The Gospel According to St. John

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 7 -

Then, after these things, Jesus was walking in Galilee. For he was not willing to walk in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.

Now the feast day of the Jews, the Feast of Tabernacles, was near.

And his brothers said to him: “Move away from here and go into Judea, so that your disciples there may also see your works that you do.

Of course, no one does anything in secret, but he himself seeks to be in the public view. Since you do these things, manifest yourself to the world.”

For neither did his brothers believe in him.

Therefore, Jesus said to them: “My time has not yet come; but your time is always at hand.

The world cannot hate you. But it hates me, because I offer testimony about it, that its works are evil.

You may go up to this feast day. But I am not going up to this feast day, because my time has not yet been fulfilled.”

When he had said these things, he himself remained in Galilee.

But after his brothers went up, then he also went up to the feast day, not openly, but as if in secret.

Therefore, the Jews were seeking him on the feast day, and they were saying, “Where is he?”

And there was much murmuring in the crowd concerning him. For certain ones were saying, “He is good.” But others were saying, “No, for he seduces the crowds.”

Yet no one was speaking openly about him, out of fear of the Jews.

Then, about the middle of the feast, Jesus ascended into the temple, and he was teaching.

And the Jews wondered, saying: “How does this one know letters, though he has not been taught?”

Jesus responded to them and said: “My doctrine is not of me, but of him who sent me.

If anyone has chosen to do his will, then he will realize, about the doctrine, whether it is from God, or whether I am speaking from myself.

Whoever speaks from himself seeks his own glory. But whoever seeks the glory of him who sent him, this one is true, and injustice is not in him.

Did not Moses give you the law? And yet not one among you keeps the law!

Why are you seeking to kill me?” The crowd responded and said: “You must have a demon. Who is seeking to kill you?”

Jesus responded and said to them: “One work have I done, and you all wonder.

For Moses gave you circumcision, (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers) and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man.

If a man can receive circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you indignant toward me, because I have made a man whole on the Sabbath?

Do not judge according to appearances, but instead judge a just judgment.”

Is Jesus the Christ?

Therefore, some of those from Jerusalem said: “Is he not the one whom they are seeking to kill?

And behold, he is speaking openly, and they say nothing to him. Could the leaders have decided that it is true this one is the Christ?

But we know him and where he is from. And when the Christ has arrived, no one will know where he is from.”

Therefore, Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying: “You know me, and you also know where I am from. And I have not arrived of myself, but he who sent me is true, and him you do not know.

I know him. For I am from him, and he has sent me.”

Therefore, they were seeking to apprehend him, and yet no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come.

But many among the crowd believed in him, and they were saying, “When the Christ arrives, will he perform more signs than this man does?”

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about him. And the leaders and the Pharisees sent attendants to apprehend him.

Therefore, Jesus said to them: “For a brief time, I am still with you, and then I am going to him who sent me.

You shall seek me, and you will not find me. And where I am, you are not able to go.”

And so the Jews said among themselves: “Where is this place to which he will go, such that we will not find him? Will he go to those dispersed among the Gentiles and teach the Gentiles?

What is this word that he spoke, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me; and where I am, you are not able to go?’ ”

Living Water

Then, on the last great day of the feast, Jesus was standing and crying out, saying: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink:

whoever believes in me, just as Scripture says, ‘From his chest shall flow rivers of living water.’ ”(a)

Now he said this about the Spirit, which those who believe in him would soon be receiving. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Division over Jesus

Therefore, some from that crowd, when they had heard these words of his, were saying, “This one truly is the Prophet.”

Others were saying, “He is the Christ.” Yet certain ones were saying: “Does the Christ come from Galilee?

Does Scripture not say that the Christ comes from the offspring of David and from Bethlehem, the town where David was?”

And so there arose a dissension among the multitude because of him.

Now certain ones among them wanted to apprehend him, but no one laid hands upon him.

The Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

Therefore, the attendants went to the high priests and the Pharisees. And they said to them, “Why have you not brought him?”(b)

The attendants responded, “Never has a man spoken like this man.”

And so the Pharisees answered them: “Have you also been seduced?

Have any of the leaders believed in him, or any of the Pharisees?

But this crowd, which does not know the law, they are accursed.”

Nicodemus, the one who came to him by night and who was one of them, said to them,

“Does our law judge a man, unless it has first heard him and has known what he has done?”

They responded and said to him: “Are you also a Galilean? Study the Scriptures, and see that a prophet does not arise from Galilee.”

And each one returned to his own house.

Footnotes

(a)7:38 The word ‘ventre’ is a general term in Latin used to refer to the inner organs, or the inner parts of the body. It is used metaphorically in many instances. It can be properly translated as ‘belly’ or ‘heart’ or ‘inner self’ or ‘chest.’ In this case, the living waters that flow from Christ’s chest, flow from the wound in his side. This event is a living symbol of the graces that flow from the Sacraments.(Conte)

(b)7:45 The word ‘Pontifices’ is the plural of ‘Pontifex,’ which means high priest. The word is used in the plural because there was one high priest, plus a former high priest who had been deposed by the Romans. But both wielded authority over the Jews, because the position of high priest was supposed to be for life.(Conte)

After these things, Jesus was walking in Galilee, for he wouldn’t walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.

Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was at hand.

His brothers therefore said to him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that your disciples also may see your works which you do.

For no one does anything in secret while he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world.”

For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.

Jesus therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.

The world can’t hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil.

You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.”

Having said these things to them, he stayed in Galilee.

But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.

The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, “Where is he?”

There was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others said, “Not so, but he leads the multitude astray.”

Yet no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews.

But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught.

The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?”

Jesus therefore answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God or if I am speaking from myself.

He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

Didn’t Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill me?”

The multitude answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?”

Jesus answered them, “I did one work and you all marvel because of it.

Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy.

If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath?

Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

Is Jesus the Christ?

Therefore some of them of Jerusalem said, “Isn’t this he whom they seek to kill?

Behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Christ?

However, we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.”

Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don’t know.

I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”

They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

But of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, “When the Christ comes, he won’t do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?”

The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.

Then Jesus said, “I will be with you a little while longer, then I go to him who sent me.

You will seek me and won’t find me. You can’t come where I am.”

The Jews therefore said among themselves, “Where will this man go that we won’t find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?

What is this word that he said, ‘You will seek me, and won’t find me;’ and ‘Where I am, you can’t come’?”

Living Water

Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!

He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.”

But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.

Division over Jesus

Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the prophet.”

Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee?

Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the offspring(a) of David, (b) and from Bethlehem,(c) the village where David was?”

So a division arose in the multitude because of him.

Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him.

The Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”

The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!”

The Pharisees therefore answered them, “You aren’t also led astray, are you?

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

But this multitude that doesn’t know the law is cursed.”

Nicodemus (he who came to him by night, being one of them) said to them,

“Does our law judge a man unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?”

They answered him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”(d)

Everyone went to his own house,

Footnotes

(a)7:42 or, seed

(b)7:42 ℘ 2Samuel 7:12

(d)7:52 ℘ See Isaiah 9:1; Matthew 4:13-16