John 7
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Jesus Remained In Galilee Because They Were Seeking To Kill Him In Judea
7 And after these things Jesus was walking in Galilee. For He was not willing to be walking in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.
Jesus Goes To Jerusalem For The Feast of Tabernacles
2 Now the Tent-pitching[a] Feast of the Jews was near. 3 So His brothers said to Him, “Pass-on from here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples [there] also will see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does something in secret and himself seeks to be in public. If You are doing these things, make Yourself known[b] to the world”. 5 (For not even His brothers were believing in Him). 6 So Jesus says to them, “My time[c] is not yet here, but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it is hating Me because I am testifying about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the Feast. I am not going up to this Feast, because My time has not yet been fulfilled”. 9 And having said these things, He remained in Galilee. 10 But when His brothers went up to the Feast, then He also went up— not openly, but as in secret. 11 Then the Jews were seeking-for Him at the Feast, and saying “Where is that One?” 12 And there was much grumbling about Him among the crowds. Some were saying that “He is good”. But others were saying, “No, but He is deceiving the crowd”. 13 Yet no one was speaking with openness[d] about Him because of fear of the Jews.
In The Middle of The Feast, Jesus Began Teaching In The Temple:
14 Now the Feast already being-at-the-middle, Jesus went up to the temple, and was teaching.
My Teaching Is From God And For His Glory. Why Do You Want To Kill Me?
15 Then the Jews were marveling, saying, “How does this One know writings[e], not having learned?” 16 So Jesus responded to them and said “My teaching is not Mine, but the One’s having sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing[f] to be doing His will, he will know about the teaching— whether it is from God, or I am speaking from Myself. 18 The one speaking from himself is seeking his own glory. But the One seeking the glory of the One having sent Him— this One is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. 19 Has not Moses given you the Law? And none of you is doing the Law! Why are you seeking to kill Me?”
Do Not Judge According To Appearance
20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill You?” 21 Jesus responded and said to them, “I did one[g] work, and you all marvel! 22 For this reason[h] Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but it is from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on a Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on a Sabbath in order that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry[i] at Me because I made an entire man sound[j] on a Sabbath? 24 Do not be judging according to appearance, but be judging the righteous judgment”.
The God Whom You Do Not Know Sent Me To You
25 Then some of the people-of-Jerusalem were saying, “Is not this the One Whom they are seeking to kill? 26 And look— He is speaking in public, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers did not perhaps really know[k] that this One is the Christ, did they? 27 However, we know where this One is from. But when the Christ is coming, no one knows where He is from”. 28 So Jesus cried-out while teaching in the temple and saying, “You both know Me and You know where I am from. And[l] I have not come of Myself. However, the One having sent Me is true— Whom you do not know. 29 I know Him, because I am from Him. And that One sent Me forth”. 30 Therefore they were seeking to seize Him. And no one put his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
I Will Be With You a Short Time Longer, Then I Am Returning To God
31 But many from the crowd believed in Him. And they were saying, “When the Christ comes, He will not do more[m] signs than the ones which this One did, will He?” 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about Him. And the chief priests and the Pharisees sent out officers in order that they might seize Him. 33 So Jesus said, “I am with you a short time longer, and [then] I am going to the One having sent Me. 34 You will seek Me, and will not find Me. And where I am, you are not able to come”. 35 Then the Jews said to themselves, “Where is this One going to go that we will not find Him? He is not going to go to the Dispersion of the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is He? 36 What is this statement that He said: ‘You will seek Me and will not find Me. And where I am, you are not able to come’?”
On The Last Day Jesus Said, Come To Me. The Crowd Remained Divided Over Him
37 Now on the last day, the great day of the Feast, Jesus was standing there. And He cried-out, saying, “If anyone is thirsting, let him come to Me and drink. 38 The one believing in Me, just as the Scripture said— Rivers of living water will flow from his[n] belly”. 39 Now He said this concerning the Spirit, Whom the ones having believed in Him were going to receive. For the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 Then some from the crowd, having heard these words, were saying “This One is truly the Prophet[o]”. 41 Others were saying “This One is the Christ”. But the[p] ones were saying “The Christ is not indeed[q] coming from Galilee, is He? 42 Did not the Scripture say that the Christ comes from the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So a division took place in the crowd because of Him. 44 And some of them were wanting to seize Him, but no one put his hands on Him.
Most of The Jewish Rulers And Pharisees Did Not Believe In Him
45 Then the officers went to the chief priests and Pharisees. And those ones said to them, “For what reason did you not bring Him?” 46 The officers answered, “Never did a man speak in this manner”. 47 Then the Pharisees responded to them, “You also have not been deceived, have you? 48 Someone from the rulers did not believe in Him, did he, or from the Pharisees? 49 But this crowd not knowing the Law— they are accursed ones”. 50 Nicodemus— the one having come to Him formerly, being one of them— says to them, 51 “Our Law does not judge the person unless it first hears from him, and knows what he is doing, does it ?” 52 They responded and said to him, “You also are not from Galilee, are you? Search and see that a prophet does not arise from Galilee”. 53 And[r] each one went to his house,
Footnotes
- John 7:2 Or, Booth-building. That is, the Feast of Tents (Tabernacles) in October.
- John 7:4 Or, reveal Yourself.
- John 7:6 Or, favorable-time, right-time. That is, My time to go up openly (v 10) and reveal Myself (v 4).
- John 7:13 Or, in public.
- John 7:15 Or, learning. That is, how can Jesus be educated in these matters, not having learned it in our schools?
- John 7:17 Or, wanting, resolving.
- John 7:21 That is, one work of healing, referring to 5:9.
- John 7:22 That is, for healing, for ‘making sound’ one member, setting up the comparison in v 23; or, as an example of work on the Sabbath.
- John 7:23 Or, galled, bitterly-angry.
- John 7:23 Or, healthy. If the Law requires the making sound of this one member on the Sabbath, surely the making sound of the entire man is permitted.
- John 7:26 Or, learn, recognize.
- John 7:28 Or, And-yet.
- John 7:31 Or, greater.
- John 7:38 Or, let him come to Me. And let the one believing in Me drink. Just as the Scripture said, rivers of living water will flow from His (Christ’s) belly.
- John 7:40 See 1:21.
- John 7:41 That is, the group in v 40. Or, But others, referring to a third group.
- John 7:41 This question has an incredulous tone, as in Mt 27:23.
- John 7:53 Some manuscripts omit 7:53-8:11; others have it in a different place.
John 7
Living Bible
7 After this, Jesus went to Galilee, going from village to village, for he wanted to stay out of Judea where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. 2 But soon it was time for the Tabernacle Ceremonies, one of the annual Jewish holidays, 3 and Jesus’ brothers urged him to go to Judea for the celebration.
“Go where more people can see your miracles!” they scoffed. 4 “You can’t be famous when you hide like this! If you’re so great, prove it to the world!” 5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.
6 Jesus replied, “It is not the right time for me to go now. But you can go anytime and it will make no difference, 7 for the world can’t hate you; but it does hate me, because I accuse it of sin and evil. 8 You go on, and I’ll come later[a] when it is the right time.” 9 So he remained in Galilee.
10 But after his brothers had left for the celebration, then he went too, though secretly, staying out of the public eye. 11 The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the celebration and kept asking if anyone had seen him. 12 There was a lot of discussion about him among the crowds. Some said, “He’s a wonderful man,” while others said, “No, he’s duping the public.” 13 But no one had the courage to speak out for him in public for fear of reprisals from the Jewish leaders.
14 Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and preached openly. 15 The Jewish leaders were surprised when they heard him. “How can he know so much when he’s never been to our schools?” they asked.
16 So Jesus told them, “I’m not teaching you my own thoughts, but those of God who sent me. 17 If any of you really determines to do God’s will, then you will certainly know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. 18 Anyone presenting his own ideas is looking for praise for himself, but anyone seeking to honor the one who sent him is a good and true person. 19
20 The crowd replied, “You’re out of your mind! Who’s trying to kill you?”
21-23 Jesus replied, “I worked on the Sabbath by healing a man, and you were surprised. But you work on the Sabbath, too, whenever you obey Moses’ law of circumcision (actually, however, this tradition of circumcision is older than the Mosaic law); for if the correct time for circumcising your children falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it, as you should. So why should I be condemned for making a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Think this through and you will see that I am right.”
25 Some of the people who lived there in Jerusalem said among themselves, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 But here he is preaching in public, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that our leaders have learned, after all, that he really is the Messiah? 27 But how could he be? For we know where this man was born; when Christ comes, he will just appear and no one will know where he comes from.”
28 So Jesus, in a sermon in the Temple, called out, “Yes, you know me and where I was born and raised, but I am the representative of one you don’t know, and he is Truth. 29 I know him because I was with him, and he sent me to you.”
30 Then the Jewish leaders sought to arrest him; but no hand was laid on him, for God’s time had not yet come.
31 Many among the crowds at the Temple believed on him. “After all,” they said, “what miracles do you expect the Messiah to do that this man hasn’t done?”
32 When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were in this mood, they and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Jesus. 33 But Jesus told them, “Not yet![b] I am to be here a little longer. Then I shall return to the one who sent me. 34 You will search for me but not find me. And you won’t be able to come where I am!”
35 The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked. “Maybe he is thinking of leaving the country and going as a missionary among the Jews in other lands, or maybe even to the Gentiles! 36 What does he mean about our looking for him and not being able to find him, and, ‘You won’t be able to come where I am’?”
37 On the last day, the climax of the holidays, Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water shall flow from the inmost being of anyone who believes in me.” 39 (He was speaking of the Holy Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him; but the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet returned to his glory in heaven.)
40 When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “This man surely is the prophet who will come just before the Messiah.” 41-42 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where David was born.” 43 So the crowd was divided about him. 44 And some wanted him arrested, but no one touched him.
45 The Temple police who had been sent to arrest him returned to the chief priests and Pharisees. “Why didn’t you bring him in?” they demanded.
46 “He says such wonderful things!” they mumbled. “We’ve never heard anything like it.”
47 “So you also have been led astray?” the Pharisees mocked. 48 “Is there a single one of us Jewish rulers or Pharisees who believes he is the Messiah? 49 These stupid crowds do, yes; but what do they know about it? A curse upon them anyway!”[c]
50 Then Nicodemus spoke up. (Remember him? He was the Jewish leader who came secretly to interview Jesus.) 51 “Is it legal to convict a man before he is even tried?” he asked.
52 They replied, “Are you a wretched Galilean too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophets will come from Galilee!”
53 [d] Then the meeting broke up and everybody went home.
Footnotes
John 7
New King James Version
Jesus’ Brothers Disbelieve
7 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, (A)because the [a]Jews sought to kill Him. 2 (B)Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 3 (C)His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For (D)even His (E)brothers did not believe in Him.
6 Then Jesus said to them, (F)“My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 (G)The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me (H)because I testify of it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to this feast. I am not [b]yet going up to this feast, (I)for My time has not yet fully come.” 9 When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.
The Heavenly Scholar
10 But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. 11 Then (J)the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” 12 And (K)there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. (L)Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.” 13 However, no one spoke openly of Him (M)for fear of the Jews.
14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and (N)taught. 15 (O)And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”
16 [c]Jesus answered them and said, (P)“My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 (Q)If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 (R)He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who (S)seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and (T)no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 (U)Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? (V)Why do you seek to kill Me?”
20 The people answered and said, (W)“You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”
21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 (X)Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, (Y)but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because (Z)I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 (AA)Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Could This Be the Christ?
25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to (AB)kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. (AC)Do the rulers know indeed that this is [d]truly the Christ? 27 (AD)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, (AE)“You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and (AF)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me (AG)is true, (AH)whom you do not know. 29 [e]But (AI)I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
30 Therefore (AJ)they sought to take Him; but (AK)no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And (AL)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 [f]to them, (AM)“I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I (AN)go to Him who sent Me. 34 You (AO)will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you (AP)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 (AQ)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 (AR)On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, (AS)“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 (AT)He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, (AU)out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 (AV)But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those [g]believing in Him would receive; for the [h]Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet (AW)glorified.
Who Is He?
40 Therefore [i]many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is (AX)the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is (AY)the Christ.”
But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 (AZ)Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, (BA)where David was?” 43 So (BB)there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now (BC)some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
Rejected by the Authorities
45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”
46 The officers answered, (BD)“No man ever spoke like this Man!”
47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”
50 Nicodemus (BE)(he who came to [j]Jesus [k]by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 (BF)“Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for (BG)no prophet [l]has arisen out of Galilee.”
An Adulteress Faces the Light of the World
53 [m]And everyone went to his own house.
Footnotes
- John 7:1 The ruling authorities
- John 7:8 NU omits yet
- John 7:16 NU, M So Jesus
- John 7:26 NU omits truly
- John 7:29 NU, M omit But
- John 7:33 NU, M omit to them
- John 7:39 NU who believed
- John 7:39 NU omits Holy
- John 7:40 NU some
- John 7:50 Lit. Him
- John 7:50 NU before
- John 7:52 NU is to rise
- John 7:53 NU brackets 7:53 through 8:11 as not in the original text. They are present in over 900 mss. of John.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
