John 7
1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.
After those things happened, Jesus went around in Galilee [province]. He did not want to travel in Judea [province], because he knew that the Jewish [leaders there] were wanting to kill him.
2 Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand.
But when the time of the Jewish celebration [called] ‘Celebration of [Living in] Shelters’ was near,
3 And his brethren said to him: Pass from hence, and go into Judea; that thy disciples also may see thy works which thou dost.
Jesus’ [younger] brothers said to him, “[Since many people] here [have left you], you should leave and go to Judea [province and perform] some miracles there, so that your disciples may see them!
4 For there is no man that doth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, manifest thyself to the world.
No one who wants to become famous does things secretly. [You say] you are doing these miracles, [so do some miracles there] so that everyone [MTY] can see them!”
5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
[They said this critically], because even [though they were] his own [younger] brothers, they did not believe he [was from God].
6 Then Jesus said to them: My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready.
So Jesus said to them, “It is not yet time for me [MTY] [to go to the celebration]. For you, any time is right [to go to the celebration].
7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth: because I give testimony of it, that the works thereof are evil.
[The people] [MTY] [who] ([do not believe in me/do not belong to God]) cannot hate you, but they hate me because I tell them that what they are doing is evil.
8 Go you up to this festival day, but I go not up to this festival day: because my time is not accomplished.
You [(pl)] go ahead to the celebration. I am not going up [to Jerusalem] to the celebration [yet], because now is not the right time for me [to go].”
9 When he had said these things, he himself stayed in Galilee.
After he said that, Jesus stayed [a little longer] in Galilee.
10 But after his brethren were gone up, then he also went up to the feast, not openly, but, as it were, in secret.
However, [a few days] after his younger brothers left to go up to the celebration, he went also. He went, along with [us] disciples, but no others went with us.
11 The Jews therefore sought him on the festival day, and said: Where is he?
At the celebration, the Jewish [leaders] were looking for him. They were asking people, “Has Jesus come?”
12 And there was much murmuring among the multitude concerning him. For some said: He is a good man. And others said: No, but he seduceth the people.
Among the crowds, many people were whispering about Jesus. Some were saying, “He is a good man!” But others were saying instead, “No! He is deceiving the crowds!”
13 Yet no man spoke openly of him, for fear of the Jews.
But no one was speaking so that others could hear them, because they were afraid of the Jewish [leaders] [SYN].
14 Now about the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
In the middle of the days of the celebration, Jesus went to the Temple [courtyard] and began to teach people.
15 And the Jews wondered, saying: How doth this man know letters, having never learned?
The Jewish [elders] were amazed [at what he was saying]. They said, “This man never studied [in one of our religious schools]! So (how can he have learned [so much about Scripture]?/it is difficult for us to believe that he has learned [so much about Scripture]!) [RHQ]”
16 Jesus answered them, and said: My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
Jesus replied to them, “What I teach does not come from myself. It comes from [God], the one who sent me.
17 If any man do the will of him; he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
Those who choose to do what God wants will find out whether what I teach comes from God or whether I am speaking with [only] my own [authority].
18 He that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, he is true, and there is no injustice in him.
Those who speak with [only] their own [authority] do that [only] so that others will honor them. But I am [doing things so that others] will honor the one who sent me, and I am someone who speaks the truth. I never lie.
19 Did Moses not give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law?
[Think about] the laws that Moses gave you [RHQ]. None of you [completely] obeys those laws. So why are you trying to kill me, [saying I do not obey the laws concerning] ([the Sabbath/the Jewish day of rest])?”
20 Why seek you to kill me? The multitude answered, and said: Thou hast a devil; who seeketh to kill thee?
Someone in the crowd answered, “[By saying this you show that] you are crazy (OR, A demon is controlling you)! Certainly no one is trying to kill you!”
21 Jesus answered, and said to them: One work I have done; and you all wonder:
Jesus replied to them, “Because I did a miracle [of healing someone] (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day), you are all shocked.
22 Therefore, Moses gave you circumcision (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers; ) and on the sabbath day you circumcise a man.
Moses gave you [a law that you must] circumcise [the male children and that you must do that exactly seven days after they are born. Actually], it was your ancestors, [Abraham and Isaac and Jacob], not Moses, who [started that ritual]. But because of that law, you sometimes circumcise them (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day), [but that is working, too]
23 If a man receive circumcision on the sabbath day, that the law of Moses may not be broken; are you angry at me because I have healed the whole man on the sabbath day?
You [sometimes] circumcise boys (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day) so that the law of Moses is not disobeyed {[you] do not disobey the law of Moses}, so (it is ridiculous that you are angry with me, saying [I worked] (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day) by healing a man!/why are you angry with me, saying [I worked] (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day) by healing a man?) [RHQ] [Healing someone is far more helpful than circumcising a baby boy]!
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge just judgment.
Stop deciding whether my healing this man is wrong according to what you see! Instead, decide according to what is really the right action [to help people]”!
25 Some therefore of Jerusalem said: Is not this he whom they seek to kill?
Some of the people from Jerusalem were saying, “(This is the man that they are trying to kill!/Isn’t this the man that they are trying to kill?) [RHQ]
26 And behold, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing to him. Have the rulers known for a truth, that this is the Christ?
He is saying these things (publicly/in front of many people), but our [Jewish] rulers are not saying anything to [oppose] him. Is that because they have decided that he is truly (the Messiah/God’s chosen king)?
27 But we know this man, whence he is: but when the Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
But [he cannot be the Messiah, because] we know where this man came from. When the Messiah really comes, no one will know where he comes from.”
28 Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching, and saying: You both know me, and you know whence I am: and I am not come of myself; but he that sent me, is true, whom you know not.
[They said that because they thought Jesus was born in Nazareth]. So while Jesus was teaching [people] in the Temple [courtyard], he shouted, “Yes, [you say that] you know me, and [you think] you know [IRO] where I am from. But I have come here not (because I appointed myself/with my own authority). Instead, [God] is the one who truly sent me. You do not know him.
29 I know him, because I am from him, and he hath sent me.
But I know him, because I have come from him. He is the one who sent me!”
30 They sought therefore to apprehend him: and no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
Then they tried to seize him [because he said that he had come from God]. But no one put their hands on him [to do that], because it was not yet the time [MTY] [for him to die].
31 But of the people many believed in him, and said: When the Christ cometh, shall he do more miracles, than these which this man doth?
But many of the crowd believed that he [had come from God]. They said, “When the Messiah comes, he certainly will not do more miracles than this man has done, will he?”
32 The Pharisees heard the people murmuring these things concerning him: and the rulers and Pharisees sent ministers to apprehend him.
The Pharisees heard them whispering these things about him. So they and the chief priests sent some Temple guards to seize him.
33 Jesus therefore said to them: Yet a little while I am with you: and then I go to him that sent me.
Then Jesus said, “I will be with you for only a short time. Then I will return to the one who sent me.
34 You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come.
Then you will search for me, but you will not find me. And you will not be able to come to the place where I am.”
35 The Jews therefore said 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?
So the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] said to themselves, “Where is this man about to go with the result that we will not be able to find him? [Some Jewish people have] dispersed [and live] among Greek people. He is not intending to go [and live among them] and teach them, is he?
36 What is this saying that he hath said: You shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, you cannot come?
When he said ‘You will search for me, but you will not be able to find me,’ and when he said ‘You will not be able to come to the place where I am,’ what [did he mean]?”
37 And on the last, and great day of the festivity, Jesus stood and cried, saying: If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink.
[On each of the seven days of the celebration, the high priest poured out some water on the altar in the Temple to remember how God provided water for the people in the desolate area long ago. But the water he poured did not help anyone who was thirsty. So] on the last day of the festival, which was the most important day, Jesus stood up [in the Temple courtyard] and said with a loud voice, “Those who are thirsty should come to me to drink [what I will give them].
38 He that believeth in me, as the scripture saith, Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Just like the Scriptures teach, streams of water shall flow out from within those who believe in me, and that water will cause them to live [eternally].”
39 Now this he said of the Spirit which they should receive, who believed in him: for as yet the Spirit was not given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
When Jesus said that, he was referring to [God’s] Spirit, whom those who believed in Jesus would receive later. Up to that time God had not sent the Spirit [to live within believers], because Jesus had not yet [died and returned to his] glorious [home in] heaven, [from where he would send the Spirit].
40 Of that multitude therefore, when they had heard these words of his, some said: This is the prophet indeed.
When some of the crowd heard those words, they said, “Surely this man is the prophet [whom God promised to send who would be like Moses]!”
41 Others said: This is the Christ. But some said: Doth the Christ come out of Galilee?
Others said, “He is the Messiah!” But others, [thinking Jesus was born in Galilee], said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee [province], will he?
42 Doth not the scripture say: That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem the town where David was?
(Did [a prophet] not write in the Scriptures that the Messiah will come from [King] David’s family, and be born in Bethlehem, where [King] David lived?/[It is written] in the Scriptures that the Messiah will come from [King] David’s family, and be born in Bethlehem, where [King] David lived!) [RHQ]”
43 So there arose a dissension among the people because of him.
So the people were divided because of [what they thought about] Jesus.
44 And some of them would have apprehended him: but no man laid hands on him.
Some people wanted to seize him, but no one tried [to do that].
45 The ministers therefore came to the chief priests and the Pharisees. And they said to them: Why have you not brought him?
So the Temple guards returned to the chief priests and the Pharisees, [the ones who had sent them to arrest Jesus]. They said to the guards, “Why did you not [seize him and] bring him [here]?”
46 The ministers answered: Never did man speak like this man.
They replied, “No one ever spoke such [amazing things] as this man does!”
47 The Pharisees therefore answered them: Are you also seduced?
Then the Pharisees replied, “Have you been deceived {Has [he] deceived you}, too?
48 Hath any one of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?
(None of our rulers nor any of us Pharisees have believed that (he [is the Messiah]!/he [came from God]!)/Have any of our [Jewish] rulers or any of us Pharisees believed that (he [is the Messiah]?/he [came from God]?)) [RHQ]
49 But this multitude, that knoweth not the law, are accursed.
Not one! But, on the contrary, some of this crowd [have believed in him]. They do not know [the true teachings of] our laws! They will go to hell [for listening to him]!” (questioned)
50 Nicodemus said to them, (he that came to him by night, who was one of them: )
Then Nicodemus spoke. He was the one who earlier went to Jesus [at night]. He was also a member of the Jewish council. He said to [the rest of the Council members],
51 Doth our law judge any man, unless it first hear him, and know what he doth?
“[We] have not listened to what he says to find out what he is doing. (It is not permitted in our [Jewish] law [PRS] for us to say, before questioning someone, that we must punish him!/Is it permitted in our [Jewish] law [PRS] for us to say, before questioning someone, that we must punish him?) [RHQ]”
52 They answered, and said to him: Art thou also a Galilean? Search the scriptures, and see, that out of Galilee a prophet riseth not.
They replied to him, “(Are you another [disgusting person] from Galilee?/[You talk like] another [disgusting person] from Galilee!) [RHQ] Read [what is written in the Scriptures] You will find that no prophet comes from Galilee [province, like he does]!”
53 And every man returned to his own house.
[Then they all left and went to their own homes.
