THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN

THE NEW TESTAMENT
TRANSLATED FROM
THE SYRIAC PESHITO VERSION BY JAMES MURDOCK

Chapter 7

(Joh 7:1) After these things Jesus walked in Galilee, for he would not walk in Judaea, because the Jews sought to slay him.

(Joh 7:2) And the Jewish feast of tabernacles drew near.

(Joh 7:3) And the brothers of Jesus said to him: Leave here, and go into Judaea; that thy disciples may see the works thou doest.

(Joh 7:4) For there is no one who doeth any thing in secret, while he wisheth to become public. If thou doest these things, show thyself to the world.

(Joh 7:5) For even his brothers did not believe in Jesus.

(Joh 7:6) Jesus said to them: My time hath not yet come: but your time is always ready.

(Joh 7:7) The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth; because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.

(Joh 7:8) Go ye up to the feast; I do not go up to this feast now, because my time is not yet completed.

(Joh 7:9) These things he said, and remained still in Galilee.

(Joh 7:10) But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not openly, but as it were secretly.

(Joh 7:11) And the Jews sought for him at the feast; and they said, Where is he?

(Joh 7:12) And there was much altercation among the people respecting him; for some said, He is a good man; while others said, No, but he deceiveth the people.

(Joh 7:13) Yet no one spoke openly of him, from fear of the Jews.

(Joh 7:14) And in the midst of the days of the feast, Jesus went into the temple, and taught.

(Joh 7:15) And the Jews wondered, and said: How knoweth this man literature, having not been educated?

(Joh 7:16) Jesus answered and said: My doctrine is not from me, but from him that sent me.

(Joh 7:17) He that wisheth to do his pleasure, will understand my doctrine, whether it is from God, or whether I speak from my own pleasure.

(Joh 7:18) He that speaketh according to the pleasure of his own mind, seeketh glory for himself: but he who seeketh the glory of him that sent him, is veracious, and evil is not in his heart.

(Joh 7:19) Did not Moses give you the law? Yet no one of you observeth the law.

(Joh 7:20) Why do ye seek to kill me? The multitude answered and said: Thou hast a demon: who seeketh to kill thee?

(Joh 7:21) Jesus replied, and said to them: I have wrought one work, and ye all wonder.

(Joh 7:22) Because Moses gave you circumcision, not that it was from Moses, but it was from the fathers, ye circumcise a child on the sabbath.

(Joh 7:23) And if a child is circumcised on the sabbath day, that the law of Moses may not be violated, do ye murmur at me, because I have made a man entirely sound on the sabbath day?

(Joh 7:24) Judge not, with a respect for persons; but judge ye a righteous judgment.

(Joh 7:25) And some from Jerusalem said: Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?

(Joh 7:26) And lo, he discourseth publicly, and they say nothing to him. Do our Elders know, that he really is the Messiah?

(Joh 7:27) Yet we know this man, whence he is; the Messiah, when he shall come, no one knoweth whence he is.

(Joh 7:28) And Jesus, while teaching in the temple, raised his voice and said: Ye both know me, and ye know from whence I am. And I did not come of my own accord; but he that sent me is true. Him ye know not;

(Joh 7:29) but I know him; because I am from him, and he sent me.

(Joh 7:30) And they sought to apprehend him; but no one laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

(Joh 7:31) And many of the multitude believed on him, and said: When the Messiah cometh, will he work greater signs than these which this man doeth?

(Joh 7:32) And the Pharisees heard the multitude say these things of him: and they and the chief priests sent constables to take him.

(Joh 7:33) And Jesus said: A little while longer I am with you, and then I go to him that sent me.

(Joh 7:34) And ye will seek me, and will not find me; and where I am, ye cannot come.

(Joh 7:35) The Jews said among themselves: Whither is he about to go, that we cannot find him? Will he go to some region of the Gentiles, and teach the profane?

(Joh 7:36) What means this speech he uttered: Ye will seek me, and will not find me; and where I am, ye cannot come?

(Joh 7:37) And on the great day, which was the last of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, and said: If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink.

(Joh 7:38) Whoever believeth in me, as the scriptures have said, Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters.

(Joh 7:39) This he said of the Spirit, which they who believe in him were to receive: for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

(Joh 7:40) And many of the multitude who heard his discourses, said: Certainly, he is a prophet.

(Joh 7:41) Others said: He is the Messiah. Others said: Doth Messiah come from Galilee?

(Joh 7:42) Doth not the scriptures say, That Messiah cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem the town of David?

(Joh 7:43) And there was a division among the multitude respecting him.

(Joh 7:44) And there were some of them who wished to apprehend him. But no one laid hands on him.

(Joh 7:45) And the constables came to the chief priests and Pharisees; and the priests said to them: Why have ye not brought him?

(Joh 7:46) The constables say to them: Never did a man speak, as this man speaketh.

(Joh 7:47) The Pharisees said to them: Are ye also deceived?

(Joh 7:48) Have any of the chiefs, or of the Pharisees, believed in him?

(Joh 7:49) But this people, who know not the law, are accursed.

(Joh 7:50) One of them: Nicodemus, he who came to Jesus by night, said to them:

(Joh 7:51) Doth our law condemn a man, unless it first hear him, and know what he hath done?

(Joh 7:52) They answered, and said to him: Art thou also from Galilee? Search, and see, that no prophet ariseth from Galilee.

(Joh 7:53) So they went every one to his own house.*