STREAMS OF LIVING WATER

Passage: John 7:37-52

Key verse: 38

NIV

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival,(A) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.(B) 38 Whoever believes(C) in me, as Scripture has said,(D) rivers of living water(E) will flow from within them.”[a](F) 39 By this he meant the Spirit,(G) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.(H) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.(I)

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”(J)

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?(K) 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants(L) and from Bethlehem,(M) the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided(N) because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.(O)

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

45 Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

46 “No one ever spoke the way this man does,”(P) the guards replied.

47 “You mean he has deceived you also?”(Q) the Pharisees retorted. 48 “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?(R) 49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

50 Nicodemus,(S) who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”(T)

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Footnotes
  1. John 7:38 Or me. And let anyone drink 38 who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them) will flow rivers of living water.”
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Rivers of Living Water

37 (A)On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, (B)“If anyone thirsts, let him (C)come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, (D)as[a] the Scripture has said, (E)‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of (F)living water.’” 39 Now (G)this he said about the Spirit, (H)whom those who believed in him were to receive, (I)for as yet the Spirit had not been (J)given, (K)because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Division Among the People

40 When they heard these words, (L)some of the people said, “This really is (M)the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is (N)the Christ.” But some said, (O)“Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes (P)from the offspring of David, and comes (Q)from Bethlehem, the village (R)where David was?” 43 So there was (S)a division among the people over him. 44 (T)Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

45 (U)The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, (V)“No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, (W)“Have you also been deceived? 48 (X)Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 (Y)Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 (Z)“Does our law judge a man without first (AA)giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, (AB)“Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that (AC)no prophet arises from Galilee.”

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Footnotes
  1. John 7:38 Or let him come to me, and let him who believes in me drink. As
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. If anyone is thirsty (37-39)

On the last day of the feast Jesus stood and gave an invitation to all thirsty people to come to him (See Isaiah 55:1.). He promised to give streams of living water that would flow from within. John explained that this was a promise of the Holy Spirit who would be poured out on all believers after sin had been defeated by Jesus' death and resurrection. The Spirit is given not only to bless the believer; he comes to make the believer a blessing to others.

2. No one ever spoke like this man (4

-52)

There was a division of opinion about Jesus. Some received his words and knew that he was the promised Messiah. Others, basing their opinion on inadequate information, rejected him. (They did not know that Jesus was indeed born in Bethlehem.) The temple guards angered the Pharisees by their testimony (46, 47). Nicodemus asked for a fair hearing, and was squelched.

Prayer: Lord, give me the streams of living water flowing out to bless others.

One Word: Jesus, streams of living water