Then he said to them, “Now take some out and give it to the ·master of the feast [chief steward; headwaiter].” So they took the water to the master.

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover Feast [^Cannual festival that celebrates God’s rescue of Israel from Egypt; Ex. 12], Jesus ·went [^Lwent up] to Jerusalem.

When Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast [see 2:13], many people ·believed [put their faith; trusted] in ·him [^Lhis name] because they saw the ·miracles [^Lsigns; 2:11] he did [4:48; Mark 8:11–13].

When [^Ltherefore] Jesus arrived in Galilee, the ·people there [^LGalileans] ·welcomed [received] him. They had seen all the things he did at the Passover Feast in Jerusalem, because they had been there, too.

Jesus Heals a Man at a Pool

·Later [^LAfter these things] Jesus went [^Lup] to Jerusalem for a ·special feast [^Lfeast/festival of the Jews].

It was almost the time for the Jewish Passover Feast [^Cthe annual festival that celebrates God’s rescue of Israel from Egypt; Ex. 12; John 2:13].

[^LBut] It was [^Lnear the] time for the Feast of ·Shelters [Tabernacles; Booths; ^Can 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 you go [^Lup] to the feast. I will not go [^Lup] yet to this feast, because ·the right time for me [my time] has not yet ·come [fully come; ^Lbeen fulfilled].”

But after Jesus’ brothers had gone [^Lup] to the feast, Jesus went [^Lup] also. But he did not ·let people see him [^Lgo publicly, but in secret].

At the feast ·some people [the Jewish leaders; ^Lthe Jews] were ·looking for [watching for] him and saying, “Where is that man?”

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

When the feast was about half over, Jesus went to the Temple [courts; 2:14] and began to teach.

Jesus Talks About the Spirit

On the last and ·most important [^Lgreatest] day of the feast Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. [^CThe feast of Shelters/Tabernacles featured a water pouring ritual that may stand in the background of Jesus’ speech.]

Jesus Is the Light of the World

Later, Jesus talked to the people again, saying, “I am the light of the world [^Cthe Feast of Shelters included a lamp lighting ritual that Jesus may be alluding to; 7:37–39]. The person who follows me will never ·live [^Lwalk] in darkness but will have the light ·that gives life [^Lof life].”

Jesus Is Rejected

The time came for the ·Feast of Dedication [^Calso called Hanukkah or the Feast of Lights, recalling the rededication of the Temple in 164 bc] at Jerusalem. It was winter,

It was almost time for the ·Passover Feast [^LPassover of the Jews; ^Cthe annual festival that celebrates God’s rescue of Israel from Egypt; Ex. 12; John 2:13]. Many from the country went up to Jerusalem before the Passover to ·do the special things to make themselves pure [^Lpurify/consecrate themselves; Num. 9:6–13].

The people ·looked for [sought] Jesus and stood in the Temple [courts] asking each other, “·Is he [^LSurely he is not] coming to the Feast? What do you think?”

Jesus with Friends in Bethany

[^LTherefore] Six days before the Passover Feast, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus lived. (Lazarus is the man Jesus raised from the dead.)

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

The next day a great crowd who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast [^Cthe annual festival celebrating God’s rescue of Israel from Egypt; Ex. 12; John 2:13] heard that Jesus was coming there.

Jesus Talks About His Death

There were some Greek people [^CGentiles—here meant to represent people from all over the world; 12:19], too, who came to Jerusalem to worship at the Passover Feast.

Jesus Washes His Followers’ Feet

·It was almost time for [^LNow before…,] the Passover Feast [12:12]. Jesus knew that it was ·time [^Lthe hour] for him to ·leave [depart from] this world and go back to the Father. He had always loved those who were his own in the world, and he loved them ·all the way to the end [or completely; totally].

Since he was the one who kept the money ·box [or bag], some of the ·followers [disciples] thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the ·feast [festival] or to give something to the poor.