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Jesus’ Brothers Don’t Believe

After this, Jesus ·traveled [walked] around Galilee. He did not want to ·travel [walk] in Judea, because the ·Jewish leaders [L Jews] there ·wanted [sought] to kill him [see 5:18]. [L But] It was [L near the] time for the Feast of ·Shelters [Tabernacles; Booths; C an important annual festival celebrating harvest, sometimes known as Ingathering, and commemorating the exodus from Egypt; Ex. 23:16; Lev. 23:33–44; Deut. 16:13–17]. So Jesus’ brothers [C children of Joseph and Mary born after Jesus, or children of Joseph from a previous marriage; Mark 3:21, 31–35] said to him, “You should leave here and go to Judea so your ·followers [disciples] there can see the ·miracles [L works] you do. [L For] Anyone who wants to be ·well [publicly] known does not ·hide what he does [L act in secret]. If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” ([L For] Even Jesus’ brothers did not believe in him.)

[L Therefore] Jesus said to his brothers, “·The right time for me [L My time; 2:4] has not yet come, but any time is right for you [C they could go to Jerusalem anytime; but Jesus had a special destiny to fulfill there]. The world cannot hate you [C because they are part of it], but it hates me, because I ·tell it [testify concerning; witness to] ·the evil things it does [L that its works are evil]. So you go [L up] to the feast. I will not go [L up] yet[a] to this feast, because ·the right time for me [my time] has not yet ·come [fully come; L been fulfilled].” After saying this, Jesus ·stayed [remained behind] in Galilee.

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Footnotes

  1. John 7:8 yet Some Greek copies do not have this word.

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

After this, Jesus walked [from place to place] in Galilee, for He would not walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. Now the Jewish [a]Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) was approaching. So His [b]brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples [there] may also see the works that You do. No one does anything in secret when he wants to be known publicly. If You [must] do these things, show Yourself openly to the world and make Yourself known!” For not even His brothers believed in Him. So Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come; but any time is right for you. The world cannot hate you [since you are part of it], but it does hate Me because I denounce it and testify that its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” Having said these things to them, He stayed behind in Galilee.

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Footnotes

  1. John 7:2 This important seven-day feast held in October celebrated the harvest (ingathering). Devout Jews spent the week living outside in booths or tents made of tree branches. It was the most popular of the three great Jewish festivals (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles).
  2. John 7:3 The younger sons of Mary and Joseph included James and Jude, who penned the NT letters bearing their names, and Joses and Simon. See Mark 6:3.