John 7
Christian Standard Bible
The Unbelief of Jesus’s Brothers
7 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) 2 The Jewish Festival of Shelters[a](E) was near. 3 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. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 (For not even his brothers believed in him.)
6 Jesus told them, “My time(H) has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand. 7 The world cannot hate(I) you, but it does hate me because I testify about it—that its works are evil. 8 Go up to the festival yourselves. I’m not going up to this festival,[b] because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 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
- 7:2 Or Tabernacles, or Booths
- 7:8 Other mss add yet
- 7:32 Or temple police, or officers, also in vv. 45,46
- 7:35 Gk diaspora; Jewish people scattered throughout Gentile lands
- 7:37 Other mss omit to me
- 7:39 Other mss read Holy Spirit
- 7:39 Lit the Spirit was not yet
- 7:42 Lit seed
- 7:46 Other mss read like this man
- 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.
John 7
1599 Geneva Bible
7 2 Christ, after his cousins were gone up to the feast of Tabernacles, 10 goeth thither privily. 12 The people’s sundry opinions of him. 14 He teacheth in the Temple. 32 The Priests command to take him. 41 Strife among the multitude about him, 47 and between the Pharisees and the officers that were sent to take him, 50 and Nicodemus.
1 After these things, Jesus walked in Galilee, and would not walk in Judea: for the Jews sought to kill him.
2 Now the Jews’ (A)[a]feast of the Tabernacles was at hand.
3 [b]His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples may see thy works that thou doest.
4 For there is no man that doeth anything secretly, and he himself seeketh to be famous. If thou doest these things, show thyself to the world.
5 For as yet his [c]brethren believed not in him.
6 [d]Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is always 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 will not go up yet unto this feast: (B)for my time is not yet fulfilled.
9 ¶ These things he said unto them, and abode still in Galilee.
10 [e]But as soon as his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were privily.
11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
12 And much murmuring was there of him among the people. Some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay: but he deceiveth the people.
13 Howbeit no man spake [f]openly of him for fear of the Jews.
14 [g]Now when [h]half the feast was done, Jesus went up into the Temple, and taught.
15 And the Jews marveled, saying, How knoweth this man the Scriptures, seeing that he never learned!
16 [i]Jesus answered them, and said, [j]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 [k]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 (C)[l]Did not Moses give you a Law, and yet none of you keepeth the Law? (D)Why go ye about to kill me?
20 The people answered, and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
21 [m]Jesus answered, and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
22 (E)Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision, (not because it is of Moses, but of the (F)fathers) and ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man.
23 If a man on the Sabbath receive circumcision, that the [n]Law of Moses should not be broken, be ye angry with me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day?
24 (G)[o]Judge not [p]according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
25 ¶ [q]Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he whom they go about to kill?
26 And behold, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing to him: do the rulers know indeed that this is indeed that Christ?
27 [r]Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when that Christ cometh, no man shall know whence he is.
28 ¶ [s]Then cried Jesus in the Temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and know whence I am: yet am I not come of myself, but he that sent me, is true, whom ye know not.
29 But I know him: for I am of him, and he hath sent me.
30 [t]Then they sought to take him, but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
31 Now many of the people believed on him, and said, When that Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than this man hath done?
32 [u]The Pharisees heard that the people murmured these things of him, and the Pharisees, and high Priests sent officers to take him.
33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet am I a little while with you, and then go I unto him that sent me.
34 (H)Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me, and where I am, can ye not come.
35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? Will he go unto them that are [v]dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
36 What saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me? and where I am, can ye not come?
37 [w]Now in the [x]last and (I)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 in me, (J)as saith the [y]Scripture, out of his belly shall flow rivers of water of life.
39 ((K)This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed in him, should receive: for the [z]holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet [aa]glorified.)
40 [ab]So many of the people, when they heard this saying, said, (L)Of a truth this is that Prophet:
41 Others said, This is that Christ: and some said, But shall that Christ come out of Galilee?
42 (M)Saith not the Scripture that that Christ shall come of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
43 So was there dissension among the people for him.
44 And some of them would have taken him, but no man laid hands on him.
45 [ac]Then came the officers to the high 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 [ad]Doth any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees believe in him?
49 But this people, which know not the Law, are cursed,
50 Nicodemus said unto them, ((N)he that came to Jesus by night, and was one of them.)
51 Doth our Law judge a man before it hear him, (O)and know [ae]what he hath done?
52 They answered, and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet.
53 [af]And every man went unto his own house.
Footnotes
- John 7:2 This feast was so called, because of the booths and tents which they pight of divers kinds of boughs, and sat under them seven days together; all which time the feast lasted.
- John 7:3 The grace of God cometh not by inheritance, but it is a gift that cometh other ways, whereby it cometh to pass, that oftentimes the children of God suffer more affliction by their own kinsfolk than by strangers.
- John 7:5 His kinsfolk: for so use the Hebrews to speak.
- John 7:6 We must not follow the foolish desires of our friends.
- John 7:10 An example of horrible confusion in the very bosom of the Church. The Pastors oppress the people with terrors and fear: the people seek Christ, when he appeareth not: when he offereth himself, they neglect him. Some also that know him condemn him rashly: a very few think well of him, and that in secret.
- John 7:13 Or, boldly and freely: for the chief of the Jews sought nothing so much, as to bury his fame and name.
- John 7:14 Christ striveth with goodness against the wickedness of the world: in the mean season the most part of men take occasion of offense even by that fame, whereby they ought to have been stirred up to embrace Christ.
- John 7:14 About the fourth day of the feast.
- John 7:16 Therefore are there few to whom the Gospel favoreth well, because the study of godliness is very rare.
- John 7:16 See John 5:22, and he speaketh this after the opinion of the Jews, as if he said, My doctrine is not mine, that is, it is not his whom you take to be a man as others are, and therefore set light by him, but it is his that sent me.
- John 7:18 The true doctrine of salvation differeth from the false in this, that the same setteth forth the glory of God, and this by puffing up of men darkeneth the glory of God.
- John 7:19 None do more confidently boast themselves to be the defenders of the Law of God, than they that do most impudently break it.
- John 7:21 The Sabbath day (which is here set before us for a rule of all ceremonies) was not appointed to hinder but to further and practice God’s works: amongst which the love of our neighbor is the chiefest.
- John 7:23 That is to say, if the law of circumcision which Moses gave, be of so great accompt amongst you, that you doubt not to circumcise upon the Sabbath, do you rightly reprove me for healing a man thoroughly?
- John 7:24 We must judge according to the truth of things, lest the persons of men do turn us and carry us away.
- John 7:24 By the show that I make: for I seem to be but an abject and rascal of Galilee, and a carpenter’s son, whom no man maketh account of: but mark the matter itself well, and judge the tree by the fruit.
- John 7:25 Many do marvel that the endeavors of the enemies of God have no success: yet in the mean season they do not acknowledge the virtue and power of God.
- John 7:27 Men are very wise to procure stops and stays to themselves.
- John 7:28 The truth of Christ doth not hang upon the judgment of man.
- John 7:30 The wicked cannot do what they list, but what God hath appointed.
- John 7:32 As the kingdom of God increaseth, so increaseth the rage of his enemies, till at length they in vain seek for those blessings absent, which they despised when they were present.
- John 7:35 Word for word, (to the dispersion of the Gentiles or Greeks) and under the name of the Greeks he understandeth the Jews which were dispersed amongst the Gentiles.
- John 7:37 There are two principles of our salvation: the one is to be thoroughly touched with a true feeling of our extreme poverty: the other to seek in Christ only (whom we catch hold on by faith) the abundance of all good things.
- John 7:37 The last day of the feast of Tabernacles, that as, the eighth day, was as high a day, as the first.
- John 7:38 This is not read word for word in any place, but it seemeth to be taken out of many places where mention is made of the gifts of the holy Ghost, as Joel 2; Isa. 44, but especially in Isa. 55.
- John 7:39 What is meant by the holy Ghost, he expressed a little before, speaking of the Spirit which they that believed in him should receive. So that by the name of holy Ghost, are meant the virtues and mighty workings of the holy Ghost.
- John 7:39 That is, those things were not yet seen and perceived, which were to show and set forth the glory of the only begotten.
- John 7:40 There is contention even in the Church itself about the chief point of religion: neither hath Christ any more cruel enemies than those that occupy the seat of truth: yet can they not do what they would.
- John 7:45 God from heaven scorneth such as are his son’s enemies.
- John 7:48 False Pastors are so fond and foolish that they esteem the Church of God according to the multitude and outward show.
- John 7:51 What he hath committed, who is accused.
- John 7:53 There is no counsel against the Lord.
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