John 7:25-39

New International Version

Division Over Who Jesus Is

²⁵At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?^(A) ²⁶Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities^(B) really concluded that he is the Messiah?^(C) ²⁷But we know where this man is from;^(D) when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

²⁸Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts,^(E) cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from.^(F) I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true.^(G) You do not know him, ²⁹but I know him^(H) because I am from him and he sent me.”^(I)

³⁰At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him,^(J) because his hour had not yet come.^(K) ³¹Still, many in the crowd believed in him.^(L) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs^(M) than this man?”

³²The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

³³Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time,^(N) and then I am going to the one who sent me.^(O) ³⁴You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”^(P)

³⁵The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered^(Q) among the Greeks,^(R) and teach the Greeks? ³⁶What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”^(S)

³⁷On the last and greatest day of the festival,^(T) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.^(U) ³⁸Whoever believes^(V) in me, as Scripture has said,^(W) rivers of living water^(X) will flow from within them.”^[a]^(Y) ³⁹By this he meant the Spirit,^(Z) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.^(AA) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.^(AB)