John

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

1After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He would not go into Judea, because the Jewish leaders there wanted to kill him.

Note"The Jews" in this chapter means the Jewish leaders in Judea who were against Jesus. It does not mean Jewish people in general. Jesus and his followers were Jews too.

2Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand.

2It was almost time for the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.

NoteThe Feast of Tabernacles was a week-long fall holiday. Families camped in small huts made of branches to remember the years Israel lived in tents in the desert.

3His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

3So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, so your followers there can see the things you do.

4For 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.

4Nobody who wants to be known does his work in secret. If you can do these things, show yourself to the world."

5For neither did his brethren believe in him.

5Even his own brothers did not believe in him.

6Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.

6Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not come yet. For you, any time is fine.

7The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

7The world cannot hate you. It hates me, because I tell the truth about it: the things it does are evil.

8Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.

8You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast yet, because my time has not fully come."

9When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

9After he said this, he stayed in Galilee.

10But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

10But once his brothers had left for the feast, he went too. He did not go openly, but quietly.

11Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?

11At the feast the Jewish leaders were looking for him. They kept asking, "Where is he?"

12And 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.

12The crowds talked about him in low voices. Some said, "He is a good man." Others said, "No, he fools people."

13Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.

13But no one spoke about him out loud, because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.

14Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

14About halfway through the feast, Jesus went into the temple and began to teach.

15And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

15The Jewish leaders were amazed. They said, "How does this man know so much? He never studied with a teacher."

16Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

16Jesus answered them, "What I teach is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.

17If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

17Anyone who truly wants to do God's will can tell whether my teaching comes from God or from myself.

18He 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.

18A person who speaks on his own wants people to praise him. But whoever wants honor for the one who sent him is truthful, and there is nothing false in him.

19Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

19Moses gave you the law, didn't he? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill me?"

20The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

20The crowd answered, "A demon is in you. Who is trying to kill you?"

21Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.

21Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all amazed by it.

22Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

22Moses gave you circumcision. It did not really start with Moses, but with your ancestors before him. And you circumcise a boy even on the Sabbath.

NoteCircumcision is a small cutting of skin done to a baby boy. It was the sign that he belonged to God's people, and it was done on the eighth day even if that day was a Sabbath.

23If 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?

23If a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so the law of Moses is not broken, why are you angry with me for making a whole man well on the Sabbath?

24Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

24Do not judge by how things look. Judge fairly."

25Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?

25Then some people from Jerusalem said, "Isn't this the man they are trying to kill?

26But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?

26Yet here he is, speaking out in the open, and no one says a word to him. Do the leaders really think he is the Christ?

Note"Christ" means "the chosen one." It is the title for the king God had promised to send. Many people were waiting for him.

27Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.

27But we know where this man comes from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."

28Then 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.

28Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple, called out, "You know me, and you know where I am from. I did not come on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you do not know him.

29But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

29But I know him, because I come from him, and he is the one who sent me."

30Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

30They tried to grab him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not come yet.

31And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

31Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more miracles than this man has done?"

32The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.

32The Pharisees, a strict religious group, heard the crowd whispering these things about him. So they and the chief priests sent guards to arrest him.

33Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.

33Then Jesus said, "I will be with you only a little longer. Then I go back to the one who sent me.

34Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

34You will look for me and not find me. And where I am, you cannot come."

35Then 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?

35The Jewish leaders said to each other, "Where can he go that we won't find him? Will he go to the Jews scattered among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?

36What 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?

36What does he mean by saying, 'You will look for me and not find me,' and, 'Where I am, you cannot come'?"

37In 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.

37On the last day of the feast, the greatest day, Jesus stood up and called out, "If anyone is thirsty, come to me and drink.

38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

38Whoever believes in me will have rivers of living water flowing out from inside him, just as the Scriptures said."

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.)

39He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him would receive later. The Spirit had not been given yet, because Jesus had not yet been raised to glory.

40Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

40When some of the people heard this, they said, "This really is the Prophet God promised."

41Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?

41Others said, "This is the Christ." But some asked, "The Christ doesn't come from Galilee, does he?

42Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

42Don't the Scriptures say that the Christ comes from David's family, and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?"

43So there was a division among the people because of him.

43So the crowd was split over him.

44And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.

44Some of them wanted to grab him, but no one laid a hand on him.

45Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?

45The guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked, "Why didn't you bring him?"

46The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

46The guards answered, "No one has ever spoken the way this man speaks."

47Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?

47The Pharisees said to them, "Have you been fooled too?

48Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?

48Has even one of the leaders or the Pharisees believed in him?

49But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.

49But this crowd knows nothing about the law. They are under a curse."

50Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)

50Then Nicodemus spoke up. He was one of them, and he was the man who had come to Jesus at night.

51Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

51He said, "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and finds out what he has done?"

52They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.

52They answered him, "Are you from Galilee too? Look it up. No prophet comes out of Galilee."

53And every man went unto his own house.

53Then everyone went home.

ManuscriptsThis account of the woman caught in adultery is missing from the earliest manuscripts, and some later ones place it elsewhere in the Gospels. Most modern Bibles keep it and mark it.