John 7:16-36

16Jesus answered, ‘What I teach does not come from me. No, it comes from the one who sent me.

17Anyone who chooses to do what God wants will know about my teaching. They will know whether it comes from God, or whether it comes from my own thoughts.

18A person who teaches his own ideas wants people to think that he himself is great. But I want to show that the one who sent me is great. A person like that is honest and there is nothing false in him.

19Moses gave God's Law to you. But not one of you obeys that Law. Why are you trying to kill me?’

20The crowd answered, ‘You have a demon in you! Nobody is trying to kill you!’

21Jesus replied, ‘I did one miracle on the day of rest, and all of you were surprised.

22Moses gave you a law that you must circumcise your sons. Your ancestors taught that, even before Moses was born. So you will agree to circumcise a boy, even on the day of rest.

23You will do that so that you obey Moses' law. So you should not be angry with me because I made a man completely well on the day of rest.

24Do not quickly decide whether something is right or wrong just because of what you see. Instead, think about it carefully. Then you will judge in a right way.’

25Some of the people in Jerusalem began to say, ‘This is the man that our leaders want to kill.

26But look! He is speaking to the crowds, and the leaders are not saying anything against him! Perhaps they really think that he is the Messiah!

27But we know where this man came from. When the Messiah comes, nobody will know that. Nobody will know where he has come from.’

28Jesus was still teaching in the yard of the temple. He shouted, ‘Yes, you say that you know me. And you know where I came from. But I have not come because I myself decided to come. He who sent me is true. You do not know him.

29But I know him because I have come from him. He is the one who sent me.’

30When they heard this, they tried to take hold of him. But nobody could put their hands on him, because it was not yet the right time.

31But many people in the crowd believed in Jesus. They said, ‘This man has done so many miracles. Surely he is the Messiah! Nobody could do more miracles than he has done.’

32The Pharisees heard what these people were saying quietly about Jesus. Then the leaders of the priests and the Pharisees sent some of their officers to take him away.

33Jesus said, ‘I will be with you for only a short time. Then I will return to the one who sent me.

34You will look for me, but you will not find me. You cannot go to the place where I will be.’

35The Jewish leaders asked each other, ‘What is he trying to tell us? Where can he go so that we cannot find him? Perhaps he will go to our people who have gone away to live among the Greek people. Perhaps he will go to teach the Greek people.

36He said, “You will look for me, but you will not find me.” And he also said, “You cannot go to the place where I will be.” What does he mean?’