Discussion About the Origins of the Messiah.^* 40Some in the crowd who heard these words said, “This is truly the Prophet.”^x 41Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But others said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he? 42Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”^y 43So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. 44Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

45So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.” 47So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?^z 49But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” 50Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them,^a 51“Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?”^b 52They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” 53Then each went to his own house,