John 7
New Catholic Bible
The Light of the World[a]
Jesus, Sign of Contradiction
Chapter 7
Jesus’ Time Has Not Yet Been Fulfilled.[b] 1 After this, Jesus resumed his travels throughout Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill him.
2 However, when the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was drawing near, 3 his brethren[c] said to him, “Depart from here and go into Judea so that your disciples can perceive the works you are doing. 4 No one who wishes to be publicly known acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, reveal yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brethren believed in him. 6 Jesus answered them,
“My time has not yet come,
but your time is always right.
7 The world cannot hate you,
but it does hate me
because I testify against it
that its works are evil.
8 Go up to the feast yourselves.
I am not going to this feast,
because my time has not yet fully come.”
9 After he had said this, he stayed behind in Galilee. 10 Later, however, after his brethren had gone up to the feast, he himself also went, not publicly, but in secret.
11 During the feast the Jews were looking for him and asking, “Where is he?” 12 There was widespread murmuring about him among the crowds. Some maintained, “He is a good man,” but others insisted, “No, for he is leading the people astray.” 13 However, no one spoke openly about him for fear of the Jews.
14 Do Not Judge by Appearances.[d] When the feast was half over, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. 15 The Jews were astonished, and they wondered, “How has this man acquired such knowledge when he has never studied?”[e] 16 Jesus answered them,
“My teaching is not my own;
rather, it comes from him who sent me.
17 Anyone who resolves to do his will
will know whether my teaching comes from God
or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
18 Whoever speaks on his own authority
is simply seeking his own glory,
but whoever seeks the glory
of the one who sent him
is a truthful person,
and there is no dishonesty in him.
19 “Did not Moses give you the Law?
And not one of you keeps the Law.
Why are you trying to kill me?”
20 The crowd shouted, “You are possessed! Who is trying to kill you?” 21 Jesus replied,
“I performed a single work,[f]
and all of you are astonished.
22 Moses gave you circumcision
—although it did not originate with Moses
but with the patriarchs—
and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
23 Now if a man can be circumcised on the Sabbath
so that the Law of Moses may not be broken,
why are you angry with me
for making a man’s entire body
completely healthy on the Sabbath?
24 Do not base your judgment on appearances;
judge according to what is right.”
25 Where Is Jesus from and Where Is He Going?[g] Then some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is this not the man they are trying to kill? 26 And yet he is speaking publicly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities realize that he is the Christ? 27 And yet we know where this man is from. But when the Christ appears, no one will know where he is from.”
28 Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple,
“You know me,
and you also know where I am from.
Yet I have not come of my own accord,
but he who sent me is true.
You do not know him,
29 but I know him
because I am from him
and it was he who sent me.”
30 So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many in the crowd believed in him, and they said, “When the Christ comes, will he perform more signs than this man has accomplished?”
32 When the Pharisees overheard the crowd murmuring about him, the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said,
“I will remain with you
only for a short time longer,
and then I shall return
to him who sent me.
34 You will search for me,
but you will not find me,
for where I am you cannot come.”
35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not be able to find him? Will he go abroad to the people who are dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me, but you will be unable to find me,’ and ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”
37 Streams of Living Water.[h][i]On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and cried out,
“If anyone is thirsty,
let him come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me,
as Scripture has said,
‘Streams of living water
shall flow from within him.’ ”
39 Now he was referring here to the Spirit whom those who believed in him were to receive. As yet the Spirit had not been bestowed because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
40 People Are Divided concerning Jesus.[j] On hearing these words, some in the crowd said, “This must truly be the Prophet.” 41 Others thought, “This is the Christ.” But still others retorted, “How can the Christ come from Galilee? 42 Does not Scripture assert that the Christ will be of the seed of David and come from Bethlehem, the city where David lived?” 43 As a result, the crowd was sharply divided because of him. 44 Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him.
45 Then the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not arrest him?” 46 The guards answered, “No one has ever spoken as this man has.” 47 Then the Pharisees said, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees come to believe in him? 49 As for this crowd, they do not know the Law—they are cursed.”
50 One of them, Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus, said to them, 51 “Does our Law allow us to pass judgment on someone without first giving him a hearing to ascertain what he is doing?” 52 They replied, “Are you too a Galilean? Look it up, and you will find that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.”
Chapter 8
Jesus, Savior of Sinners
A Woman Caught in Adultery.[k] [7:53Then each of them returned home.
Footnotes
- John 7:1 The feast of Tabernacles, one of the most important Jewish solemnities, was a harvest festival. There was also a commemoration of the miraculous deeds that God had done for his people in the wilderness, with a joyous feast of lamps, a festival of lights. The feast was the ideal setting in which to present Christ as the Word of God who had come to enlighten and save everyone.
- John 7:1 From now on the threat of death hangs over Jesus and creates tension for him. The tension has to be relieved as quickly as possible. A gathering of people in Jerusalem would be a good occasion for rallying them and neutralizing the adversaries. An impressive public manifestation by Jesus would also be helpful; people would at least know what to make of him. So reason the “brethren” of Jesus—that is, the relatives if not the disciples.
But these perspectives of glory have no hold on Jesus. He has come to fulfill God’s plan; this is not the same as looking for a temporary success. He also has come to turn back the course of evil, falsehood, and hatred in the world. Jesus overcame the hatred of the world by handing himself over to it. - John 7:3 Brethren: i.e., according to Hebrew idiom, close relatives. See note on Mt 12:46.
- John 7:14 Personal success is never the motive for an action of Jesus. His words and his miracles testify that he is the messenger of the Father. Jesus lives by this testimony, of which he is convinced, and does not defend any doctrine of a school or group; one care alone impels him: that the Father’s plan for us be recognized and fulfilled.
Only those will understand Jesus who take the Law seriously in its deep inspiration and know the price of fidelity to God. But those who accuse Jesus of violating the Law and take upon themselves the authority to condemn him fail to recognize him. - John 7:15 The people want to know how Jesus can teach like a rabbi, when he was never trained by one and never quotes his teacher.
- John 7:21 A single work: the work of which Jesus speaks may be the cure of the paralytic that is recounted in Jn 5:1-15.
- John 7:25 The new prophet intrigues the people. He is one of theirs, yet claims an origin that does not cease to be mysterious. Some of the people are tempted to recognize him as the Messiah. The official authorities rebel against this temptation and want him arrested. In veiled words, Jesus announces his return to the Father (vv. 33-34). The authorities see this as an attempt to flee Palestine.
In all these contrasts there is perhaps some irony. Jesus escapes the people who want to place him in their preconceived ideas, just as he escapes the people who want to lay hands on him. Jesus can be talked about endlessly; it is quite another thing to accept his mystery. - John 7:37 The last day was for the pilgrims a festival of water. How many symbolic meanings water evokes! Water had flowed miraculously from the rock in the midst of the wilderness to slake the thirst of the Hebrews (Ex 17:1-7). The Prophets had foretold a spring that would some day open in the midst of the people (Ezek 47:1; Zec 14:8). In all areas affected by drought, water is a sign of life and joy; it is a gift of God. Christians think of Pentecost and Baptism.
- John 7:37 An alternative reading and translation is: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and let him who believes in me drink. As Scripture has said. . . .” In this second reading, the Scripture passage refers to Jesus and not to the believer. See Ps 105:41; Isa 44:3; 48:21; Ezek 36:25; Joel 3:1; etc.
- John 7:40 The upper class felt only contempt for the ordinary people. How could one accept a Messiah who came from distant Galilee, where Jews mingled with Gentiles and were cut off from the heart of Jewish life? Some justified their rejection by citing passages of the Law, but there were others who appealed to the spirit of the Law.
- John 7:53 This story is missing in a number of ancient manuscripts and is inserted at other points in others; it does not seem to be from the author of the fourth Gospel, for it is written in quite a different style. However, it has been accepted by the Church as the work of an inspired author.
We are struck by the portrait of Jesus found herein: his silence, his sober gesture, his refusal to use religion as a pretext to spy on and judge others, and his courage to proclaim his own truth. It is pointless to ask what he wrote on the ground. Let us dwell on what he considered the Law to be: it condemns sin not so that people may judge one another but so that they may feel the need to be saved by God. And it is to this salvation that he bears witness.
Juan 7
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible)
Si Jesus at ang Kanyang mga Kapatid
7 Pagkatapos nito, nilibot ni Jesus ang Galilea. Iniwasan niyang pumunta sa Judea dahil gusto siyang patayin ng mga pinuno ng mga Judio roon. 2 Nang malapit na ang pista ng mga Judio na tinatawag na Pista ng Pagtatayo ng mga Kubol,[a] 3 sinabi ng mga kapatid ni Jesus sa kanya, “Bakit hindi ka umalis dito at pumunta sa Judea para makita ng mga tagasunod mo ang mga ginagawa mo? 4 Dahil walang taong gumagawa nang patago kung gusto niyang sumikat. Gumagawa ka na rin lang ng himala, ipakita mo na sa lahat!” 5 (Sinabi ito ng mga kapatid ni Jesus dahil kahit sila ay hindi sumasampalataya sa kanya.) 6 Kaya sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila, “Hindi pa ngayon ang panahon para sa akin, pero kayo, pwede nʼyong gawin kahit anong oras ang gusto ninyo. 7 Hindi sa inyo napopoot ang mga taong makamundo, ngunit sa akin sila napopoot, dahil inilalantad ko ang kasamaan nila. 8 Kayo na lang ang pumunta sa pista. Hindi ako pupunta dahil hindi pa ito ang panahon ko.” 9 Pagkasabi niya nito, nagpaiwan siya sa Galilea.
Pumunta si Jesus sa Pista
10 Pagkaalis ng mga kapatid ni Jesus papunta sa pista, pumunta rin si Jesus pero palihim. 11 Doon sa pista, hinahanap siya ng mga pinuno ng mga Judio. “Nasaan kaya siya?” tanong nila. 12 Maraming bulung-bulungan ang mga tao tungkol kay Jesus. May nagsasabi, “Mabuti siyang tao.” Sabi naman ng iba, “Hindi, niloloko lang niya ang mga tao.” 13 Pero walang nagsasalita tungkol sa kanya nang hayagan dahil sa takot sa mga pinuno ng mga Judio.
14 Nang kalagitnaan na ng pista, pumunta si Jesus sa templo at nangaral. 15 Namangha sa kanya ang mga pinuno ng mga Judio, at sinabi nila, “Paano niya nalaman ang mga bagay na ito, gayong hindi naman siya nakapag-aral?” 16 Kaya sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila, “Hindi galing sa akin ang mga itinuturo ko, kundi sa nagsugo sa akin. 17 Malalaman ng sinumang gustong sumunod sa kalooban ng Dios kung ang itinuturo koʼy galing nga sa Dios o sa akin lang. 18 Ang nagtuturo nang mula sa sarili niyang karunungan ay naghahangad lang na papurihan siya. Ngunit ang naghahangad na papurihan ang nagsugo sa kanya ay tapat at hindi sinungaling. 19 Hindi baʼt ibinigay sa inyo ni Moises ang Kautusan? Ngunit wala ni isa man sa inyo ang sumusunod sa Kautusan. Dahil kung sinusunod ninyo ang Kautusan, bakit gusto nʼyo akong patayin?” 20 Sumagot ang mga tao, “Sinasaniban ka na siguro ng masamang espiritu! Sino naman ang gustong pumatay sa iyo?” 21 Sinabi sa kanila ni Jesus, “Nagtaka kayo dahil may pinagaling ako noong Araw ng Pamamahinga. 22 Hindi baʼt ibinigay sa inyo ni Moises ang utos tungkol sa pagtutuli? (Hindi ito nagmula kay Moises kundi sa mga nauna pang mga ninuno). At dahil dito, tinutuli nʼyo ang bata kahit sa Araw ng Pamamahinga. 23 Ngayon, kung tinutuli nʼyo nga ang bata sa Araw ng Pamamahinga para hindi masuway ang utos ni Moises, bakit kayo nagagalit sa akin dahil pinagaling ko ang isang tao sa Araw ng Pamamahinga? 24 Huwag kayong humusga ayon lang sa nakikita ninyo, kundi humusga kayo ayon sa nararapat.”
Nagtanong ang mga Tao kung si Jesus nga ba ang Cristo
25 Sinabi ng ilang taga-Jerusalem, “Hindi ba ito ang taong gustong patayin ng mga pinuno natin? 26 Pero tingnan ninyo, lantaran siyang nangangaral at walang sinasabi ang mga pinuno laban sa kanya. Baka kinikilala na nilang siya ang Cristo? 27 Pero alam natin kung saan siya nanggaling, pero ang Cristo na darating ay walang nakakaalam kung saan siya manggagaling.”
28 Habang nagtuturo si Jesus sa templo, sinabi niya nang malakas, “Totoo bang kilala ninyo ako at kung saan ako nanggaling? Sinasabi ko sa inyo ang totoo, hindi ako naparito sa sarili kong kagustuhan. Ang tunay na Dios ang nagsugo sa akin, pero hindi ninyo siya kilala. 29 Kilala ko siya dahil nanggaling ako sa kanya, at siya ang nagsugo sa akin.” 30 Dahil sa mga sinabing ito ni Jesus, gusto na sana siyang dakpin ng mga pinuno ng mga Judio, pero walang humuli sa kanya dahil hindi pa ito ang oras niya. 31 Sa kabila nito, marami pa rin sa mga tao ang sumampalataya sa kanya. Sinabi nila, “Siya na nga ang Cristo, dahil walang makakahigit sa mga himalang ginagawa niya.”
Inutusan ang mga Guwardya sa Templo na Dakpin si Jesus
32 Narinig ng mga Pariseo ang usap-usapan ng mga tao tungkol kay Jesus. Kaya inutusan nila at ng mga namamahalang pari ang mga guwardya sa templo na dakpin si Jesus. 33 Sinabi ni Jesus, “Sandali nʼyo na lang akong makakasama, at pagkatapos nitoʼy babalik na ako sa nagsugo sa akin. 34 Hahanapin nʼyo ako, pero hindi nʼyo makikita, dahil hindi kayo makakapunta sa pupuntahan ko.” 35 Nagtanungan ang mga pinuno ng mga Judio, “Saan kaya niya balak pumunta at hindi na raw natin siya makikita? Pupunta kaya siya sa mga lugar ng mga Griego, kung saan nagsipangalat ang mga kapwa natin Judio, para mangaral sa mga Griego? 36 Bakit kaya niya sinabing, ‘Hahanapin ninyo ako ngunit hindi ninyo ako makikita, dahil hindi kayo makakapunta sa aking pupuntahan’?”
Ang Tubig na Nagbibigay-buhay
37 Nang dumating ang huli at pinakamahalagang araw ng pista, tumayo si Jesus at sinabi nang malakas, “Ang sinumang nauuhaw ay lumapit sa akin at uminom. 38 Sapagkat sinasabi sa Kasulatan na dadaloy ang tubig na nagbibigay-buhay mula sa puso ng sumasampalataya sa akin.” 39 (Ang tubig na tinutukoy ni Jesus ay ang Banal na Espiritu na malapit nang tanggapin ng mga sumasampalataya sa kanya. Hindi pa naipagkakaloob ang Banal na Espiritu nang panahong iyon dahil hindi pa nakabalik sa langit si Jesus.)
Ang Paniniwala ng mga Tao tungkol kay Jesus
40 Maraming tao ang nakarinig sa sinabing iyon ni Jesus, at sinabi ng ilan sa kanila, “Siya na nga ang Propeta na hinihintay natin!” 41 Sinabi naman ng iba, “Siya na nga ang Cristo!” Pero may nagsabi rin, “Hindi siya ang Cristo, dahil hindi maaaring manggaling ang Cristo sa Galilea. 42 Hindi baʼt sinasabi sa Kasulatan na ang Cristo ay manggagaling sa lahi ni Haring David, at ipapanganak sa Betlehem na bayan ni David?” 43 Kaya iba-iba ang paniniwala ng mga tao tungkol kay Jesus. 44 Gusto ng ilan na dakpin siya, pero walang humuli sa kanya.
Ayaw Maniwala ng mga Pinuno ng mga Judio kay Jesus
45 Bumalik ang mga guwardya ng templo sa mga namamahalang pari at mga Pariseo na nag-utos sa kanila na dakpin si Jesus. Tinanong sila ng mga ito, “Bakit hindi ninyo siya dinala rito?” 46 Sumagot sila, “Ngayon lang po kami nakarinig ng katulad niyang magsalita.” 47 Sinabi ng mga Pariseo, “Kung ganoon, pati kayo ay naloko na rin ng taong iyon? 48 May nakita na ba kayong mga pinuno o mga Pariseong sumasampalataya sa kanya? 49 Wala! Mga tao lang na walang alam sa Kautusan ni Moises ang sumasampalataya sa kanya. Sumpain sila ng Dios!” 50 Isa sa mga Pariseong naroon ay si Nicodemus, na minsang dumalaw kay Jesus. Sinabi niya sa mga kasamahan niya, 51 “Hindi baʼt labag sa Kautusan natin na hatulan ang isang tao hanggaʼt hindi siya nalilitis at inaalam kung ano ang ginawa niya?” 52 Sumagot sila kay Nicodemus, “Taga-Galilea ka rin ba? Magsaliksik ka sa Kasulatan at makikita mong walang propetang nanggagaling sa Galilea.” 53 [Pagkatapos nito, nag-uwian na silang lahat.]
Footnotes
- 7:2 Kubol: sa Ingles, “temporary shelter.”
John 7
King James Version
7 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
2 Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand.
3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.
5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.
9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
36 What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?
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.
47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
53 And every man went unto his own house.
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible) Copyright © 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 by Biblica, Inc. ®