1After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[1] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him.2But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near,3Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do.4No-one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.’5For even his own brothers did not believe in him.6Therefore Jesus told them, ‘My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.8You go to the festival. I am not[2] going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.’9After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.10However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.11Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, ‘Where is he?’12Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, ‘He is a good man.’ Others replied, ‘No, he deceives the people.’13But no-one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.
Jesus teaches at the festival
14Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.15The Jews there were amazed and asked, ‘How did this man get such learning without having been taught?’16Jesus answered, ‘My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.17Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.18Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.19Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?’20‘You are demon-possessed,’ the crowd answered. ‘Who is trying to kill you?’21Jesus said to them, ‘I did one miracle, and you are all amazed.22Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath.23Now 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?24Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.’
Division over who Jesus is
25At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, ‘Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?26Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah?27But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no-one will know where he is from.’28Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, ‘Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him,29but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.’30At this they tried to seize him, but no-one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.31Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, ‘When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?’32The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.33Jesus said, ‘I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me.34You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.’35The 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 among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?36What did he mean when he said, “You will look for me, but you will not find me,” and “Where I am, you cannot come”?’37On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.38Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’[3]39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.40On hearing his words, some of the people said, ‘Surely this man is the Prophet.’41Others said, ‘He is the Messiah.’ Still others asked, ‘How can the Messiah come from Galilee?42Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?’43Thus the people were divided because of Jesus.44Some wanted to seize him, but no-one laid a hand on him.
Unbelief of the Jewish leaders
45Finally 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,’ the guards replied.47‘You mean he has deceived you also?’ the Pharisees retorted.48‘Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?49No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law – there is a curse on them.’50Nicodemus, 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?’52They replied, ‘Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.’53Then they all went home,
John 7
English Standard Version
Jesus at the Feast of Booths
1After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews[1] were seeking to kill him. (Joh 5:18; Joh 8:37; Joh 8:40; Joh 11:53)2Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. (Le 23:34; Joh 5:1; Joh 6:4)3So his brothers[2] said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. (Mt 12:46; Joh 7:5; Joh 7:10)4For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” (Joh 14:22; Joh 18:20)5For not even his brothers believed in him. (Mt 13:57; Mr 3:21; Joh 7:3; Joh 7:10)6Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. (Joh 2:4; Joh 7:8; Joh 7:30)7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. (Joh 3:19; Joh 15:18; Joh 15:24; Col 1:21; 1Jo 3:12)8You go up to the feast. I am not[3] going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” (Joh 2:4)9After saying this, he remained in Galilee.10But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. (Joh 7:3; Joh 7:5)11The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” (Joh 7:1; Joh 11:56)12And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” (Joh 7:32; Joh 7:40; Joh 7:47)13Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him. (Joh 9:22; Joh 12:42; Joh 19:38; Joh 20:19)14About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. (Joh 7:28)15The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning,[4] when he has never studied?” (Lu 2:47; Lu 4:22; Joh 7:46; Ac 4:13)16So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. (Joh 3:17; Joh 3:34; Joh 8:28; Joh 12:49; Joh 14:10; Joh 14:24)17If anyone’s will is to do God’s[5] will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. (Ps 25:9; Da 12:10; Joh 5:30; Joh 8:31; Joh 8:43; Joh 14:21; Joh 14:23; Php 3:15)18The one who speaks on his own authority 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. (Joh 5:41; Joh 8:50)19Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” (Joh 1:17; Joh 7:1; Joh 7:23)20The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” (Mt 11:18; Mr 3:22; Lu 7:33; Joh 8:48; Joh 8:52; Joh 10:20)21Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. (Joh 5:2; Joh 7:23)22Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. (Ge 17:10; Le 12:3)23If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? (Mt 12:2; Joh 5:16)24Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (De 1:16; Isa 11:3; Joh 8:15; 2Co 10:7)
32The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. (Joh 7:12; Joh 7:45)33Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. (Joh 12:35; Joh 13:33; Joh 14:19; Joh 16:5; Joh 16:16)34You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” (Joh 8:21; Joh 13:33)35The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? (Isa 11:12; Zep 3:10; Joh 8:22; Joh 12:20; Jas 1:1; 1Pe 1:1)36What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?” (Joh 7:34)
40When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” (Mt 21:11; Joh 1:21; Joh 6:14; Joh 7:31)41Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? (Joh 1:46; Joh 7:26; Joh 7:52)42Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” (1Sa 16:1; Ps 89:3; Mic 5:2; Mt 1:1; Mt 2:1; Mt 2:5; Lu 2:4)43So there was a division among the people over him. (Joh 7:12; Joh 9:16; Joh 10:19)44Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. (Joh 7:30)45The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” (Joh 7:32)46The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” (Mt 7:29)47The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? (Joh 7:12)48Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? (Joh 12:42; 1Co 1:20; 1Co 1:26; 1Co 2:8)49But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”50Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, (Joh 3:1; Joh 19:39)51“Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” (De 1:16; De 17:6; De 19:15; Pr 18:13; Ac 23:3)52They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” (Jos 19:13; 2Ki 14:25; Joh 7:41)