Daily Bible Reading

Day 75

Today's reading: John 7-9

Look for the promises in God’s word. As you read and find them, write them in your journal along with the scripture reference.

John 7

The Feast of Tabernacles

1. After this Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He stayed out of Judea because the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him.
2. Now the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.
3. So Jesus’ brothers advised him, “Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing.
4. For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret. If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.”
5. (For not even his own brothers believed in him.)
6. So Jesus replied, “My time has not yet arrived, but you are ready at any opportunity!
7. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil.
8. You go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast because my time has not yet fully arrived.”
9. When he had said this, he remained in Galilee.
10. But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then Jesus himself also went up, not openly but in secret.
11. So the Jewish leaders were looking for him at the feast, asking, “Where is he?”
12. There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some were saying, “He is a good man,” but others, “He deceives the common people.”
13. However, no one spoke openly about him for fear of the Jewish leaders.

Teaching in the Temple

14. When the feast was half over, Jesus went up to the temple courts and began to teach.
15. Then the Jewish leaders were astonished and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?”
16. So Jesus replied, “My teaching is not from me, but from the one who sent me.
17. If anyone wants to do God’s will, he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from my own authority.
18. The person who speaks on his own authority desires to receive honor for himself; the one who desires the honor of the one who sent him is a man of integrity, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
19. Hasn’t Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law! Why do you want to kill me?”
20. The crowd answered, “You’re possessed by a demon! Who is trying to kill you?”
21. Jesus replied, “I performed one miracle and you are all amazed.
22. However, because Moses gave you the practice of circumcision (not that it came from Moses, but from the forefathers), you circumcise a male child on the Sabbath.
23. But if a male child is circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?
24. Do not judge according to external appearance, but judge with proper judgment.”

Questions About Jesus’ Identity

25. Then some of the residents of Jerusalem began to say, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?
26. Yet here he is, speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to him. Do the rulers really know that this man is the Christ?
27. But we know where this man comes from. Whenever the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.”
28. Then Jesus, while teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “You both know me and know where I come from! And I have not come on my own initiative, but the one who sent me is true. You do not know him,
29. but I know him, because I have come from him and he sent me.”
30. So then they tried to seize Jesus, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.
31. Yet many of the crowd believed in him and said, “Whenever the Christ comes, he won’t perform more miraculous signs than this man did, will he?”
32. The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about Jesus, so the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.
33. Then Jesus said, “I will be with you for only a little while longer, and then I am going to the one who sent me.
34. You will look for me but will not find me, and where I am you cannot come.”
35. Then the Jewish leaders said to one another, “Where is he going to go that we cannot find him? He is not going to go to the Jewish people dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is he?
36. What did he mean by saying, ‘You will look for me but will not find me, and where I am you cannot come’?”

Teaching About the Spirit

37. On the last day of the feast, the greatest day, Jesus stood up and shouted out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and
38. let the one who believes in me drink. Just as the scripture says, ‘From within him will flow rivers of living water.’”
39. (Now he said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were going to receive, for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Differing Opinions About Jesus

40. When they heard these words, some of the crowd began to say, “This really is the Prophet!”
41. Others said, “This is the Christ!” But still others said, “No, for the Christ doesn’t come from Galilee, does he?
42. Don’t the scriptures say that the Christ is a descendant of David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
43. So there was a division in the crowd because of Jesus.
44. Some of them were wanting to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.

Lack of Belief

45. Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him back with you?”
46. The officers replied, “No one ever spoke like this man!”
47. Then the Pharisees answered, “You haven’t been deceived too, have you?
48. None of the rulers or the Pharisees have believed in him, have they?
49. But this rabble who do not know the law are accursed!”
50. Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before and who was one of the rulers, said,
51. “Our law doesn’t condemn a man unless it first hears from him and learns what he is doing, does it?”
52. They replied, “You aren’t from Galilee too, are you? Investigate carefully and you will see that no prophet comes from Galilee!”

A Woman Caught in Adultery

53. [[And each one departed to his own house.

John 8

1. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2. Early in the morning he came to the temple courts again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them.
3. The experts in the law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of them
4. and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery.
5. In the law Moses commanded us to stone to death such women. What then do you say?”
6. (Now they were asking this in an attempt to trap him, so that they could bring charges against him.) Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.
7. When they persisted in asking him, he stood up straight and replied, “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her.”
8. Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground.
9. Now when they heard this, they began to drift away one at a time, starting with the older ones, until Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.
10. Jesus stood up straight and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”
11. She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”]]

Jesus as the Light of the World

12. Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
13. So the Pharisees objected, “You testify about yourself; your testimony is not true!”
14. Jesus answered, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you people do not know where I came from or where I am going.
15. You people judge by outward appearances; I do not judge anyone.
16. But if I judge, my evaluation is accurate, because I am not alone when I judge, but I and the Father who sent me do so together.
17. It is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.
18. I testify about myself and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
19. Then they began asking him, “Who is your father?” Jesus answered, “You do not know either me or my Father. If you knew me you would know my Father too.”
20. (Jesus spoke these words near the offering box while he was teaching in the temple courts. No one seized him because his time had not yet come.)

Where Jesus Came From and Where He is Going

21. Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will look for me but will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.”
22. So the Jewish leaders began to say, “Perhaps he is going to kill himself, because he says, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’”
23. Jesus replied, “You people are from below; I am from above. You people are from this world; I am not from this world.
24. Thus I told you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
25. So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus replied, “What I have told you from the beginning.
26. I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the Father who sent me is truthful, and the things I have heard from him I speak to the world.”
27. (They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.)
28. Then Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak just what the Father taught me.
29. And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do those things that please him.”
30. While he was saying these things, many people believed in him.

Abraham’s Children and the Devil’s Children

31. Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples
32. and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33. “We are descendants of Abraham,” they replied, “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34. Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin.
35. The slave does not remain in the family forever, but the son remains forever.
36. So if the son sets you free, you will be really free.
37. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. But you want to kill me, because my teaching makes no progress among you.
38. I am telling you the things I have seen while with the Father; as for you, practice the things you have heard from the Father!”
39. They answered him, “Abraham is our father!” Jesus replied, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would be doing the deeds of Abraham.
40. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth I heard from God. Abraham did not do this!
41. You people are doing the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Jesus, “We were not born as a result of immorality! We have only one Father, God himself.”
42. Jesus replied, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. I have not come on my own initiative, but he sent me.
43. Why don’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot accept my teaching.
44. You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
45. But because I am telling you the truth, you do not believe me.
46. Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me?
47. The one who belongs to God listens and responds to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond, because you don’t belong to God.”
48. The Judeans replied, “Aren’t we correct in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?”
49. Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, but I honor my Father – and yet you dishonor me.
50. I am not trying to get praise for myself. There is one who demands it, and he also judges.
51. I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death.”
52. Then the Judeans responded, “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon! Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say, ‘If anyone obeys my teaching, he will never experience death.’
53. You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?”
54. Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people say, ‘He is our God.’
55. Yet you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his teaching.
56. Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”
57. Then the Judeans replied, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?”
58. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!”
59. Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area.

John 9

Healing a Man Born Blind

1. Now as Jesus was passing by, he saw a man who had been blind from birth.
2. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man or his parents?”
3. Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but he was born blind so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him.
4. We must perform the deeds of the one who sent me as long as it is daytime. Night is coming when no one can work.
5. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6. Having said this, he spat on the ground and made some mud with the saliva. He smeared the mud on the blind man’s eyes
7. and said to him, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated “sent”). So the blind man went away and washed, and came back seeing.
8. Then the neighbors and the people who had seen him previously as a beggar began saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”
9. Some people said, “This is the man!” while others said, “No, but he looks like him.” The man himself kept insisting, “I am the one!”
10. So they asked him, “How then were you made to see?”
11. He replied, “The man called Jesus made mud, smeared it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and was able to see.”
12. They said to him, “Where is that man?” He replied, “I don’t know.”

The Pharisees’ Reaction to the Healing

13. They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees.
14. (Now the day on which Jesus made the mud and caused him to see was a Sabbath.)
15. So the Pharisees asked him again how he had gained his sight. He replied, “He put mud on my eyes and I washed, and now I am able to see.”
16. Then some of the Pharisees began to say, “This man is not from God, because he does not observe the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such miraculous signs?” Thus there was a division among them.
17. So again they asked the man who used to be blind, “What do you say about him, since he caused you to see?” “He is a prophet,” the man replied.
18. Now the Jewish religious leaders refused to believe that he had really been blind and had gained his sight until at last they summoned the parents of the man who had become able to see.
19. They asked the parents, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?”
20. So his parents replied, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
21. But we do not know how he is now able to see, nor do we know who caused him to see. Ask him, he is a mature adult. He will speak for himself.”
22. (His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish religious leaders. For the Jewish leaders had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.
23. For this reason his parents said, “He is a mature adult, ask him.”)
24. Then they summoned the man who used to be blind a second time and said to him, “Promise before God to tell the truth. We know that this man is a sinner.”
25. He replied, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. I do know one thing – that although I was blind, now I can see.”
26. Then they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he cause you to see?”
27. He answered, “I told you already and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You people don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?”
28. They heaped insults on him, saying, “You are his disciple! We are disciples of Moses!
29. We know that God has spoken to Moses! We do not know where this man comes from!”
30. The man replied, “This is a remarkable thing, that you don’t know where he comes from, and yet he caused me to see!
31. We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is devout and does his will, God listens to him.
32. Never before has anyone heard of someone causing a man born blind to see.
33. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
34. They replied, “You were born completely in sinfulness, and yet you presume to teach us?” So they threw him out.

The Man’s Response to Jesus

35. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, so he found the man and said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36. The man replied, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
37. Jesus told him, “You have seen him; he is the one speaking with you.”
38. [He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
39. Jesus said,] “For judgment I have come into this world, so that those who do not see may gain their sight, and the ones who see may become blind.”
40. Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and asked him, “We are not blind too, are we?”
41. Jesus replied, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.”

{John 4-6}   {Daily Reading Guide}   {John 10-12}