After Jesus taught people, the Jewish leaders wanted to arrest him, but many others believed he was the Messiah.

John 7:14-36

14 In the middle of the days of the celebration, Jesus went to the Temple courtyard and began to teach people. 15 The Jewish elders were amazed at what he was saying. They said, “This man never studied in one of our religious schools! So ◄how can he have learned so much about Scripture?/it is difficult for us to believe that he has learned so much about Scripture!► [RHQ]” 16 Jesus replied to them, “What I teach does not come from myself. It comes from God, the one who sent me. 17 Those who choose to do what God wants will find out whether what I teach comes from God or whether I am speaking with only my own authority. 18 Those who speak with only their own authority do that only so that others will honor them. But I am doing things so that others will honor the one who sent me, and I am someone who speaks the truth. I never lie. 19 Think about the laws that Moses gave you [RHQ]. None of you completely obeys those laws. So why are you trying to kill me, saying I do not obey the laws concerning ◄the Sabbath/the Jewish day of rest►?”

20 Someone in the crowd answered, “By saying this you show that you are crazy (OR, A demon is controlling you)! Certainly no one is trying to kill you!” 21 Jesus replied to them, “Because I did a miracle of healing someone ◄on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day►, you are all shocked. 22 Moses gave you a law that you must circumcise the male children and that you must do that exactly seven days after they are born. Actually, it was your ancestors, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, not Moses, who started that ritual. But because of that law, you sometimes circumcise them ◄on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day►, but that is working, too 23 You sometimes circumcise boys ◄on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day► so that the law of Moses is not disobeyed {you do not disobey the law of Moses}, so ◄it is ridiculous that you are angry with me, saying I worked ◄on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day► by healing a man!/why are you angry with me, saying I worked ◄on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day► by healing a man?► [RHQ] Healing someone is far more helpful than circumcising a baby boy! 24 Stop deciding whether my healing this man is wrong according to what you see! Instead, decide according to what is really the right action to help people”!

25 Some of the people from Jerusalem were saying, “◄This is the man that they are trying to kill!/Isn’t this the man that they are trying to kill?► [RHQ] 26 He is saying these things ◄publicly/in front of many people►, but our Jewish rulers are not saying anything to oppose him. Is that because they have decided that he is truly ◄the Messiah/God’s chosen king►? 27 But he cannot be the Messiah, because we know where this man came from. When the Messiah really comes, no one will know where he comes from.”

28 They said that because they thought Jesus was born in Nazareth. So while Jesus was teaching people in the Temple courtyard, he shouted, “Yes, you say that you know me, and you think you know [IRO] where I am from. But I have come here not ◄because I appointed myself/with my own authority►. Instead, God is the one who truly sent me. You do not know him. 29 But I know him, because I have come from him. He is the one who sent me!”

30 Then they tried to seize him because he said that he had come from God. But no one put their hands on him to do that, because it was not yet the time [MTY] for him to die. 31 But many of the crowd believed that he had come from God. They said, “When the Messiah comes, he certainly will not do more miracles than this man has done, will he?” 32 The Pharisees heard them whispering these things about him. So they and the chief priests sent some Temple guards to seize him.

33 Then Jesus said, “I will be with you for only a short time. Then I will return to the one who sent me. 34 Then you will search for me, but you will not find me. And you will not be able to come to the place where I am.” 35 So the Jewish leaders [SYN] said to themselves, “Where is this man about to go with the result that we will not be able to find him? Some Jewish people have dispersed and live among Greek people. He is not intending to go and live among them and teach them, is he? 36 When he said ‘You will search for me, but you will not be able to find me,’ and when he said ‘You will not be able to come to the place where I am,’ what did he mean?”