John 7

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 stayed away from Judea. The leaders there wanted to kill him.

NoteIn this book, "the Jews" often means the leaders in charge in Jerusalem, not all Jewish people. Jesus and his followers were Jewish too.

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

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

NoteThe Feast of Tabernacles was a week-long holiday. Families camped in little huts made of branches to remember when their families long ago lived in tents.

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

3His brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea. Your followers there should see the works 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 hides what he does. If you do these things, show yourself to everyone."

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 said to them, "My time has not come yet. Any time works for you.

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. But it hates me. I say that 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 it yet. My time has not fully come."

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

9After he said this, Jesus 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 after his brothers went, Jesus went to the feast too. He did not go openly. He went quietly.

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

11At the feast the leaders looked 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 whispered about him. 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 talked about him out loud. They were afraid of the leaders.

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

14Halfway through the feast, Jesus went into the temple, God's house in Jerusalem, and began to teach.

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

15The leaders were amazed. They said, "How does this man know so much? He never went to school."

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

16Jesus answered, "What I teach is not mine. 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 wants to do what God wants will know the answer. Is this teaching from God, or from me?

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 man who speaks on his own wants praise for himself. But I want to honor the one who sent me. That man tells the truth, and nothing false is 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 God's rules long ago. Yet not one of you obeys them. So why do you want to kill me?"

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

20The crowd answered, "Something evil is inside 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 wonderful work, and you are all amazed.

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 the rule about circumcision. It really began with your fathers long ago. You even do it on the Sabbath, the day for resting.

NoteCircumcision is a small cut made on a baby boy. It was a sign that he belonged to God's people.

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?

23You circumcise a boy on the Sabbath so that Moses' rules are not broken. So why are you angry with me? I made 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 in a fair and right way."

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 want to kill?

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

26Look, he speaks right out loud, and they say nothing to him. Do the rulers think he is the Christ, the king God promised to send?

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.

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

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

29But I know him. I come from him, and he 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. 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?

31Many in the crowd believed in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more wonders than this man?"

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 heard the crowd whispering this about him. The Pharisees were very careful about God's rules. 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, but you will not find me. You cannot come where I am."

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 leaders asked each other, "Where can he go that we cannot find him? Will he go to our people living in Greek towns 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 this? He said, 'You will look for me and not find me,' and, 'You cannot come where I am.'"

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, the big day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out loudly. "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. God's writings say so."

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 talking about the Spirit. People who believed in him would receive the Spirit later. The Spirit had not been given yet, because Jesus had not yet been given his full honor.

NoteThe KJV says "Holy Ghost." In old English, "ghost" meant spirit. It means the Holy Spirit, not a scary ghost.

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

40Many people heard this and said, "This really is the Prophet, the one God promised to send with his words."

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

41Others said, "This is the Christ." But some asked, "Can the Christ come from Galilee?

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

42God's writings say the Christ comes from King David's family. They say he comes from Bethlehem, David's town."

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

43So the crowd did not agree about him. They were split into different groups.

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. They 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, "Has he fooled you too?

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

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

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

49But this crowd knows nothing about God's rules. A curse is on them."

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 had come to see Jesus at night.

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

51He said, "Our law does not judge a man before it hears him. First we find out what he did."

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

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