Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

45 Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

46 “No one ever spoke the way this man does,”(A) the guards replied.

47 “You mean he has deceived you also?”(B) the Pharisees retorted. 48 “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?(C) 49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

50 Nicodemus,(D) who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”(E)


[The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]

53 Then they all went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.(F)

The Unbelief of the Authorities

45 Then the officers returned to the high priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”

46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like that!”

47 Then the Pharisees replied to them, “You haven’t been deceived, too, have you? 48 None of the authorities or Pharisees has believed in him, have they? 49 But this mob that does not know the Law—they’re under a curse!”

50 One of their own, Nicodemus (the man who had previously met with Jesus),[a] asked them, 51 “Surely our Law does not condemn[b] a person without first hearing from him and finding out what he is doing, does it?”

52 They answered him, “You aren’t from Galilee, too, are you? Search and see that no prophet comes from Galilee.” 53 Then all of them went to their own homes.

The Woman Caught in Adultery

Jesus, however, went to the Mount of Olives.

Footnotes

  1. John 7:50 Lit. him
  2. John 7:51 Or judge