New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
John 7
1
After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He stayed away from Judea on purpose. He knew that the Jews there were waiting to kill him.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 4:3
Matthew 21:38
Matthew 10:23
John 7:19
John 1:19
References Jesus
Acts 10:38
John 4:54
2
The Jewish Feast of Booths was near.
3
Jesus' brothers said to him, "You should leave here and go to Judea. Then your disciples will see the kinds of things you do.
Reference
4
No one who wants to be well known does things in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world."
Reference
6
So Jesus told them, "The right time has not yet come for me. For you, any time is right.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 7:8
John 7:30
Matthew 26:18
Acts 1:7
Psalm 102:13
References Jesus
John 2:4
John 17:1
John 13:1
John 8:20
7
The people of the world can't hate you. But they hate me. This is because I give witness that what they do is evil.
Reference
Evil
John 3:19
1 Kings 21:20
Parallel theme
1 John 4:5
Galatians 4:16
Jeremiah 20:8
John 17:14
James 4:4
Proverbs 8:36
Romans 8:7
8
"You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast. For me, the right time has not yet come."
Reference
9
After he said this, he stayed in Galilee.
10
When his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also. But he went secretly, not openly.
Reference
11
At the Feast the Jews were watching for him. They were asking, "Where is he?"
Reference
Parallel theme
John 11:56
12
Many people in the crowd were whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No. He fools the people."
Reference
14
Jesus did nothing until halfway through the Feast. Then he went up to the temple courtyard and began to teach.
Reference
16
Jesus answered, "What I teach is not my own. It comes from the One who sent me.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 14:24
John 14:10
John 17:8
John 5:30
John 3:11
John 17:14
John 6:44
References Jesus
John 8:28
17
Anyone who chooses to do what God wants him to do will find out whether my teaching comes from God or from me.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 8:43
Daniel 12:10
Acts 17:11
Psalm 25:12
Luke 8:15
Isaiah 35:8
Psalm 25:14
Malachi 4:2
References God
John 8:47
Micah 4:2
18
Someone who speaks on his own does it to get honor for himself. But someone who works for the honor of the One who sent him is truthful. There is nothing false about him.
Reference
Glory
John 12:28
1 Thessalonians 2:6
Proverbs 25:27
1 Peter 4:11
John 11:4
Parallel theme
John 5:41
Matthew 6:9
Numbers 11:29
John 8:54
19
"Didn't Moses give you the law? But not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?"
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 12:14
John 7:1
John 11:53
Deuteronomy 1:17
Word
John 1:17
Deuteronomy 33:4
Galatians 6:13
21
Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all amazed.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 7:23
22
Moses gave you circumcision, and so you circumcise a child on the Sabbath day. But circumcision did not really come from Moses. It came from Abraham.
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 12:3
23
You circumcise a child on the Sabbath day. You think that if you do, you won't break the law of Moses. Then why are you angry with me? I healed a whole man on the Sabbath!
Reference
24
"Stop judging only by what you see. Judge correctly."
Reference
Judgment
John 8:15
Proverbs 24:23
James 2:4
Parallel theme
James 2:9
James 2:1
Righteousness
Proverbs 17:15
Leviticus 19:15
Isaiah 5:23
Psalm 82:2
25
Then some of the people of Jerusalem began asking questions. They said, "Isn't this the man some people are trying to kill?
26
Here he is! He is speaking openly. They aren't saying a word to him. Have the authorities really decided that he is the Christ?
Reference
Parallel theme
John 7:48
27
But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."
Reference
28
Jesus was still teaching in the temple courtyard. He cried out, "Yes, you know me. And you know where I am from. I am not here on my own. The One who sent me is true. You do not know him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 9:6
Hebrews 6:18
John 5:43
John 12:49
References Jesus
John 8:42
John 8:19
Truth
John 8:26
John 8:14
John 17:3
30
When he said this, they tried to arrest him. But no one laid a hand on him. His time had not yet come.
Reference
31
Still, many people in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, "How will it be when the Christ comes? Will he do more miraculous signs than this man?"
Reference
32
The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering things like this about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.
33
Jesus said, "I am with you for only a short time. Then I will go to the One who sent me.
Reference
34
You will look for me, but you won't find me. You can't come where I am going."
35
The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man plan to go? Does he think we can't find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks? Will he go there to teach the Greeks?
Reference
36
What did he mean when he said, 'You will look for me, but you won't find me'? And, 'You can't come where I am going'?"
Reference
37
It was the last and most important day of the Feast. Jesus stood up and spoke in a loud voice. He said, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 55:1
John 4:14
Isaiah 12:3
Revelation 22:17
Isaiah 44:3
Revelation 21:6
Psalm 42:2
Psalm 63:1
References Jesus
John 6:35
John 4:10
38
Does anyone believe in me? Then, just as Scripture says, streams of living water will flow from inside him."
Reference
39
When he said this, he meant the Holy Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus would receive the Spirit later. Up to that time, the Spirit had not been given. This was because Jesus had not yet received glory.
Reference
Glory
John 12:16
Holy
Acts 2:33
Acts 2:4
Acts 2:38
Parallel theme
John 16:7
Spirit
Acts 2:17
Joel 2:28
Isaiah 32:15
Isaiah 44:3
Romans 8:9
40
When some of the people heard his words, they said, "This man must be the Prophet we've been expecting."
Reference
Prophecy
Matthew 21:11
41
Others said, "He is the Christ." Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee?
Reference
42
Doesn't Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family? Doesn't it say that he will come from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?"
Reference
Parallel theme
Micah 5:2
Matthew 2:5
Isaiah 11:1
1 Samuel 16:1
Psalm 89:4
References Christ
Matthew 1:1
Luke 2:11
References David
Jeremiah 23:5
Luke 2:4
Psalm 132:11
45
Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees. They asked the guards, "Why didn't you bring him in?"
Reference
Resurrection
John 7:32
50
Then Nicodemus, a Pharisee, spoke. He was the one who had gone to Jesus earlier. He asked,
Reference
References Jesus
John 19:39
51
"Does our law find someone guilty without hearing him first? Doesn't it want to find out what he is doing?"
Reference
52
They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Look into it. You will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee."
Reference
53
Then each of them went home.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 33:10
Summary of John 7
John 7 describes Jesus' appearance in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles, where His identity becomes the subject of intense public debate as some people believe He is the Messiah while others accuse Him of deception and the religious authorities seek to arrest Him.
Jesus initially remains in Galilee because the Jewish leaders in Judea are seeking to kill Him, while His brothers encourage Him to go publicly to Jerusalem and demonstrate His works.
Jesus explains that His timing is different from theirs and that the world hates Him because He exposes its evil.
Eventually, after His brothers have gone to the festival, Jesus also travels to Jerusalem, but He does so privately rather than openly.
During the middle of the festival, Jesus begins teaching in the Temple, and the Jewish leaders are amazed by His knowledge because He has not received the kind of formal religious training they expect from an authoritative teacher.
Jesus explains that His teaching comes from the One who sent Him and challenges the people to judge His teaching according to God's will rather than human expectations.
The central controversy concerns the Sabbath healing from the previous chapter.
Jesus argues that if circumcision can be performed on the Sabbath, then restoring an entire person's health cannot reasonably be condemned as wrong.
He therefore tells the people not to judge merely by appearances but to judge with righteous judgment.
As Jesus continues teaching, people debate whether He is the Messiah.
Some are impressed by His signs and believe He could be the promised one, while others reject Him because they think they know His earthly origins and therefore believe He cannot fulfill their expectations concerning the Messiah.
Jesus explains that His true origin is not merely earthly because He has been sent by God.
The authorities attempt to arrest Him, but they cannot do so because His appointed hour has not yet come.
On the final and greatest day of the festival, Jesus makes a powerful invitation to anyone who is spiritually thirsty, calling them to come to Him and drink.
He promises that whoever believes in Him will experience living water flowing from within, and John explains that Jesus is speaking about the Holy Spirit, whose fuller coming will follow Jesus' glorification.
The crowd remains divided.
Some believe Jesus is the Prophet or Messiah, while others object that the Messiah should come from Bethlehem and David's line.
The Temple officers are eventually sent to arrest Jesus, but they return without Him, explaining that no one has ever spoken like Him.
The Pharisees are angry that the officers have been impressed by Jesus and dismiss the ordinary crowd as ignorant of the Law.
At this point, Nicodemus speaks up and reminds the leaders that their own Law requires a person to be heard before being judged.
Instead of considering his argument, they ridicule him and dismiss Jesus because He comes from Galilee.
John 7 therefore presents a growing conflict between Jesus' divine identity and human expectations, showing how people can witness His teaching and miracles yet interpret Him differently because of prejudice, incomplete knowledge, social pressure, or unwillingness to accept His heavenly origin.
The chapter also highlights Jesus as the source of living water, pointing forward to the Holy Spirit and showing that those who truly believe in Him will receive an inner source of spiritual life that cannot be produced by religious status, human achievement, or outward ritual.
Jesus initially remains in Galilee because the Jewish leaders in Judea are seeking to kill Him, while His brothers encourage Him to go publicly to Jerusalem and demonstrate His works.
Jesus explains that His timing is different from theirs and that the world hates Him because He exposes its evil.
Eventually, after His brothers have gone to the festival, Jesus also travels to Jerusalem, but He does so privately rather than openly.
During the middle of the festival, Jesus begins teaching in the Temple, and the Jewish leaders are amazed by His knowledge because He has not received the kind of formal religious training they expect from an authoritative teacher.
Jesus explains that His teaching comes from the One who sent Him and challenges the people to judge His teaching according to God's will rather than human expectations.
The central controversy concerns the Sabbath healing from the previous chapter.
Jesus argues that if circumcision can be performed on the Sabbath, then restoring an entire person's health cannot reasonably be condemned as wrong.
He therefore tells the people not to judge merely by appearances but to judge with righteous judgment.
As Jesus continues teaching, people debate whether He is the Messiah.
Some are impressed by His signs and believe He could be the promised one, while others reject Him because they think they know His earthly origins and therefore believe He cannot fulfill their expectations concerning the Messiah.
Jesus explains that His true origin is not merely earthly because He has been sent by God.
The authorities attempt to arrest Him, but they cannot do so because His appointed hour has not yet come.
On the final and greatest day of the festival, Jesus makes a powerful invitation to anyone who is spiritually thirsty, calling them to come to Him and drink.
He promises that whoever believes in Him will experience living water flowing from within, and John explains that Jesus is speaking about the Holy Spirit, whose fuller coming will follow Jesus' glorification.
The crowd remains divided.
Some believe Jesus is the Prophet or Messiah, while others object that the Messiah should come from Bethlehem and David's line.
The Temple officers are eventually sent to arrest Jesus, but they return without Him, explaining that no one has ever spoken like Him.
The Pharisees are angry that the officers have been impressed by Jesus and dismiss the ordinary crowd as ignorant of the Law.
At this point, Nicodemus speaks up and reminds the leaders that their own Law requires a person to be heard before being judged.
Instead of considering his argument, they ridicule him and dismiss Jesus because He comes from Galilee.
John 7 therefore presents a growing conflict between Jesus' divine identity and human expectations, showing how people can witness His teaching and miracles yet interpret Him differently because of prejudice, incomplete knowledge, social pressure, or unwillingness to accept His heavenly origin.
The chapter also highlights Jesus as the source of living water, pointing forward to the Holy Spirit and showing that those who truly believe in Him will receive an inner source of spiritual life that cannot be produced by religious status, human achievement, or outward ritual.