John 7:24-44

²⁴Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

²⁵Therefore some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not He whom they are seeking to kill?

²⁶And look! He is speaking publicly, and they say nothing to Him. Can it be that the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Messiah?

²⁷However, we know where this Man is from; but whenever the Messiah comes, no one knows where He is from.”

²⁸Therefore Jesus cried out, as He was teaching in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of my own accord, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.

²⁹I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”

³⁰Therefore they were seeking to arrest Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

³¹But many of the crowd believed in Him, and were saying, “When the Messiah comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”

³²The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent attendants so that they might arrest Him.

³³Then Jesus said, “Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go to Him who sent Me.

³⁴You will seek Me and you will not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.”

³⁵Therefore the Jews said among themselves, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? Does He intend to go into the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?

³⁶What is this thing which He said, ‘You will seek Me and you will not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”

³⁷Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

³⁸He that believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.”

³⁹(But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him were about to receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified).

⁴⁰Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.”

⁴¹Others said, “This is the Messiah.” Others said, “Surely the Messiah is not to come out of Galilee, is He?

⁴²Has not the Scripture said that the Messiah comes from the seed of David and from the village of Bethlehem, where David was?”

⁴³Therefore a division occurred among the crowd because of Him.

⁴⁴Now some of them wished to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand on Him.