Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles
1After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want7:1 Some manuscripts not have authority to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 2But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
6Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 8You go to the festival. I am not7:8 Some manuscripts not yet going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.
10However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?”
12Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” 13But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.
Jesus Teaches at the Festival
14Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”
16Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. 17Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”
20“You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”
21Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 22Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? 24Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”
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? 26Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? 27But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
28Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, 29but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”
30At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs 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, and then I am going to the one who sent me. 34You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
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 among the Greeks, 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’?”
37On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”7:37,38 Or me. And let anyone drink 38 who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them) will flow rivers of living water.” 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
40On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
41Others said, “He is the Messiah.”
Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? 42Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” 43Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. 44Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders
45Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
46“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.
47“You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. 48“Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”
50Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51“Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”
52They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”
[The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]
53Then they all went home,
Kutokuamini Kwa Ndugu Zake Yesu
17:1 Yn 1:19; 5:18; Mt 12:18Baada ya mambo haya, Yesu alikwenda sehemu mbalimbali za Galilaya. Hakutaka kwenda Uyahudi kwa sababu Wayahudi huko walitaka kumuua. 27:2 Law 23:34; Kum 16:16Sikukuu ya Vibanda ya Wayahudi ilikuwa imekaribia. 37:3 Mt 12:46Hivyo ndugu zake Yesu wakamwambia, “Ondoka hapa uende Uyahudi ili wanafunzi Wako wapate kuona miujiza unayofanya. 4Mtu anayetaka kujulikana hafanyi mambo yake kwa siri. Kama unafanya mambo haya, jionyeshe kwa ulimwengu.” 57:5 Za 69:8; Mk 3:21Hata ndugu zake mwenyewe hawakumwamini.
67:6 Mt 26:18Yesu akawaambia, “Wakati wangu bado haujawadia, lakini wakati wenu upo siku zote. 77:7 Yn 3:19-20; 15:18-19Ulimwengu hauwezi kuwachukia ninyi, lakini unanichukia mimi kwa sababu ninawashuhudia kwamba matendo yao ni maovu. 87:8 Yn 7:6; Mt 26:18; Yn 8:30Ninyi nendeni kwenye Sikukuu, lakini mimi sitahudhuria Sikukuu hii kwa sababu wakati wangu haujawadia.” 9Akiisha kusema hayo, akabaki Galilaya.
Yesu Kwenye Sikukuu Ya Vibanda
10Lakini ndugu zake walipokwisha kuondoka kwenda kwenye Sikukuu, yeye pia alikwenda lakini kwa siri. 117:11 Yn 11:56Wayahudi walikuwa wakimtafuta huko kwenye Sikukuu na kuulizana, “Yuko wapi huyu mtu?”
127:12 Yn 9:16; 10:19; Mt 21:46; Lk 7:16; Yn 6:14Kulikuwa na minongʼono iliyoenea kumhusu Yesu katika umati wa watu, wakati wengine wakisema, “Ni mtu mwema.”
Wengine walikuwa wakisema, “La, yeye anawadanganya watu.” 137:13 Yn 19:38; 20:19Lakini hakuna mtu yeyote aliyemsema waziwazi kumhusu kwa sababu ya kuwaogopa Wayahudi.
Yesu Afundisha Kwenye Sikukuu
147:14 Mt 26:55Ilipokaribia katikati ya Sikukuu, Yesu alipanda kwenda Hekaluni na kuanza kufundisha. 157:15 Mdo 26:24; Mt 13:54Wayahudi wakastaajabia mafundisho yake wakasema, “Mtu huyu amepataje kujua mambo haya bila kufundishwa?”
167:16 Yn 3:11; 14:24Ndipo Yesu akawajibu, “Mafundisho yangu si yangu mwenyewe, bali yanatoka kwake yeye aliyenituma. 177:17 Za 25:14; Yn 8:23Mtu yeyote akipenda kufanya mapenzi ya Mungu, atajua kama mafundisho yangu yanatoka kwa Mungu au ninasema kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe. 187:18 Yn 5:41; 8:50-54Wale wanenao kwa ajili yao wenyewe hufanya hivyo kwa kutaka utukufu wao wenyewe. Lakini yeye atafutaye utukufu wa yule aliyemtuma ni wa kweli, wala hakuna uongo ndani yake. 197:19 Kum 32:46; Mt 12:14Je, Mose hakuwapa ninyi sheria? Lakini hakuna hata mmoja wenu anayeishika hiyo sheria. Kwa nini mnataka kuniua?”
207:20 Mk 3:22; Yn 10:20Ule umati wa watu ukamjibu, “Wewe una pepo mchafu! Ni nani anayetaka kukuua?”
217:21 Yn 5:16Yesu akawajibu, “Nimefanya muujiza mmoja na nyote mkastaajabu. 227:22 Law 12:3; Mwa 17:10-14Lakini kwa kuwa Mose aliwaamuru tohara (ingawa kwa kweli haikutoka kwa Mose bali kwa baba zenu wakuu), mnamtahiri mtoto hata siku ya Sabato. 237:23 Yn 5:8Ikiwa mtoto aweza kutahiriwa siku ya Sabato kusudi sheria ya Mose isivunjwe, kwa nini mnanikasirikia kwa kumponya mtu mwili wake wote siku ya Sabato? 247:24 1Sam 16:7; 2Nya 10:7; Yn 8:15Acheni kuhukumu mambo kwa jinsi mnavyoona tu, bali hukumuni kwa haki.”
Je, Yesu Ndiye Kristo?
257:25 Yn 7:19Ndipo baadhi ya watu wa Yerusalemu wakawa wanasema, “Tazameni, huyu si yule mtu wanayetaka kumuua? 267:26 Yn 7:48; 4:29Mbona yuko hapa anazungumza hadharani na wala hawamwambii neno lolote? Je, inawezekana viongozi wanafahamu kuwa huyu ndiye Kristo?7:26 Kristo maana yake ni Masiya, yaani Aliyetiwa mafuta. 277:27 Mt 13:55; Lk 4:22Tunafahamu huyu mtu anakotoka, lakini Kristo atakapokuja, hakuna yeyote atakayejua atokako.”
287:28 Yn 8:14, 26, 42Ndipo Yesu, akaendelea kufundisha Hekaluni, akisema, “Ninyi mnanifahamu na kujua nitokako. Mimi sikuja kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe, bali yeye aliyenituma ni wa kweli na ninyi hammjui. 297:29 Mt 11:27Mimi namjua kwa kuwa nimetoka kwake, naye ndiye alinituma.”
307:30 Yn 10:39Ndipo wakatafuta kumkamata, lakini hakuna mtu yeyote aliyethubutu kumshika kwa sababu saa yake ilikuwa bado haijawadia. 317:31 Yn 11:45; 12:11, 42; 2:11Nao watu wengi wakamwamini, wakasema, “Je, Kristo atakapokuja, atafanya miujiza mikuu zaidi kuliko aliyoifanya mtu huyu?”
Walinzi Wanatumwa Kumkamata Yesu
32Mafarisayo wakasikia watu wakinongʼona mambo kama hayo kuhusu Yesu, ndipo wao pamoja na viongozi wa makuhani wakatuma walinzi wa Hekalu waende kumkamata.
337:33 Yn 16:5, 10, 17, 28Yesu akasema, “Mimi bado niko pamoja nanyi kwa kitambo kidogo, kisha nitarudi kwake yeye aliyenituma. 347:34 Yn 8:21; 13:33Mtanitafuta lakini hamtaniona, nami niliko ninyi hamwezi kuja.”
357:35 Yak 1:1; Mdo 17:4; 1Pet 1:1Wayahudi wakaulizana wao kwa wao, “Huyu mtu anataka kwenda wapi ambako hatuwezi kumfuata? Je, anataka kwenda kwa Wayunani ambako baadhi ya watu wetu wametawanyikia, akawafundishe Wayunani? 367:36 Yn 7:34Yeye ana maana gani anaposema, ‘Mtanitafuta lakini hamtaniona,’ na, ‘nami niliko ninyi hamwezi kuja’?”
Mito Ya Maji Ya Uzima
377:37 Law 23:36; Isa 55:1; Ufu 22:17Siku ile ya mwisho ya Sikukuu, siku ile kuu, wakati Yesu akiwa amesimama huko, akapaza sauti yake akasema, “Kama mtu yeyote anaona kiu na aje kwangu anywe. 387:38 Isa 58:1; Yn 4:10Yeyote aniaminiye mimi, kama Maandiko yasemavyo, vijito vya maji ya uzima vitatiririka ndani mwake.” 397:39 Yoe 2:28; Mdo 2:17, 33; Yn 20:22; 12:23; 13:31-32Yesu aliposema haya alimaanisha Roho Mtakatifu ambaye wote waliomwamini wangempokea, kwani mpaka wakati huo, Roho alikuwa hajatolewa, kwa kuwa Yesu alikuwa bado hajatukuzwa.
Mgawanyiko Miongoni Mwa Watu
407:40 Mt 2:11; Yn 1:21Waliposikia maneno hayo, baadhi ya watu miongoni mwa ule umati wakasema, “Hakika huyu ndiye yule Nabii.”
417:41 Yn 7:52; 1:21Wengine wakasema, “Huyu ndiye Kristo!”
Lakini wengine wakauliza, “Je, Kristo kwao ni Galilaya? 427:42 Mt 1:1; Mik 5:2; Mt 2:5-6Je, Maandiko hayasemi kwamba Kristo atakuja kutoka jamaa ya Daudi na kutoka Bethlehemu, mji alioishi Daudi?” 437:43 Yn 9:16; 10:9Kwa hiyo watu wakagawanyika kwa ajili ya Yesu. 447:44 Yn 7:30Baadhi yao walitaka kumkamata, lakini hakuna aliyethubutu kumgusa.
Kutokuamini Kwa Viongozi Wa Wayahudi
457:45 Yn 7:32Hatimaye wale walinzi wa Hekalu wakarudi kwa viongozi wa makuhani na Mafarisayo waliokuwa wamewatuma ili kumkamata Yesu, wakaulizwa, “Mbona hamkumkamata?”
467:46 Mt 7:28Wale walinzi wakajibu, “Kamwe hajanena mtu yeyote kama yeye anenavyo.”
477:47 Yn 7:12Mafarisayo wakajibu, “Je, nanyi pia mmedanganyika? 487:48 Yn 12:42Je, kuna kiongozi yeyote au mmoja wa Mafarisayo ambaye amemwamini? 49Lakini huu umati wa watu wasiojua Sheria ya Mose, wamelaaniwa.”
507:50 Yn 3:1Ndipo Nikodemo, yule aliyekuwa amemwendea Yesu siku moja usiku, ambaye alikuwa mmoja wao akauliza, 517:51 Kum 1:16, 17; 19:15“Je, sheria zetu zinaturuhusu kumhukumu mtu kabla ya kumsikiliza na kufahamu alilotenda?”
527:52 Yn 1:46; 7:41Wakamjibu, “Je, wewe pia unatoka Galilaya? Chunguza nawe utaona kwamba hakuna nabii atokae Galilaya!” [ 53Kisha wakaondoka, kila mtu akarudi nyumbani kwake.
