Jesus’ Brothers Disbelieve

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, (A)because the [a]Jews sought to kill Him. (B)Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. (C)His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For (D)even His (E)brothers did not believe in Him.

Then Jesus said to them, (F)“My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. (G)The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me (H)because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not [b]yet going up to this feast, (I)for My time has not yet fully come.” When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.

The Heavenly Scholar

10 But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. 11 Then (J)the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” 12 And (K)there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. (L)Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.” 13 However, no one spoke openly of Him (M)for fear of the Jews.

14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and (N)taught. 15 (O)And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”

16 [c]Jesus answered them and said, (P)“My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 (Q)If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 (R)He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who (S)seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and (T)no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 (U)Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? (V)Why do you seek to kill Me?”

20 The people answered and said, (W)“You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”

21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 (X)Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, (Y)but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because (Z)I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 (AA)Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

Could This Be the Christ?

25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to (AB)kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. (AC)Do the rulers know indeed that this is [d]truly the Christ? 27 (AD)However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”

28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, (AE)“You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and (AF)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me (AG)is true, (AH)whom you do not know. 29 [e]But (AI)I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”

30 Therefore (AJ)they sought to take Him; but (AK)no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And (AL)many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”

Jesus and the Religious Leaders

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. 33 Then Jesus said [f]to them, (AM)“I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I (AN)go to Him who sent Me. 34 You (AO)will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you (AP)cannot come.”

35 Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to (AQ)the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

37 (AR)On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, (AS)“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 (AT)He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, (AU)out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 (AV)But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those [g]believing in Him would receive; for the [h]Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet (AW)glorified.

Who Is He?

40 Therefore [i]many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is (AX)the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is (AY)the Christ.”

But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 (AZ)Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, (BA)where David was?” 43 So (BB)there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now (BC)some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

Rejected by the Authorities

45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”

46 The officers answered, (BD)“No man ever spoke like this Man!”

47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”

50 Nicodemus (BE)(he who came to [j]Jesus [k]by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 (BF)“Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”

52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for (BG)no prophet [l]has arisen out of Galilee.”

An Adulteress Faces the Light of the World

53 [m]And everyone went to his own house.

Footnotes

  1. John 7:1 The ruling authorities
  2. John 7:8 NU omits yet
  3. John 7:16 NU, M So Jesus
  4. John 7:26 NU omits truly
  5. John 7:29 NU, M omit But
  6. John 7:33 NU, M omit to them
  7. John 7:39 NU who believed
  8. John 7:39 NU omits Holy
  9. John 7:40 NU some
  10. John 7:50 Lit. Him
  11. John 7:50 NU before
  12. John 7:52 NU is to rise
  13. John 7:53 NU brackets 7:53 through 8:11 as not in the original text. They are present in over 900 mss. of John.

Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles

After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders(A) there were looking for a way to kill him.(B) But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles(C) was near, Jesus’ brothers(D) said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.(E)

Therefore Jesus told them, “My time(F) is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me(G) because I testify that its works are evil.(H) You go to the festival. I am not[b] going up to this festival, because my time(I) has not yet fully come.” After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.

10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus(J) and asking, “Where is he?”

12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”

Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.”(K) 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.(L)

Jesus Teaches at the Festival

14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.(M) 15 The Jews(N) there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning(O) without having been taught?”(P)

16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.(Q) 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out(R) whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory,(S) but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19 Has not Moses given you the law?(T) Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”(U)

20 “You are demon-possessed,”(V) the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle,(W) and you are all amazed. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision(X) (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs),(Y) you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”(Z)

Division Over Who Jesus Is

25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?(AA) 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities(AB) really concluded that he is the Messiah?(AC) 27 But we know where this man is from;(AD) when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts,(AE) cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from.(AF) I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true.(AG) You do not know him, 29 but I know him(AH) because I am from him and he sent me.”(AI)

30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him,(AJ) because his hour had not yet come.(AK) 31 Still, many in the crowd believed in him.(AL) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs(AM) than this man?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

33 Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time,(AN) and then I am 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 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered(AQ) among the Greeks,(AR) and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”(AS)

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival,(AT) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.(AU) 38 Whoever believes(AV) in me, as Scripture has said,(AW) rivers of living water(AX) will flow from within them.”[c](AY) 39 By this he meant the Spirit,(AZ) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.(BA) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.(BB)

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”(BC)

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?(BD) 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants(BE) and from Bethlehem,(BF) the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided(BG) because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.(BH)

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,”(BI) the guards replied.

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

50 Nicodemus,(BL) 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.”(BM)


[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,

Footnotes

  1. John 7:1 Some manuscripts not have authority
  2. John 7:8 Some manuscripts not yet
  3. John 7:38 Or me. And let anyone drink 38 who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them) will flow rivers of living water.”

Jesus the True Shepherd

10 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by (A)name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a (B)stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came [a]before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. (C)I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11 (D)“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a [b]hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and (E)leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and (F)I know My sheep, and (G)am known by My own. 15 (H)As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; (I)and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And (J)other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; (K)and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17 “Therefore My Father (L)loves Me, (M)because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I (N)have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (O)This command I have received from My Father.”

19 Therefore (P)there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, (Q)“He has a demon and is [c]mad. Why do you listen to Him?”

21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. (R)Can a demon (S)open the eyes of the blind?”

The Shepherd Knows His Sheep

22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, (T)in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in [d]doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. (U)The works that I do in My Father’s name, they (V)bear witness of Me. 26 But (W)you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, [e]as I said to you. 27 (X)My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 (Y)My Father, (Z)who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 (AA)I and My Father are one.”

Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus

31 Then (AB)the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for (AC)blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, (AD)make Yourself God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, (AE)‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If He called them gods, (AF)to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture (AG)cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him (AH)whom the Father sanctified and (AI)sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ (AJ)because I said, ‘I am (AK)the Son of God’? 37 (AL)If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, (AM)believe the works, that you may know and [f]believe (AN)that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 (AO)Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

The Believers Beyond Jordan

40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place (AP)where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, (AQ)but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.

Footnotes

  1. John 10:8 M omits before Me
  2. John 10:12 hired man
  3. John 10:20 insane
  4. John 10:24 Suspense
  5. John 10:26 NU omits as I said to you
  6. John 10:38 NU understand

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.(A) The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.(B) The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.(C) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.(D) When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.(E) But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech,(F) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.(G)

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am(H) the gate(I) for the sheep. All who have come before me(J) are thieves and robbers,(K) but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,(L) and have it to the full.(M)

11 “I am(N) the good shepherd.(O) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(P) 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.(Q) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd;(R) I know my sheep(S) and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father(T)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.(U) 16 I have other sheep(V) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock(W) and one shepherd.(X) 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life(Y)—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.(Z) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”(AA)

19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.(AB) 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed(AC) and raving mad.(AD) Why listen to him?”

21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.(AE) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”(AF)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[b] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.(AG) 24 The Jews(AH) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”(AI)

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you,(AJ) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,(AK) 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.(AL) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,(AM) and they follow me.(AN) 28 I give them eternal life,(AO) and they shall never perish;(AP) no one will snatch them out of my hand.(AQ) 29 My Father, who has given them to me,(AR) is greater than all[c];(AS) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”(AT)

31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,(AU) 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”(AV)

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,(AW) ‘I have said you are “gods”’[d]?(AX) 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God(AY) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside(AZ) 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart(BA) as his very own(BB) and sent into the world?(BC) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?(BD) 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.(BE) 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”(BF) 39 Again they tried to seize him,(BG) but he escaped their grasp.(BH)

40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan(BI) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,(BJ) all that John said about this man was true.”(BK) 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.(BL)

Footnotes

  1. John 10:9 Or kept safe
  2. John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
  3. John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
  4. John 10:34 Psalm 82:6