Deborah and Barak

(A)And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. And the Lord (B)sold them into the hand of (C)Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in (D)Hazor. The commander of his army was (E)Sisera, who lived in (F)Harosheth-hagoyim. Then the people of Israel (G)cried out to the Lord for help, for he had (H)900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in (I)the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned (J)Barak the son of Abinoam from (K)Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount (L)Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by (M)the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, (N)and I will give him into your hand’?” Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will (O)sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called out (P)Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.

11 Now Heber (Q)the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of (R)Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in (S)Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.

12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, (T)900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which (U)the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. (V)Does not the Lord go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 (W)And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.

17 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened (X)a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’” 21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. 22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple.

23 (Y)So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. 24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

The Song of Deborah and Barak

(Z)Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:

“That the leaders took the lead in Israel,
    that (AA)the people offered themselves willingly,
    bless the Lord!

“Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes;
    to the Lord I will sing;
    I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel.

Lord, (AB)when you went out from Seir,
    when you marched from the region of Edom,
(AC)the earth trembled
    and the heavens dropped,
    yes, the clouds dropped water.
The mountains (AD)quaked before the Lord,
    (AE)even Sinai before the Lord,[a] the God of Israel.

“In the days of (AF)Shamgar, son of Anath,
    in the days of (AG)Jael, (AH)the highways were abandoned,
    and travelers kept to the byways.
The villagers ceased in Israel;
    they ceased to be until I arose;
    I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.
(AI)When new gods were chosen,
    then war was in the gates.
(AJ)Was shield or spear to be seen
    among forty thousand in Israel?
My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel
    who (AK)offered themselves willingly among the people.
    Bless the Lord.

10 “Tell of it, (AL)you who ride on white donkeys,
    you who sit on rich carpets[b]
    and you who walk by the way.
11 To the sound of musicians[c] at the watering places,
    there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the Lord,
    the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel.

“Then down to the gates marched the people of the Lord.

12 (AM)“Awake, awake, Deborah!
    Awake, awake, break out in a song!
Arise, Barak, (AN)lead away your captives,
    O son of Abinoam.
13 Then down marched the remnant of the noble;
    the people of the Lord marched down for me against the mighty.
14 From (AO)Ephraim their root (AP)they marched down into the valley,[d]
    following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen;
from (AQ)Machir marched down the commanders,
    and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant's[e] staff;
15 the princes of Issachar came with Deborah,
    and Issachar faithful to (AR)Barak;
    into the valley they rushed at his heels.
Among the clans of Reuben
    there were great searchings of heart.
16 Why did you sit still (AS)among the sheepfolds,
    to hear the whistling for the flocks?
Among the clans of Reuben
    there were great searchings of heart.
17 (AT)Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan;
    (AU)and Dan, why did he stay with the ships?
(AV)Asher sat still (AW)at the coast of the sea,
    staying by his landings.
18 (AX)Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death;
    (AY)Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.

19 “The kings came, they fought;
    then fought the kings of Canaan,
at (AZ)Taanach, by the waters of (BA)Megiddo;
    (BB)they got no spoils of silver.
20 (BC)From heaven the stars fought,
    from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 (BD)The torrent Kishon swept them away,
    the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon.
    March on, my soul, with might!

22 “Then loud beat the horses' hoofs
    with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.

23 “Curse Meroz, says the angel of the Lord,
    curse its inhabitants thoroughly,
(BE)because they did not come to the help of the Lord,
    to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

24 “Most blessed of women be (BF)Jael,
    the wife of Heber the Kenite,
    of tent-dwelling women most blessed.
25 (BG)He asked for water and she gave him milk;
    she brought him curds in a noble's bowl.
26 (BH)She sent her hand to the tent peg
    and her right hand to the workmen's mallet;
she struck Sisera;
    she crushed his head;
    she shattered and pierced his temple.
27 Between her feet
    he sank, he fell, he lay still;
between her feet
    he sank, he fell;
where he sank,
    there he fell—dead.

28 (BI)“Out of the window she peered,
    the mother of Sisera wailed through (BJ)the lattice:
‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
    Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?’
29 Her wisest princesses answer,
    indeed, she answers herself,
30 ‘Have they not found and (BK)divided the spoil?—
    A womb or two for every man;
spoil of dyed materials for Sisera,
    spoil of dyed materials embroidered,
    two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?’

31 (BL)“So may all your enemies perish, O Lord!
    But your friends be (BM)like the sun (BN)as he rises in his might.”

(BO)And the land had rest for forty years.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 5:5 Or before the Lord, the One of Sinai, before the Lord
  2. Judges 5:10 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain; it may connote saddle blankets
  3. Judges 5:11 Or archers; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  4. Judges 5:14 Septuagint; Hebrew in Amalek
  5. Judges 5:14 Hebrew commander's

Deborah

Again the Israelites did evil(A) in the eyes of the Lord,(B) now that Ehud(C) was dead. So the Lord sold them(D) into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor.(E) Sisera,(F) the commander of his army, was based in Harosheth Haggoyim. Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron(G) and had cruelly oppressed(H) the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help.

Now Deborah,(I) a prophet,(J) the wife of Lappidoth, was leading[a] Israel at that time. She held court(K) under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah(L) and Bethel(M) in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam(N) from Kedesh(O) in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali(P) and Zebulun(Q) and lead them up to Mount Tabor.(R) I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s(S) army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River(T) and give him into your hands.(U)’”

Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

“Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.(V) 10 There Barak summoned(W) Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him.

11 Now Heber the Kenite had left the other Kenites,(X) the descendants of Hobab,(Y) Moses’ brother-in-law,[b] and pitched his tent by the great tree(Z) in Zaanannim(AA) near Kedesh.

12 When they told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor,(AB) 13 Sisera summoned from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon River(AC) all his men and his nine hundred chariots fitted with iron.(AD)

14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands.(AE) Has not the Lord gone ahead(AF) of you?” So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him. 15 At Barak’s advance, the Lord routed(AG) Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.

16 Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth Haggoyim, and all Sisera’s troops fell by the sword; not a man was left.(AH) 17 Sisera, meanwhile, fled on foot to the tent of Jael,(AI) the wife of Heber the Kenite,(AJ) because there was an alliance between Jabin king of Hazor(AK) and the family of Heber the Kenite.

18 Jael(AL) went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come, my lord, come right in. Don’t be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

19 “I’m thirsty,” he said. “Please give me some water.” She opened a skin of milk,(AM) gave him a drink, and covered him up.

20 “Stand in the doorway of the tent,” he told her. “If someone comes by and asks you, ‘Is anyone in there?’ say ‘No.’”

21 But Jael,(AN) Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep,(AO) exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.(AP)

22 Just then Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael(AQ) went out to meet him. “Come,” she said, “I will show you the man you’re looking for.” So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple—dead.(AR)

23 On that day God subdued(AS) Jabin(AT) king of Canaan before the Israelites. 24 And the hand of the Israelites pressed harder and harder against Jabin king of Canaan until they destroyed him.(AU)

The Song of Deborah

On that day Deborah(AV) and Barak son of Abinoam(AW) sang this song:(AX)

“When the princes in Israel take the lead,
    when the people willingly offer(AY) themselves—
    praise the Lord!(AZ)

“Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers!
    I, even I, will sing to[c] the Lord;(BA)
    I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song.(BB)

“When you, Lord, went out(BC) from Seir,(BD)
    when you marched from the land of Edom,
the earth shook,(BE) the heavens poured,
    the clouds poured down water.(BF)
The mountains quaked(BG) before the Lord, the One of Sinai,
    before the Lord, the God of Israel.

“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,(BH)
    in the days of Jael,(BI) the highways(BJ) were abandoned;
    travelers took to winding paths.(BK)
Villagers in Israel would not fight;
    they held back until I, Deborah,(BL) arose,
    until I arose, a mother in Israel.
God chose new leaders(BM)
    when war came to the city gates,(BN)
but not a shield or spear(BO) was seen
    among forty thousand in Israel.
My heart is with Israel’s princes,
    with the willing volunteers(BP) among the people.
    Praise the Lord!

10 “You who ride on white donkeys,(BQ)
    sitting on your saddle blankets,
    and you who walk along the road,
consider 11 the voice of the singers[d] at the watering places.
    They recite the victories(BR) of the Lord,
    the victories of his villagers in Israel.

“Then the people of the Lord
    went down to the city gates.(BS)
12 ‘Wake up,(BT) wake up, Deborah!(BU)
    Wake up, wake up, break out in song!
Arise, Barak!(BV)
    Take captive your captives,(BW) son of Abinoam.’

13 “The remnant of the nobles came down;
    the people of the Lord came down to me against the mighty.
14 Some came from Ephraim,(BX) whose roots were in Amalek;(BY)
    Benjamin(BZ) was with the people who followed you.
From Makir(CA) captains came down,
    from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s[e] staff.
15 The princes of Issachar(CB) were with Deborah;(CC)
    yes, Issachar was with Barak,(CD)
    sent under his command into the valley.
In the districts of Reuben
    there was much searching of heart.
16 Why did you stay among the sheep pens[f](CE)
    to hear the whistling for the flocks?(CF)
In the districts of Reuben
    there was much searching of heart.
17 Gilead(CG) stayed beyond the Jordan.
    And Dan, why did he linger by the ships?
Asher(CH) remained on the coast(CI)
    and stayed in his coves.
18 The people of Zebulun(CJ) risked their very lives;
    so did Naphtali(CK) on the terraced fields.(CL)

19 “Kings came(CM), they fought,
    the kings of Canaan fought.
At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo,(CN)
    they took no plunder of silver.(CO)
20 From the heavens(CP) the stars fought,
    from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 The river Kishon(CQ) swept them away,
    the age-old river, the river Kishon.
    March on, my soul; be strong!(CR)
22 Then thundered the horses’ hooves—
    galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds.(CS)
23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord.
    ‘Curse its people bitterly,
because they did not come to help the Lord,
    to help the Lord against the mighty.’

24 “Most blessed of women(CT) be Jael,(CU)
    the wife of Heber the Kenite,(CV)
    most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk;(CW)
    in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk.
26 Her hand reached for the tent peg,
    her right hand for the workman’s hammer.
She struck Sisera, she crushed his head,
    she shattered and pierced his temple.(CX)
27 At her feet he sank,
    he fell; there he lay.
At her feet he sank, he fell;
    where he sank, there he fell—dead(CY).

28 “Through the window(CZ) peered Sisera’s mother;
    behind the lattice she cried out,(DA)
‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
    Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?’
29 The wisest of her ladies answer her;
    indeed, she keeps saying to herself,
30 ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils:(DB)
    a woman or two for each man,
colorful garments as plunder for Sisera,
    colorful garments embroidered,
highly embroidered garments(DC) for my neck—
    all this as plunder?(DD)

31 “So may all your enemies perish,(DE) Lord!
    But may all who love you be like the sun(DF)
    when it rises in its strength.”(DG)

Then the land had peace(DH) forty years.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 4:4 Traditionally judging
  2. Judges 4:11 Or father-in-law
  3. Judges 5:3 Or of
  4. Judges 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  5. Judges 5:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  6. Judges 5:16 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags

Jesus at the Feast of Booths

After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because (A)the Jews[a] were seeking to kill him. Now (B)the Jews' Feast of (C)Booths was at hand. (D)So his brothers[b] said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, (E)show yourself to the world.” (F)For not even (G)his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, (H)“My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but (I)it hates me because I testify about it that (J)its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not[c] going up to this feast, for (K)my time has not yet fully come.” After saying this, he remained in Galilee.

10 But after (L)his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. 11 (M)The Jews (N)were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much (O)muttering about him among the people. (P)While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, (Q)he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet (R)for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up (S)into the temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews therefore (T)marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning,[d] when he has never studied?” 16 So Jesus answered them, (U)“My teaching is not mine, but his (V)who sent me. 17 (W)If anyone's will is to do God's[e] will, (X)he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I (Y)am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority (Z)seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 19 (AA)Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. (AB)Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, (AC)“You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did (AD)one work, and you all marvel at it. 22 (AE)Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but (AF)from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, (AG)are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man's whole body well? 24 (AH)Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

Can This Be the Christ?

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom (AI)they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, (AJ)speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that (AK)the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But (AL)we know (AM)where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, (AN)no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, (AO)as he taught in the temple, (AP)“You know me, and you know where I come from. But (AQ)I have not come of my own accord. (AR)He who sent me is true, (AS)and him you do not know. 29 (AT)I know him, for I come (AU)from him, and (AV)he sent me.” 30 (AW)So they were seeking to arrest him, but (AX)no one laid a hand on him, (AY)because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet (AZ)many of the people believed in him. They said, (BA)“When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd (BB)muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent (BC)officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, (BD)“I will be with you a little longer, and then (BE)I am going to him who sent me. 34 (BF)You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” 35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? (BG)Does he intend to go to (BH)the Dispersion among (BI)the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, (BJ)‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”

Rivers of Living Water

37 (BK)On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, (BL)“If anyone thirsts, let him (BM)come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, (BN)as[f] the Scripture has said, (BO)‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of (BP)living water.’” 39 Now (BQ)this he said about the Spirit, (BR)whom those who believed in him were to receive, (BS)for as yet the Spirit had not been (BT)given, (BU)because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Division Among the People

40 When they heard these words, (BV)some of the people said, “This really is (BW)the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is (BX)the Christ.” But some said, (BY)“Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes (BZ)from the offspring of David, and comes (CA)from Bethlehem, the village (CB)where David was?” 43 So there was (CC)a division among the people over him. 44 (CD)Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

45 (CE)The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, (CF)“No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, (CG)“Have you also been deceived? 48 (CH)Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 (CI)Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 (CJ)“Does our law judge a man without first (CK)giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, (CL)“Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that (CM)no prophet arises from Galilee.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 7:1 Or Judeans; Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time
  2. John 7:3 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 5, 10
  3. John 7:8 Some manuscripts add yet
  4. John 7:15 Or this man knows his letters
  5. John 7:17 Greek his
  6. John 7:38 Or let him come to me, and let him who believes in me drink. As

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)

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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.”

With God We Shall Do Valiantly

A Song. A Psalm of David.

108 (A)My heart is steadfast, O God!
    I will sing and make melody with all my being![a]
Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is great (B)above the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!
(C)That your beloved ones may be delivered,
    give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

God has promised in his holiness:[b]
    “With exultation I will divide up Shechem
    and portion out the Valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah my scepter.
Moab is my washbasin;
    upon Edom I cast my shoe;
    (D)over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Have you not rejected us, O God?
    You do not go out, O God, with our armies.
12 Oh grant us help against the foe,
    for vain is the salvation of man!
13 With God we shall do valiantly;
    it is he who will tread down our foes.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 108:1 Hebrew with my glory
  2. Psalm 108:7 Or sanctuary

Psalm 108[a](A)(B)

A song. A psalm of David.

My heart, O God, is steadfast;(C)
    I will sing(D) and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre!(E)
    I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love,(F) higher than the heavens;
    your faithfulness(G) reaches to the skies.(H)
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;(I)
    let your glory be over all the earth.(J)

Save us and help us with your right hand,(K)
    that those you love may be delivered.
God has spoken(L) from his sanctuary:(M)
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem(N)
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.(O)
Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah(P) is my scepter.
Moab(Q) is my washbasin,
    on Edom(R) I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia(S) I shout in triumph.”

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?(T)
12 Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.(U)
13 With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down(V) our enemies.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 108:1 In Hebrew texts 108:1-13 is numbered 108:2-14.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has (A)the king's favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

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34 Righteousness exalts a nation,(A)
    but sin condemns any people.

35 A king delights in a wise servant,
    but a shameful servant arouses his fury.(B)

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