John 7

Io 7.1Post haec autem ambulābat Iēsus in Galilaeam: nōn enim volēbat in Iūdaeam ambulāre, quia quaerēbant eum Iūdaeī interficere.

After these things, Jesus was walking in Galilee: for he did not want to walk in Judaea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.

Note. nōn … volēbat in Iūdaeam ambulāre: Judaea, the southern region around Jerusalem, as opposed to Galilee in the north.

Io 7.2Erat autem in proximō diēs fēstus Iūdaeōrum, Scēnopēgia.

Now the feast day of the Jews was near, Tabernacles.

Note. in proximō: 'near, close at hand'. Scēnopēgia (Greek 'tent-pitching') is the autumn feast of Tabernacles or Booths, when people lived in shelters for a week to recall the desert journey.

Io 7.3Dīxērunt autem ad eum frātrēs eius: Trānsī hinc, et vāde in Iūdaeam, ut et discipulī tuī videant opera tua, quae facis.

So his brothers said to him: Pass over from here, and go into Judaea, so that your disciples too may see your works, which you do.

Note. frātrēs eius: his brothers (or close kinsmen, as many interpreters understand it). Trānsī hinc: imperative of trānseō. ut et discipulī tuī videant: et = 'also'.

Io 7.4Nēmō quippe in occultō quid facit, et quaerit ipse in palam esse: sī haec facis, manifestā tēipsum mundō.

For no one does anything in secret and seeks himself to be in the open: if you do these things, show yourself to the world.

Note. Nēmō … in occultō quid facit: quid is indefinite here, 'anything'. in palam: 'in the open', a Late Latin phrase. manifestā tēipsum: imperative of manifestō, 'show yourself'.

Io 7.5Neque enim frātrēs eius crēdēbant in eum.

For not even his brothers were believing in him.

Note. Neque enim … crēdēbant: 'for not even his brothers believed in him'.

Io 7.6Dīcit ergō eīs Iēsus: Tempus meum nōndum advēnit: tempus autem vestrum semper est parātum.

So Jesus says to them: My time has not yet come: but your time is always ready.

Note. Tempus meum: 'my time', the moment set for him; tempus vestrum: any time suits them.

Io 7.7Nōn potest mundus ōdisse vōs: mē autem ōdit, quia ego testimōnium perhibeō dē illō quod opera eius mala sunt.

The world cannot hate you: but me it hates, because I bear witness about it that its works are evil.

Note. ōdisse: perfect infinitive of the defective ōdī, with present meaning, 'to hate'. testimōnium perhibeō dē illō quod: 'I bear witness about it that', with quod + indicative for the reported content.

Io 7.8Vōs ascendite ad diem fēstum hunc, ego autem nōn ascendō ad diem fēstum istum: quia meum tempus nōndum implētum est.

You go up to this feast day; but I do not go up to this feast day: because my time has not yet been fulfilled.

Note. Vōs ascendite: the pronoun with the imperative stresses the contrast with ego. 'Going up' to Jerusalem is the usual idiom, since the city stands high.

Io 7.9Haec cum dīxisset, ipse mānsit in Galilaeā.

When he had said these things, he himself stayed in Galilee.

Io 7.10Ut autem ascendērunt frātrēs eius, tunc et ipse ascendit ad diem fēstum nōn manifestē, sed quasi in occultō.

But when his brothers had gone up, then he too went up to the feast day, not openly, but as if in secret.

Note. nōn manifestē, sed quasi in occultō: 'not openly, but as if in secret'.

Io 7.11Iūdaeī ergō quaerēbant eum in diē fēstō, et dīcēbant: Ubi est ille?

So the Jews were seeking him on the feast day, and were saying: Where is that man?

Note. Ubi est ille?: ille, 'that man', is not unfriendly here, just distant.

Io 7.12Et murmur multum erat in turbā dē eō. Quīdam enim dīcēbant: Quia bonus est. Aliī autem dīcēbant: Nōn, sed sēdūcit turbās.

And there was much murmuring in the crowd about him. For some were saying: He is good. But others were saying: No, but he leads the crowds astray.

Note. murmur multum: murmur is a neuter noun. Quidam … dīcēbant: Quia bonus est: recitative quia again. sēdūcit turbās: 'he leads the crowds astray'.

Io 7.13Nēmō tamen palam loquēbātur dē illō propter metum Iūdaeōrum.

Yet no one was speaking openly about him, because of fear of the Jews.

Note. propter metum Iūdaeōrum: 'for fear of the Jews' — objective genitive. In John 'the Jews' often means the religious authorities in Jerusalem.

Io 7.14Iam autem diē fēstō mediante, ascendit Iēsus in templum, et docēbat.

Now when the feast day was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple, and was teaching.

Note. diē fēstō mediante: ablative absolute, 'when the feast was half over' (mediāre 'be in the middle').

Io 7.15Et mīrābantur Iūdaeī, dīcentēs: Quōmodo hic litterās scit, cum nōn didicerit?

And the Jews were wondering, saying: How does this one know letters, since he has not learned?

Note. litterās scit: 'knows letters', i.e. is learned in the Scriptures. cum nōn didicerit: cum + subjunctive, concessive or causal: 'since/although he has not studied'.

Io 7.16Respondit eīs Iēsus, et dīxit: Mea doctrīna nōn est mea, sed eius quī mīsit mē.

Jesus answered them and said: My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

Note. Mea doctrīna nōn est mea, sed eius: supply doctrīna with eius, 'but (the teaching) of him who sent me'.

Io 7.17Sī quis voluerit voluntātem eius facere, cognōscet dē doctrīnā, utrum ex Deō sit, an ego ā mēipsō loquar.

If anyone wants to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or whether I speak from myself.

Note. utrum … an: the double indirect question, 'whether … or'. ā mēipsō: 'from myself, on my own authority'.

Io 7.18Quī ā sēmetipsō loquitur, glōriam propriam quaerit; quī autem quaerit glōriam eius quī mīsit eum, hic vērāx est, et iniūstitia in illō nōn est.

He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him, this one is truthful, and there is no injustice in him.

Note. ā sēmetipsō: 'from himself'. hic vērāx est: hic resumes the long subject, 'this man is truthful'.

Io 7.19Nōnne Mōysēs dedit vōbīs lēgem: et nēmō ex vōbīs facit lēgem?

Did not Moses give you the law: and none of you does the law?

Note. facit lēgem: 'keeps the law' (literally 'does').

Io 7.20Quid mē quaeritis interficere? Respondit turba, et dīxit: Daemonium habēs: quis tē quaerit interficere?

Why do you seek to kill me? The crowd answered and said: You have a demon: who seeks to kill you?

Note. Quid … quaeritis: quid as an adverb, 'why?'. Daemonium habēs: 'you have a demon', i.e. you are mad.

Io 7.21Respondit Iēsus et dīxit eīs: Ūnum opus fēcī, et omnēs mīrāminī:

Jesus answered and said to them: One work I did, and you all wonder:

Note. Ūnum opus fēcī: the healing on the sabbath at the pool (John 5). mīrāminī: deponent, 'you are astonished'.

Io 7.22proptereā Mōysēs dedit vōbīs circumcīsiōnem (nōn quia ex Mōyse est, sed ex patribus), et in sabbatō circumcīditis hominem.

for this reason Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the sabbath you circumcise a man.

Note. circumcīsiōnem: the rite of circumcision. The parenthesis (nōn quia ex Moyse est) corrects: the practice goes back to the patriarchs, Abraham onward. in sabbatō: if the eighth day after birth fell on a sabbath, circumcision was still done.

Io 7.23Sī circumcīsiōnem accipit homō in sabbatō, ut nōn solvātur lēx Mōysī: mihi indignāminī quia tōtum hominem sānum fēcī in sabbatō?

If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath, so that the law of Moses may not be broken: are you angry with me because I made a whole man healthy on the sabbath?

Note. ut nōn solvātur lēx Moysī: purpose, 'so that the law of Moses is not broken'. Moysī: genitive of Moyses. mihi indignāminī quia: 'are you angry with me because…'.

Io 7.24Nōlīte iūdicāre secundum faciem, sed iūstum iūdicium iūdicāte.

Do not judge according to the face, but judge a just judgement.

Note. Nōlīte iūdicāre: negative command. secundum faciem: 'by appearances'. iūstum iūdicium iūdicāte: another cognate accusative.

Io 7.25Dīcēbant ergō quīdam ex Ierosolymīs: Nōnne hic est, quem quaerunt interficere?

So some from Jerusalem were saying: Is this not he whom they seek to kill?

Note. ex Ierosolymīs: Ierosolyma is often neuter plural, 'Jerusalem'.

Io 7.26et ecce palam loquitur, et nihil eī dīcunt. Numquid vērē cognōvērunt prīncipēs quia hic est Chrīstus?

and look, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers have truly learned that this one is the Christ?

Note. Numquid … cognōvērunt: numquid expects 'no': 'surely the rulers have not really concluded…?'. prīncipēs: the leaders, the Sanhedrin.

Io 7.27Sed hunc scīmus unde sit: Chrīstus autem cum vēnerit, nēmō scit unde sit.

But this one we know where he is from: but the Christ, when he comes, no one knows where he is from.

Note. hunc scīmus unde sit: prolepsis — the subject of the indirect question is drawn up as object of the main verb: 'we know where this man is from'.

Io 7.28Clāmābat ergō Iēsus in templō docēns, et dīcēns: Et mē scītis, et unde sim scītis: et ā mēipsō nōn vēnī, sed est vērus quī mīsit mē, quem vōs nescītis.

So Jesus was crying out in the temple, teaching and saying: You both know me, and you know where I am from: and I have not come from myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you do not know.

Note. Clāmābat … docēns et dīcēns: participles of accompanying action. Et mē scītis, et unde sim scītis: irony: 'you know me, and you know where I come from'.

Io 7.29Ego sciō eum: quia ab ipsō sum, et ipse mē mīsit.

I know him: because I am from him, and he sent me.

Note. ab ipsō sum: 'I am from him'.

Io 7.30Quaerēbant ergō eum apprehendere: et nēmō mīsit in illum manūs, quia nōndum vēnerat hōra eius.

So they were seeking to seize him: and no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come.

Note. Quaerēbant … apprehendere: quaerere + infinitive, 'try to'. mīsit in illum manūs: 'laid hands on him'. hōra eius: 'his hour', the time of his death and glorification, a theme of John.

Io 7.31Dē turbā autem multī crēdidērunt in eum, et dīcēbant: Chrīstus cum vēnerit, numquid plūra signa faciet quam quae hic facit?

But of the crowd many believed in him, and were saying: The Christ, when he comes, will he do more signs than those which this one does?

Note. numquid plūra signa faciet quam quae hic facit?: plūra is the comparative of multus; quam … quae, 'than (those) which'.

Io 7.32Audiērunt pharisaeī turbam murmurantem dē illō haec: et mīsērunt prīncipēs et pharisaeī ministrōs ut apprehenderent eum.

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about him: and the rulers and the Pharisees sent attendants so that they might seize him.

Note. pharisaeī: the Pharisees, a party devoted to strict observance of the law. ministrōs: the temple guards, servants of the chief priests.

Io 7.33Dīxit ergō eīs Iēsus: Adhūc modicum tempus vōbīscum sum: et vādō ad eum quī mē mīsit.

So Jesus said to them: Still a little time I am with you: and I go to him who sent me.

Note. Adhūc modicum tempus: accusative of duration, 'for a little while longer'. vōbīscum: cum attached to the pronoun.

Io 7.34Quaerētis mē, et nōn inveniētis: et ubi ego sum, vōs nōn potestis venīre.

You will seek me, and you will not find me: and where I am, you cannot come.

Io 7.35Dīxērunt ergō Iūdaeī ad sēmetipsōs: Quō hic itūrus est, quia nōn inveniēmus eum? numquid in dispersiōnem gentium itūrus est, et doctūrus gentēs?

So the Jews said among themselves: Where is this one going to go, that we shall not find him? surely he is not going to go into the dispersion among the gentiles, and to teach the gentiles?

Note. Quō hic itūrus est: 'where is this man going to go?' (quō 'to where'). in dispersiōnem gentium: the Jewish communities scattered among the Greeks (the Diaspora).

Io 7.36quis est hic sermō, quem dīxit: Quaerētis mē, et nōn inveniētis: et ubi sum ego, vōs nōn potestis venīre?

what is this saying which he said: You will seek me, and you will not find me: and where I am, you cannot come?

Io 7.37In novissimō autem diē magnō fēstīvitātis stābat Iēsus, et clāmābat dīcēns: Sī quis sitit, veniat ad mē et bibat.

Now on the last, great day of the festival Jesus was standing, and was crying out, saying: If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.

Note. In novissimō … diē magnō fēstīvitātis: the last day of the feast, its high point. Sī quis sitit, veniat … et bibat: jussive subjunctives, 'let him come and drink'.

Io 7.38Quī crēdit in mē, sīcut dīcit Scrīptūra, flūmina dē ventre eius fluent aquae vīvae.

He who believes in me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from his belly.

Note. Quī crēdit in mē … flūmina dē ventre eius fluent: the relative clause stands first and is picked up by eius: 'he who believes in me, from his belly rivers will flow'. venter here means the inner self.

Io 7.39Hoc autem dīxit dē Spīritū, quem acceptūrī erant crēdentēs in eum: nōndum enim erat Spīritus datus, quia Iēsus nōndum erat glōrificātus.

Now this he said about the Spirit, which those believing in him were going to receive: for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Note. Hoc … dīxit dē Spīritū: 'this he said about the Spirit'. quem acceptūrī erant crēdentēs in eum: future participle + erant, 'which those believing in him were going to receive'; crēdentēs is a participle used as a noun. glōrificātus: in John Jesus is 'glorified' in his death and resurrection.

Io 7.40Ex illā ergō turbā cum audīssent hōs sermōnēs eius, dīcēbant: Hic est vērē prophēta.

So from that crowd, when they had heard these words of his, they were saying: This one is truly the prophet.

Note. Ex illā … turbā: partitive, 'some of that crowd'.

Io 7.41Aliī dīcēbant: Hic est Chrīstus. Quīdam autem dīcēbant: Numquid ā Galilaeā venit Chrīstus?

Others were saying: This one is the Christ. But some were saying: Surely the Christ does not come from Galilee?

Note. Numquid ā Galilaeā venit Chrīstus?: present tense in a general question, 'does the Messiah come from Galilee?'.

Io 7.42nōnne Scrīptūra dīcit: Quia ex sēmine David, et dē Bethlehem castellō, ubi erat David, venit Chrīstus?

does not the Scripture say that the Christ comes from the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?

Note. ex sēmine Dāvīd: 'from the descendants of David'. dē Bethlehem castellō: castellum here is a village; Bethlehem was David's home town.

Io 7.43Dissēnsiō itaque facta est in turbā propter eum.

So a division arose in the crowd because of him.

Note. Dissēnsiō … facta est: 'a split arose'.

Io 7.44Quīdam autem ex ipsīs volēbant apprehendere eum: sed nēmō mīsit super eum manūs.

And some of them wanted to seize him: but no one laid hands upon him.

Io 7.45Vēnērunt ergō ministrī ad pontificēs et pharisaeōs. Et dīxērunt eīs illī: Quārē nōn addūxistis illum?

So the attendants came to the chief priests and Pharisees. And those said to them: Why did you not bring him?

Note. pontificēs: in the Vulgate the regular word for the Jewish chief priests. Quārē: 'why?'.

Io 7.46Respondērunt ministrī: Numquam sīc locūtus est homō, sīcut hic homō.

The attendants answered: Never has a man spoken so, as this man.

Note. Numquam sīc locūtus est homō, sīcut hic homō: 'never has a man spoken as this man (speaks)'.

Io 7.47Respondērunt ergō eīs pharisaeī: Numquid et vōs sēductī estis?

So the Pharisees answered them: Surely you too have not been led astray?

Note. Numquid et vōs sēductī estis?: 'surely you too haven't been led astray?'.

Io 7.48numquid ex prīncipibus aliquis crēdidit in eum, aut ex pharisaeīs?

has anyone of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?

Note. aliquis: 'anyone', after a question expecting 'no'.

Io 7.49sed turba haec, quae nōn nōvit lēgem, maledictī sunt.

but this crowd, which does not know the law, are accursed.

Note. turba haec … maledictī sunt: the verb is plural though turba is singular, agreeing in sense. The 'crowd that does not know the law' are the common people untrained in it.

Io 7.50Dīxit Nicodēmus ad eōs, ille quī vēnit ad eum nocte, quī ūnus erat ex ipsīs:

Nicodemus said to them, that man who came to him by night, who was one of them:

Note. Nīcodēmus: the Pharisee who came to Jesus by night in John 3.

Io 7.51Numquid lēx nostra iūdicat hominem, nisi prius audierit ab ipsō, et cognōverit quid faciat?

Does our law judge a man unless it has first heard from him, and has known what he does?

Note. nisi prius audierit … et cognōverit: future perfects in the condition, 'unless it first hears … and finds out'. quid faciat: indirect question.

Io 7.52Respondērunt, et dīxērunt eī: Numquid et tū Galilaeus es? scrūtāre Scrīptūrās, et vidē quia ā Galilaeā prophēta nōn surgit.

They answered and said to him: Surely you too are not a Galilean? search the Scriptures, and see that a prophet does not rise from Galilee.

Note. scrūtāre: deponent imperative, 'search'. Galilaeus: 'a Galilean' — said with contempt.

Io 7.53Et reversī sunt ūnusquisque in domum suam.

And they went back, each one into his own house.

Note. revertī sunt ūnusquisque: a plural verb with ūnusquisque, by sense: 'they went back, each to his own house'.