 (H)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” 35 (I)The Jews then said to one another, “(J)Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He does not intend to go to (K)the Dispersion among (L)the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, does He? 36 What is this statement that He said, ‘(M)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”
37 Now on (N)the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “(O)If anyone is thirsty, [c]let him come to Me and drink. 38 The one who believes in Me, (P)as the Scripture said, ‘[d]From his innermost being will flow rivers of (Q)living water.’” 39 But this He said (R)in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for (S)the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet (T)glorified.
People’s Division over Jesus
40 Some of the people therefore, after they heard these words, were saying, “This truly is (U)the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is the [e]Christ.” But others were saying, “(V)Surely the [f]Christ is not coming from Galilee, is He? 42 Has the Scripture not said that the Christ comes from (W)the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So (X)a dissension occurred in the crowd because of Him. 44 And (Y)some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
45 The (Z)officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” 46 The (AA)officers answered, “(AB)Never has a man spoken in this way!” 47 The Pharisees then replied to them, “(AC)You have not been led astray too, have you? 48 (AD)Not one of (AE)the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 49 But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed!” 50 (AF)Nicodemus (the one who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, 51 “(AG)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, “(AH)You are not from Galilee as well, are you? Examine the Scriptures, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” 53 [[[g]And everyone went to his home.
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John 7:31-53
New Living Translation
31 Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?”
32 When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus. 33 But Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. 34 You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going.”
35 The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked. “Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands?[a] Maybe he will even teach the Greeks! 36 What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am going’?”
Jesus Promises Living Water
37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”[b] 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given,[c] because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
Division and Unbelief
40 When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.”[d] 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”[e] 43 So the crowd was divided about him. 44 Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.
45 When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
46 “We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded.
47 “Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. 48 “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? 49 This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!”
50 Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. 51 “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked.
52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes[f] from Galilee!”
[The most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include John 7:53–8:11.]
53 Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 7:35 Or the Jews who live among the Greeks?
- 7:37-38 Or “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from the heart of anyone who believes in me.’”
- 7:39 Several early manuscripts read But as yet there was no Spirit. Still others read But as yet there was no Holy Spirit.
- 7:40 See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.
- 7:42 See Mic 5:2.
- 7:52 Some manuscripts read the prophet does not come.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
