John

The Gospel according to Saint John, chapter 7, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 7 New English Translation

The Feast of Tabernacles

   1 After this Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He stayed out of Judea because the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him. 2 Now the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. 3 So Jesus' brothers advised him, "Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing. 4 For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret. If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." 5 (For not even his own brothers believed in him. )
   6 So Jesus replied, "My time has not yet arrived, but you are ready at any opportunity! 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil. 8 You go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast because my time has not yet fully arrived." 9 When he had said this, he remained in Galilee.
   10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then Jesus himself also went up, not openly but in secret. 11 So the Jewish leaders were looking for him at the feast, asking, "Where is he?" 12 There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some were saying, "He is a good man, " but others, "He deceives the common people." 13 However, no one spoke openly about him for fear of the Jewish leaders.

Teaching in the Temple

   14 When the feast was half over, Jesus went up to the temple courts and began to teach. 15 Then the Jewish leaders were astonished and said, "How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?" 16 So Jesus replied, "My teaching is not from me, but from the one who sent me. 17 If anyone wants to do God's will, he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from my own authority. 18 The person who speaks on his own authority desires to receive honor for himself; the one who desires the honor of the one who sent him is a man of integrity, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 19 Hasn't Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law! Why do you want to kill me?"
   20 The crowd answered, "You're possessed by a demon! Who is trying to kill you?" 21 Jesus replied, "I performed one miracle and you are all amazed. 22 However, because Moses gave you the practice of circumcision (not that it came from Moses, but from the forefathers), you circumcise a male child on the Sabbath. 23 But if a male child is circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to external appearance, but judge with proper judgment."

Questions About Jesus' Identity

   25 Then some of the residents of Jerusalem began to say, "Isn't this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Yet here he is, speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to him. Do the rulers really know that this man is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from. Whenever the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from."
   28 Then Jesus, while teaching in the temple courts, cried out, "You both know me and know where I come from! And I have not come on my own initiative, but the one who sent me is true. You do not know him, 29 but I know him, because I have come from him and he sent me."
   30 So then they tried to seize Jesus, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the crowd believed in him and said, "Whenever the Christ comes, he won't perform more miraculous signs than this man did, will he?"
   32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about Jesus, so the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Then Jesus said, "I will be with you for only a little while longer, and then I am going to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me but will not find me, and where I am you cannot come."
   35 Then the Jewish leaders said to one another, "Where is he going to go that we cannot find him? He is not going to go to the Jewish people dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is he? 36 What did he mean by saying, 'You will look for me but will not find me, and where I am you cannot come'?"

Teaching About the Spirit

   37 On the last day of the feast, the greatest day, Jesus stood up and shouted out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and 38 let the one who believes in me drink. Just as the scripture says, 'From within him will flow rivers of living water.'" 39 (Now he said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were going to receive, for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. )

Differing Opinions About Jesus

   40 When they heard these words, some of the crowd began to say, "This really is the Prophet!" 41 Others said, "This is the Christ!" But still others said, "No, for the Christ doesn't come from Galilee, does he? 42 Don't the scriptures say that the Christ is a descendant of David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?" 43 So there was a division in the crowd because of Jesus. 44 Some of them were wanting to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.

Lack of Belief

   45 Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why didn't you bring him back with you?" 46 The officers replied, "No one ever spoke like this man!" 47 Then the Pharisees answered, "You haven't been deceived too, have you? 48 None of the rulers or the Pharisees have believed in him, have they? 49 But this rabble who do not know the law are accursed!"
   50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before and who was one of the rulers, said, 51 "Our law doesn't condemn a man unless it first hears from him and learns what he is doing, does it?" 52 They replied, "You aren't from Galilee too, are you? Investigate carefully and you will see that no prophet comes from Galilee!"
   53 And each one departed to his own house.

King James Version

   1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
   2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
   3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
   4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.
   5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
   6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
   7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
   8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.
   9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
   10 ¶ But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
   11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
   12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
   13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
   14 ¶ Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
   15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
   16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
   17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
   18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
   19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
   20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
   21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
   22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
   23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
   24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
   25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
   26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
   27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
   28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
   29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
   30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
   31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
   32 ¶ The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
   33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
   34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
   35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
   36 What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?
   37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
   38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
   39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
   40 ¶ Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
   41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
   42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
   43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
   44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
   45 ¶ Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
   46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
   47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
   48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
   49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
   50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
   51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
   52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
   53 And every man went unto his own house.