John 7

1After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2Now the Jews’ feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 3So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples may see the works you are doing. 4For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." 5For even his brothers did not believe in him. 6Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify of it that its works are evil. 8You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come." 9Having said this, he remained in Galilee. 10But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but in secret. 11The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, "Where is he?" 12And there was much complaining among the people about him. Some said, "He is a good man"; others said, "No, on the contrary, he deceives the people." 13However, no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews.

14Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15And the Jews marveled, saying, "How did this man get such learning, having never studied?" 16Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17If anyone is willing to do his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I speak on my own authority. 18He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the One who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 19Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?" 20The people answered, "You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill you?" 21Jesus answered them, "I did one deed, and you all marvel. 22Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 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? 24Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." 25Then some of the people of Jerusalem said, "Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26Here he is, speaking publicly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that he is the Christ? 27But we know where this man is from; when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from." 28Then Jesus cried out, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come on my own, but he who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29But I know him, for I am from him, and he sent me." 30Then they sought to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31And many of the people believed in him, and they said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?" 32The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to arrest him. 33Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to him who sent me. 34You will seek me, and you will not find me; where I am you cannot come." 35The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we shall not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36What does he mean when he said, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me, ‘and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?"

37On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40When they heard these words, some of the people said, "Surely this is the prophet." 41Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Will the Christ come from Galilee? 42Has not the scripture said that the Christ comes from David, and from Bethlehem, the town where David was?" 43So there was a division among the people because of him. 44Some of them wanted to seize him, but no one laid hands on him.

45The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?" 46The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" 47The Pharisees answered them, "Are you deceived, you also? 48Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed." 50Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51"Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he is doing?" 52They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Search and look, and you will find that no prophet is to rise out of Galilee." 53Then each went to his own house.

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