John 7
EasyEnglish Bible
Jesus and his brothers
7 After this, Jesus visited many places in Galilee. He did not want to visit Judea because the Jewish leaders there wanted to kill him. 2 It was almost time for the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles.[a] 3 So Jesus' brothers said to him, ‘You should leave this place and you should go to Judea. Then your disciples will see the great things that you do. 4 Nobody does things secretly if he wants everyone to know him. You are doing these things, so you should show yourself to everybody.’ 5 Even his own brothers did not believe in him.
6 So Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the right time for me yet. For you, any time is right. 7 People who belong to this world cannot hate you. But they hate me. The things that they do are very bad. And I tell them that those things are wrong. That is why they hate me. 8 You should go to the festival. I will not go to it now, because it is not the right time for me yet.’ 9 After Jesus said that, he stayed in Galilee.
Jesus goes to the Festival of Tabernacles
10 Some time after his brothers had gone, Jesus also went to the festival. But he did not let other people know that he was going. Instead, he went secretly. 11 The Jewish leaders were looking for him at the festival. They asked, ‘Where is that man?’ 12 People in the crowd were talking quietly to each other about Jesus. Some people said, ‘He is a good man.’ But other people said, ‘No, he is telling the people things that are not true.’ 13 But nobody spoke in public places about him, because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.
14 In the middle of the time of the festival, Jesus went to the temple. He started to teach in the yard there. 15 The Jewish leaders were very surprised. They asked, ‘How does this man know so much? He has not learned in our schools.’ 16 Jesus answered, ‘What I teach does not come from me. No, it comes from the one who sent me. 17 Anyone who chooses to do what God wants will know about my teaching. They will know whether it comes from God, or whether it comes from my own thoughts. 18 A person who teaches his own ideas wants people to think that he himself is great. But I want to show that the one who sent me is great. A person like that is honest and there is nothing false in him. 19 Moses gave God's Law to you. But not one of you obeys that Law. Why are you trying to kill me?’
20 The crowd answered, ‘You have a demon in you! Nobody is trying to kill you!’
21 Jesus replied, ‘I did one miracle on the day of rest, and all of you were surprised. 22 Moses gave you a law that you must circumcise your sons. Your ancestors taught that, even before Moses was born. So you will agree to circumcise a boy, even on the day of rest.[b] 23 You will do that so that you obey Moses' law. So you should not be angry with me because I made a man completely well on the day of rest. 24 Do not quickly decide whether something is right or wrong just because of what you see. Instead, think about it carefully. Then you will judge in a right way.’
The people talk about whether Jesus is the Messiah
25 Some of the people in Jerusalem began to say, ‘This is the man that our leaders want to kill. 26 But look! He is speaking to the crowds, and the leaders are not saying anything against him! Perhaps they really think that he is the Messiah! 27 But we know where this man came from. When the Messiah comes, nobody will know that. Nobody will know where he has come from.’
28 Jesus was still teaching in the yard of the temple. He shouted, ‘Yes, you say that you know me. And you know where I came from. But I have not come because I myself decided to come. He who sent me is true. You do not know him. 29 But I know him because I have come from him. He is the one who sent me.’ 30 When they heard this, they tried to take hold of him. But nobody could put their hands on him, because it was not yet the right time. 31 But many people in the crowd believed in Jesus. They said, ‘This man has done so many miracles. Surely he is the Messiah! Nobody could do more miracles than he has done.’
32 The Pharisees heard what these people were saying quietly about Jesus. Then the leaders of the priests and the Pharisees sent some of their officers to take him away.
33 Jesus said, ‘I will be with you for only a short time. Then I will return to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me. You cannot go to the place where I will be.’ 35 The Jewish leaders asked each other, ‘What is he trying to tell us? Where can he go so that we cannot find him? Perhaps he will go to our people who have gone away to live among the Greek people.[c] Perhaps he will go to teach the Greek people. 36 He said, “You will look for me, but you will not find me.” And he also said, “You cannot go to the place where I will be.” What does he mean?’
Streams of water that give life to people
37 The last day of the festival was the most important day. On that day, Jesus stood up and he spoke with a loud voice. He said, ‘If anyone is thirsty, he should come to me so that he may drink. 38 It says in the Bible, “God will cause streams of water to pour out from anyone who believes in me. Water that gives life will come out from inside that person.” ’ 39 Jesus was speaking about God's Spirit, who would come to people some time after that. Those people who believed in Jesus would receive God's Spirit at that later time. But God had not yet given his Spirit to people, because he had not yet raised Jesus back up to heaven.[d]
The people argue about who Jesus is
40 The people in the crowd heard Jesus say these words. Some of them said, ‘Surely this man must be the Prophet from God that we have been waiting for!’ 41 Other people said, ‘This man is the Messiah.’ But some other people said, ‘The Messiah will not come from Galilee! 42 The Bible says that the Messiah will come from King David's family.[e] He will come from Bethlehem, the town where David lived.’ 43 In this way the people had different thoughts about Jesus. 44 Some people wanted to take hold of him. But nobody could put their hands on him to take him away.
45 The officers returned to the leaders of the priests and the Pharisees. The leaders asked their officers, ‘Why did you not bring Jesus here?’ 46 The officers answered, ‘Nobody has ever spoken great things like this man speaks.’ 47 The Pharisees replied, ‘He seems to have made you believe his lies! 48 None of the Pharisees or our leaders believe in him. 49 But this crowd does not know what God's Law teaches. God will surely punish them.’
50 Nicodemus spoke to them. He himself was one of the Pharisees. He was the man who had gone to speak with Jesus before. He said, 51 ‘We must find out first what this man has done. Then we can decide if it is right to punish him. Our law says that we must listen to him first.’ 52 They answered Nicodemus, ‘Perhaps you come from Galilee, as well as him! Study what the Bible teaches. You will learn that no prophet of God ever comes from Galilee.’ 53 [Then everyone went to his own home.][f]
Footnotes
- 7:2 The Festival of Tabernacles continued for a week. See Leviticus 23:34, where it is called the Feast of Huts. The people built huts from branches and they lived in these small huts during the festival. This helped them to remember what God had done. A long time before this, their ancestors had left Egypt and they had lived in huts like this. God had brought them out of Egypt so that they did not have to be slaves there any longer. The festival happened each year, after Israel's people had brought in all the harvest from the fields. It was a time for the people to thank God because he was so good to them.
- 7:22 God had told Israel's people that they must circumcise every boy. To circumcise means to cut off the skin that covers the end of a boy's or a man's sex part. It was a mark to show that Israel's people had agreed to obey God. It showed that they belonged to God's people, Israel. They circumcised a boy eight days after he was born. Even if the eighth day was their day of rest, they circumcised the baby on that day.
- 7:35 Greek people come from the country called Greece. When Jesus lived on the earth, Greek people also lived in many other countries.
- 7:39 Many verses in the Old Testament speak about ‘water’ that gives us life. See Isaiah 44:3; 58:11 and Zechariah 13:1; 14:8. The Jews would read these verses aloud at the Festival of Tabernacles.
- 7:42 The Bible that the Jews read was the Old Testament.
- 7:53 Many old translations do not have this verse.
John 7
Good News Translation
Jesus and His Brothers
7 After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee; he did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jewish authorities there were wanting to kill him. 2 (A)The time for the Festival of Shelters was near, 3 so Jesus' brothers said to him, “Leave this place and go to Judea, so that your followers will see the things that you are doing. 4 People don't hide what they are doing if they want to be well known. Since you are doing these things, let the whole world know about you!” (5 Not even his brothers believed in him.)
6 Jesus said to them, “The right time for me has not yet come. Any time is right for you. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I keep telling it that its ways are bad. 8 You go on to the festival. I am not going[a] to this festival, because the right time has not come for me.” 9 He said this and then stayed on in Galilee.
Jesus at the Festival of Shelters
10 After his brothers had gone to the festival, Jesus also went; however, he did not go openly, but secretly. 11 The Jewish authorities were looking for him at the festival. “Where is he?” they asked.
12 There was much whispering about him in the crowd. “He is a good man,” some people said. “No,” others said, “he fools the people.” 13 But no one talked about him openly, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities.
14 The festival was nearly half over when Jesus went to the Temple and began teaching. 15 The Jewish authorities were greatly surprised and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never been to school?”
16 Jesus answered, “What I teach is not my own teaching, but it comes from God, who sent me. 17 Whoever is willing to do what God wants will know whether what I teach comes from God or whether I speak on my own authority. 18 Those who speak on their own authority are trying to gain glory for themselves. But he who wants glory for the one who sent him is honest, and there is nothing false in him. 19 Moses gave you the Law, didn't he? But not one of you obeys the Law. Why are you trying to kill me?”
20 “You have a demon in you!” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”
21 Jesus answered, “I performed one miracle, and you were all surprised. 22 (B)Moses ordered you to circumcise your sons (although it was not Moses but your ancestors who started it), and so you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 (C)If a boy is circumcised on the Sabbath so that Moses' Law is not broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by external standards, and judge by true standards.”
Is He the Messiah?
25 Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Isn't this the man the authorities are trying to kill? 26 Look! He is talking in public, and they say nothing against him! Can it be that they really know that he is the Messiah? 27 But when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from. And we all know where this man comes from.”
28 As Jesus taught in the Temple, he said in a loud voice, “Do you really know me and know where I am from? I have not come on my own authority. He who sent me, however, is truthful. You do not know him, 29 but I know him, because I come from him and he sent me.”
30 Then they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 But many in the crowd believed in him and said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more miracles than this man has?”
Guards Are Sent to Arrest Jesus
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Jesus, so they and the chief priests sent some guards to arrest him. 33 Jesus said, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I shall go away to him who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me, because you cannot go where I will be.”
35 The Jewish authorities said among themselves, “Where is he about to go so that we shall not find him? Will he go to the Greek cities where our people live, and teach the Greeks? 36 He says that we will look for him but will not find him, and that we cannot go where he will be. What does he mean?”
Streams of Life-Giving Water
37 (D)On the last and most important day of the festival Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, “Whoever is thirsty should come to me, and 38 (E)whoever believes in me should drink. As the scripture says, ‘Streams of life-giving water will pour out from his side.’”[b] 39 Jesus said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were going to receive. At that time the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not been raised to glory.
Division among the People
40 Some of the people in the crowd heard him say this and said, “This man is really the Prophet!”[c]
41 Others said, “He is the Messiah!”
But others said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee! 42 (F)The scripture says that the Messiah will be a descendant of King David and will be born in Bethlehem, the town where David lived.” 43 So there was a division in the crowd because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
The Unbelief of the Jewish Authorities
45 When the guards went back, the chief priests and Pharisees asked them, “Why did you not bring him?”
46 The guards answered, “Nobody has ever talked the way this man does!”
47 “Did he fool you, too?” the Pharisees asked them. 48 “Have you ever known one of the authorities or one Pharisee to believe in him? 49 This crowd does not know the Law of Moses, so they are under God's curse!”
50 (G)One of the Pharisees there was Nicodemus, the man who had gone to see Jesus before. He said to the others, 51 “According to our Law we cannot condemn people before hearing them and finding out what they have done.”
52 “Well,” they answered, “are you also from Galilee? Study the Scriptures and you will learn that no prophet ever comes 53 [d] from Galilee.”
Footnotes
- John 7:8 I am not going; some manuscripts have I am not yet going.
- John 7:38 Jesus' words in verses 37-38 may be translated: “Whoever is thirsty should come to me and drink. 38 As the scripture says, ‘Streams of life-giving water will pour out from within anyone who believes in me.’”
- John 7:40 See 1.21.
- John 7:53 no prophet ever comes; one manuscript has the Prophet will not come.
Jean 7
Louis Segond
7 Après cela, Jésus parcourait la Galilée, car il ne voulait pas séjourner en Judée, parce que les Juifs cherchaient à le faire mourir.
2 Or, la fête des Juifs, la fête des Tabernacles, était proche.
3 Et ses frères lui dirent: Pars d'ici, et va en Judée, afin que tes disciples voient aussi les oeuvres que tu fais.
4 Personne n'agit en secret, lorsqu'il désire paraître: si tu fais ces choses, montre-toi toi-même au monde.
5 Car ses frères non plus ne croyaient pas en lui.
6 Jésus leur dit: Mon temps n'est pas encore venu, mais votre temps est toujours prêt.
7 Le monde ne peut vous haïr; moi, il me hait, parce que je rends de lui le témoignage que ses oeuvres sont mauvaises.
8 Montez, vous, à cette fête; pour moi, je n'y monte point, parce que mon temps n'est pas encore accompli.
9 Après leur avoir dit cela, il resta en Galilée.
10 Lorsque ses frères furent montés à la fête, il y monta aussi lui-même, non publiquement, mais comme en secret.
11 Les Juifs le cherchaient pendant la fête, et disaient: Où est-il?
12 Il y avait dans la foule grande rumeur à son sujet. Les uns disaient: C'est un homme de bien. D'autres disaient: Non, il égare la multitude.
13 Personne, toutefois, ne parlait librement de lui, par crainte des Juifs.
14 Vers le milieu de la fête, Jésus monta au temple. Et il enseignait.
15 Les Juifs s'étonnaient, disant: Comment connaît-il les Écritures, lui qui n'a point étudié?
16 Jésus leur répondit: Ma doctrine n'est pas de moi, mais de celui qui m'a envoyé.
17 Si quelqu'un veut faire sa volonté, il connaîtra si ma doctrine est de Dieu, ou si je parle de mon chef.
18 Celui qui parle de son chef cherche sa propre gloire; mais celui qui cherche la gloire de celui qui l'a envoyé, celui-là est vrai, et il n'y a point d'injustice en lui.
19 Moïse ne vous a-t-il pas donné la loi? Et nul de vous n'observe la loi. Pourquoi cherchez-vous à me faire mourir?
20 La foule répondit: Tu as un démon. Qui est-ce qui cherche à te faire mourir?
21 Jésus leur répondit: J'ai fait une oeuvre, et vous en êtes tous étonnés.
22 Moïse vous a donné la circoncision, -non qu'elle vienne de Moïse, car elle vient des patriarches, -et vous circoncisez un homme le jour du sabbat.
23 Si un homme reçoit la circoncision le jour du sabbat, afin que la loi de Moïse ne soit pas violée, pourquoi vous irritez-vous contre moi de ce que j'ai guéri un homme tout entier le jour du sabbat?
24 Ne jugez pas selon l'apparence, mais jugez selon la justice.
25 Quelques habitants de Jérusalem disaient: N'est-ce pas là celui qu'ils cherchent à faire mourir?
26 Et voici, il parle librement, et ils ne lui disent rien! Est-ce que vraiment les chefs auraient reconnu qu'il est le Christ?
27 Cependant celui-ci, nous savons d'où il est; mais le Christ, quand il viendra, personne ne saura d'où il est.
28 Et Jésus, enseignant dans le temple, s'écria: Vous me connaissez, et vous savez d'où je suis! Je ne suis pas venu de moi-même: mais celui qui m'a envoyé est vrai, et vous ne le connaissez pas.
29 Moi, je le connais; car je viens de lui, et c'est lui qui m'a envoyé.
30 Ils cherchaient donc à se saisir de lui, et personne ne mit la main sur lui, parce que son heure n'était pas encore venue.
31 Plusieurs parmi la foule crurent en lui, et ils disaient: Le Christ, quand il viendra, fera-t-il plus de miracles que n'en a fait celui-ci?
32 Les pharisiens entendirent la foule murmurant de lui ces choses. Alors les principaux sacrificateurs et les pharisiens envoyèrent des huissiers pour le saisir.
33 Jésus dit: Je suis encore avec vous pour un peu de temps, puis je m'en vais vers celui qui m'a envoyé.
34 Vous me chercherez et vous ne me trouverez pas, et vous ne pouvez venir où je serai.
35 Sur quoi les Juifs dirent entre eux: Où ira-t-il, que nous ne le trouvions pas? Ira-t-il parmi ceux qui sont dispersés chez les Grecs, et enseignera-t-il les Grecs?
36 Que signifie cette parole qu'il a dite: Vous me chercherez et vous ne me trouverez pas, et vous ne pouvez venir où je serai?
37 Le dernier jour, le grand jour de la fête, Jésus, se tenant debout, s'écria: Si quelqu'un a soif, qu'il vienne à moi, et qu'il boive.
38 Celui qui croit en moi, des fleuves d'eau vive couleront de son sein, comme dit l'Écriture.
39 Il dit cela de l'Esprit que devaient recevoir ceux qui croiraient en lui; car l'Esprit n'était pas encore, parce que Jésus n'avait pas encore été glorifié.
40 Des gens de la foule, ayant entendu ces paroles, disaient: Celui-ci est vraiment le prophète.
41 D'autres disaient: C'est le Christ. Et d'autres disaient: Est-ce bien de la Galilée que doit venir le Christ?
42 L'Écriture ne dit-elle pas que c'est de la postérité de David, et du village de Bethléhem, où était David, que le Christ doit venir?
43 Il y eut donc, à cause de lui, division parmi la foule.
44 Quelques-uns d'entre eux voulaient le saisir, mais personne ne mit la main sur lui.
45 Ainsi les huissiers retournèrent vers les principaux sacrificateurs et les pharisiens. Et ceux-ci leur dirent: Pourquoi ne l'avez-vous pas amené?
46 Les huissiers répondirent: Jamais homme n'a parlé comme cet homme.
47 Les pharisiens leur répliquèrent: Est-ce que vous aussi, vous avez été séduits?
48 Y a-t-il quelqu'un des chefs ou des pharisiens qui ait cru en lui?
49 Mais cette foule qui ne connaît pas la loi, ce sont des maudits!
50 Nicodème, qui était venu de nuit vers Jésus, et qui était l'un d'entre eux, leur dit:
51 Notre loi condamne-t-elle un homme avant qu'on l'entende et qu'on sache ce qu'il a fait?
52 Ils lui répondirent: Es-tu aussi Galiléen? Examine, et tu verras que de la Galilée il ne sort point de prophète.
53 Et chacun s'en retourna dans sa maison.
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.
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