John 7
1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
After this, Jesus spent his time going from place to place in Galilee. He did not want to do so in Judea because the Jews were out to kill him.
2 Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand.
But as it was almost time for the Jewish festival of the Tabernacles,
3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judæa, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
his brothers told him, “You ought to leave and go to Judea so your followers will be able to see what miracles you can do.
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.
No one who wants to be famous keeps what they do hidden. If you can do such miracles, then show yourself to the world!”
5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
For even his own brothers really didn't believe in him.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
Jesus told them, “This is not my time to go, not yet; but you can go whenever you want, for any time's the right time for you.
7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
The world has no reason to hate you, but it does hate me, because I make it clear that its ways 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.
You go on to the festival. I'm not going to this festival because this is not the right time for me, not yet.”
9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode [still] in Galilee.
After saying this he stayed behind 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.
After his brothers left to go to the festival, Jesus also went, but not openly—he stayed out of sight.
11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were searching for him and kept on asking, “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.
Many people in the crowds were complaining about him. Some said, “He's a good man,” while others argued, “No! He deceives people.”
13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
But no one dared to speak openly about him because they were afraid of what the Jewish leaders would do to them.
14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
When the festival was halfway through Jesus went to the Temple and began to teach.
15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
The Jewish leaders were very surprised, and asked, “How does this man have so much learning when he hasn't been educated?”
16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
Jesus answered, “My teaching is not from me but from the one who 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.
Anyone who chooses to follow what God wants will know if my teaching comes from God or if I'm only speaking for 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.
Those who speak for themselves want to glorify themselves, but someone who glorifies the one who sent him is truthful and not deceitful.
19 Did not Moses give you the law, and [yet] none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
Moses gave you the law, didn't he? Yet none of you keeps the law! Why are you trying to kill me?”
20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
“You're demon-possessed!” the crowd replied. “No one's trying to kill you!”
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
“I did one miracle and you're all shocked by it,” Jesus replied.
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.
“However, because Moses told you to circumcise—not that it really came from Moses, but from your forefathers before him—you perform circumcision on the Sabbath.
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?
If you circumcise on the Sabbath to make sure that the law of Moses isn't broken, why are you angry with me for healing someone on the Sabbath?
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
Don't judge by appearances; decide what is right!”
25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
Then some of those from Jerusalem began wondering, “Isn't this the one they're trying 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?
But see how openly he's speaking, and they're saying nothing to him. Do you think the authorities believe he's the Messiah?
27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
But that's not possible because we know where he comes from. When the Messiah comes, nobody will know where he's from.”
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.
While he was teaching in the Temple, Jesus called out in a loud voice, “So you think you know me and where I'm from? However, I did not come for my own sake. The one who sent me is true. You don't know him,
29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
but I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”
30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him because his time had 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?
However, many of the crowd did put their trust in him. “When the Messiah appears, will he do more miraculous signs than this man has done?” they said.
32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
When the Pharisees heard the crowd whispering this about him, they and the chief priests sent guards to arrest Jesus.
33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and [then] I go unto him that sent me.
Then Jesus told the people, “I'll be with you just a little longer, but then I'll return to the one who sent me.
34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find [me]: and where I am, [thither] ye cannot come.
You'll search for me but you won't find me; and you can't come where I'm going.”
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?
The Jews said to each other, “Where could he be going that we couldn't find him? Is he planning to go to those scattered among the foreigners, and teach the foreigners?
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?
What does he mean by saying, ‘You'll search for me but you won't find me; and you can't come where I'm going’?”
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.
On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted out in a loud voice, “If you're thirsty, come to me and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
If you trust in me, you will have streams of life-giving water flowing out from within you, as Scripture says.”
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.)
He was referring to the Spirit that those who trusted in him would later receive. The Spirit hadn't been given yet because Jesus hadn't yet been glorified.
40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This man is definitely the Prophet!”
41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
Others said, “He is the Messiah!” Still others said, “How can the Messiah come from 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?
Doesn't Scripture say that the Messiah comes from David's lineage, and from David's home town of Bethlehem?”
43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
So the crowd had a strong difference of opinion about him.
44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
Some wanted to arrest him, but nobody laid a hand on him.
45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
Then the guards returned to the chief priests and the Pharisees who asked them, “Why didn't you bring him in?”
46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
“Nobody ever spoke like this man does,” the guards replied.
47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
“Have you been fooled too?” the Pharisees asked them.
48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
“Has a single one of the rulers or Pharisees believed in him? No!
49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
But this crowd that knows nothing about teachings of the law—they're damned anyway!”
50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them, )
Nicodemus, who had previously gone to meet Jesus, was one of them and asked them,
51 Doth our law judge [any] man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
“Does our law condemn a man without a hearing and without finding out what he actually did?”
52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
“So you're a Galilean as well, are you?” they replied. “Check the Scriptures and you'll discover that no prophet comes from Galilee!”
53 And every man went unto his own house.
Then they all went home,
