John 7
1 After this Jesus moved from place to place in Galilee. He would not go about in Judaea, because the Jews were seeking an opportunity 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 But the Jewish Festival of the Tent-Pitching was approaching.
But when the time of the Jewish celebration [called] ‘Celebration of [Living in] Shelters’ was near,
3 So His brothers said to Him, "Leave these parts and go into Judaea, that not only we but your disciples also may witness the miracles which you perform.
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 no one acts in secret, desiring all the while to be himself known publicly. Since you are doing these things, show yourself openly 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 even His brothers were not believers in Him.
[They said this critically], because even [though they were] his own [younger] brothers, they did not believe he [was from God].
6 "My time," replied Jesus, "has not yet come, but for you any time is suitable.
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 It is impossible for the world to hate you; but me it does hate, because I give testimony concerning it that its conduct is 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 As for you, go up to the Festival. I do not now go up to this Festival, because my time is not yet fully come."
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 Such was His answer, and He remained in Galilee.
After he said that, Jesus stayed [a little longer] in Galilee.
10 When however His brothers had gone up to the Festival, then He also went up, not openly, but as it were privately.
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 Meanwhile the Jews at the Festival were looking for Him and were inquiring, "Where is he?"
At the celebration, the Jewish [leaders] were looking for him. They were asking people, “Has Jesus come?”
12 Among the mass of the people there was much muttered debate about Him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others said, "Not so: he is imposing on 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 for fear of the Jews no one spoke out boldly about Him.
But no one was speaking so that others could hear them, because they were afraid of the Jewish [leaders] [SYN].
14 But when the Festival was already half over, Jesus went up to the Temple and commenced teaching.
In the middle of the days of the celebration, Jesus went to the Temple [courtyard] and began to teach people.
15 The Jews were astonished. "How does this man know anything of books," they said, "although he has never been at any of the schools?"
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 their question by saying, "My teaching does not belong to me, but comes from Him who 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 one is willing to do His will, he shall know about the teaching, whether it is from God or originates with me.
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 The man whose teaching originates with himself aims at his own glory. He who aims at the glory of Him who sent him teaches the truth, and there is no deception 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 not Moses give you the Law? And yet not a man of you obeys the Law. Why do you want to kill me?"
[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 "You are possessed by a demon," replied the crowd; "no one wants to kill you."
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 "One deed I have done," replied Jesus, "and you are all full of 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 Consider therefore. Moses gave you the rite of circumcision (not that it began with Moses, but with your earlier forefathers), and even on a Sabbath day you circumcise a child.
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 child is circumcised even on a Sabbath day, are you bitter against me because I have restored a man to perfect health on a 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 Do not form superficial judgements, but form the judgements that are just."
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 however of the people of Jerusalem said, "Is not this the man they are wanting 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 But here he is, speaking openly and boldly, and they say nothing to him! Can the Rulers really have ascertained that this man 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 And yet we know this man, and we know where he is from; but as for the Christ, when He comes, no one can tell where He is from."
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, while teaching in the Temple, cried aloud, and said, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. And yet I have not come of my own accord; but there is One who has sent me, an Authority indeed, of whom you have no knowledge.
[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 came from Him, and He sent me."
But I know him, because I have come from him. He is the one who sent me!”
30 On hearing this they wanted to arrest Him; yet not a hand was laid on Him, because His time had 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 from among the crowd a large number believed in Him. "When the Christ comes," they said, "will He perform more miracles than this teacher has performed?"
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 thus expressing their various doubts about Him, and the High Priests and the Pharisees sent some officers 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 So Jesus said, "Still for a short time I am with you, and then I go my way to Him who 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 will look for me and will not find me, and where I am 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 to one another, "Where is he about to betake himself, so that we shall not find him? Will he betake himself to the Dispersion 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 do those words of his mean, 'You will look for me, but will 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 On the last day of the Festival--the great day--Jesus stood up and cried aloud. "Whoever is thirsty," He said, "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 who believes in me, from within him--as the Scripture has said--rivers of living water shall flow."
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 He referred to the Spirit which those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not bestowed as yet, because Jesus had not yet been 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 After listening to these discourses, some of the crowd began to say, "This is beyond doubt the Prophet."
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, "He is the Christ." But others again, "Not so, for is the Christ to come from 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 Has not the Scripture declared that the Christ is to come of the family of David and from Bethlehem, David's village?"
(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 was a violent dissension among the people on His account.
So the people were divided because of [what they thought about] Jesus.
44 Some of them wanted at once to arrest Him, but no one laid hands upon Him.
Some people wanted to seize him, but no one tried [to do that].
45 Meanwhile the officers returned to the High Priests and Pharisees, who asked 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 "No mere man has ever spoken as this man speaks," said the officers.
They replied, “No one ever spoke such [amazing things] as this man does!”
47 "Are you deluded too?" replied the Pharisees;
Then the Pharisees replied, “Have you been deceived {Has [he] deceived you}, too?
48 "has any one of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?
(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 rabble who understand nothing about 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 interposed--he who had formerly gone to Jesus, being himself 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 "Does our Law," he asked, "judge a man without first hearing what he has to say and ascertaining what his conduct is?"
“[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 "Do you also come from Galilee?" they asked in reply. "Search and see for yourself that no Prophet is of Galilaean origin."
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 [So they went away to their several homes;
[Then they all left and went to their own homes.
