The Gospel of John for Readers

by Unknown

When He had said these words unto them He remained in Galilee. But when His brethren were gone up, then went He also to the feast, not openly, but in secret. The Jews sought Him at the feast and said, Where is He? There was much murmuring among the people concerning Him. Some said, He is a good man. Others said, Nay; He deceiveth the people. However, no man spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters having never learned? Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not mine but His that sent me. If any man will do His will he shall know whether the doctrine be of God or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory. He that seeketh His glory that sent Him, no unrighteousness is in Him.

Did not Moses give you the law and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil who goeth about to kill Thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work and ye all marvel. Moses gave unto you circumcision (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers) and ye circumcise a man on the sabbath day. If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath day that the law of Moses should not be broken, are ye angry at me because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Some of them said, Is not this He whom they seek to kill? But, lo, He speaketh boldly and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? Howbeit we know this man whence He is but when Christ cometh no man knoweth whence He is. Then cried Jesus in the temple as He taught saying, Ye both know me and know whence I am. I am not come of myself but He that sent me is true, whom ye know not. But I know Him for I am from Him and He hath sent me.

Then they sought to take Him but no man laid hands on Him because His hour was not yet come. Many of the people believed on Him and said, When Christ cometh will He do more miracles than these which this man hath done? The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning Him. And the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.

Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while am I with you and then I go unto Him that sent me. Ye shall seek me and shall not find me. And where I go ye cannot come. Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will He go that we shall not find Him? Will He go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this that He said, Ye shall seek me and shall not find me? And, where I am, thither ye cannot come?

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let Him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spoke He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him would receive. The Holy Ghost was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified.) Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said that Christ cometh of the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of Him. Some of them would have taken Him, but no man laid hands on Him.

Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees. They said unto them, Why have ye not brought Him? The officers answered, Never man spoke like this man. Then answered the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed on Him? These people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man before it hear him and know what he doeth? They answered and said to him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look, for, out of Galilee, ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own house.

8. Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple and all the people came unto Him. He sat down and taught them. Now the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in adultery. When they sat her in the midst, they say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. What sayest Thou? This they said, tempting Him, that they might have reason to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and, with His finger, wrote on the ground as if He heard them not. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted Himself up and said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. Then He stooped down again and wrote on the ground.

Those who heard this, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the eldest and down to the last. Now Jesus was left alone and the woman was standing in the midst. When Jesus lifted Himself up and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more.