John 10 31

John 10:31 kjv

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

John 10:31 nkjv

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.

John 10:31 niv

Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,

John 10:31 esv

The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.

John 10:31 nlt

Once again the people picked up stones to kill him.

John 10 verses

John 10 31 Meaning

John 10:31 signifies the immediate and violent reaction of the Judean religious leaders to Jesus' divine claims, specifically His statement in John 10:30, "I and the Father are one." Their act of picking up stones was a direct attempt to execute Jesus for what they perceived as blasphemy, a capital offense under Mosaic Law for making Himself equal with God. It reveals the depth of their theological rejection and the intense animosity toward Jesus' self-revelation.

John 10 31 Context

John 10:31 occurs immediately after Jesus declares, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30), climaxing a discourse about Himself as the Good Shepherd. In the broader chapter context, Jesus has described His care for His sheep and asserted His divine authority and power, which prompted the questioning by the Jews about His identity as the Christ. Their immediate response with violence indicates their clear understanding that Jesus claimed equality with God. Culturally and historically, stoning was a recognized form of capital punishment under Mosaic Law, specifically for crimes like blasphemy (Lev 24:16) and idolatry. While Judea was under Roman occupation and only the Roman authorities could legally execute someone, the religious leaders often took justice into their own hands in moments of extreme religious fervor, as seen later with Stephen (Acts 7). Their act in John 10:31 bypasses any legal procedure, demonstrating their rage and conviction that Jesus' claim was an open and blatant act of blasphemy against their singular God.

John 10 31 Word analysis

• Then (οὖν - oun): This conjunction signifies a direct, logical, and immediate consequence or reaction. It links the Jews' action directly to Jesus' previous declaration ("I and the Father are one").
• the Jews (οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι - hoi Ioudaioi): In John's Gospel, this term often refers not to the entire Jewish people, but specifically to the antagonistic religious leadership and their followers in Jerusalem and Judea, who were hostile to Jesus' ministry and claims. It identifies a distinct group in opposition to Jesus.
• again (πάλιν - palin): This adverb emphasizes that this was not a first-time impulse but a repeated intention to stone Jesus. It links back to a similar attempt in John 8:59 and indicates persistent hostility and rejection.
• picked up (ἔβαστασαν - ebastasan, from βαστάζω - bastazo): Implies a deliberate and active engagement in preparing to inflict capital punishment. They consciously and physically acquired the means for stoning, taking the law into their own hands.
• stones (λίθους - lithous): The designated implements for capital punishment by stoning, according to Mosaic Law, particularly for severe religious offenses such as blasphemy. This choice of weapon signifies the perceived nature of Jesus' offense.
• to stone Him (ἵνα λιθάσωσιν αὐτόν - hina lithasosin auton): This phrase states the explicit purpose and intent of their action. It clarifies that their aim was not merely to silence or wound Jesus, but to execute Him in accordance with what they believed His claims merited under their law—death for blasphemy.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Then the Jews": This grouping highlights the specific actors—the organized and hostile religious establishment—and their prompt reaction to Jesus' teaching. Their response is immediate, showing a lack of further deliberation on Jesus' words.
• "again picked up stones": This emphasizes a pattern of violent intent. The "again" signals a hardening of hearts and a repeated attempt at summary execution, while "picked up stones" details their preparedness for a capital act.
• "picked up stones to stone Him": This phrase directly connects the physical act with its deadly purpose. It unmistakably reveals their conviction that Jesus' claim in John 10:30 constituted blasphemy, which they felt justified their immediate, extralegal execution of Him by stoning.

John 10 31 Bonus section

The intensity of the "Jews'" reaction reveals not merely a legal disagreement but profound theological conviction about the gravity of blasphemy. Their willingness to immediately resort to stoning, even circumventing formal Roman legal processes, suggests a belief that Jesus' claim was an unpardonable and immediate affront to God, requiring immediate intervention. This particular event demonstrates a critical theological tension throughout John's Gospel: Jesus consistently reveals Himself as God (e.g., "I Am" statements, claims of co-equality), while the Jewish authorities consistently reject these claims as blasphemy, misinterpreting monotheism. Their actions, though religiously motivated, highlight the dangerous extreme of opposing God's truth through human tradition and self-righteousness.

John 10 31 Commentary

John 10:31 provides a stark, visual climax to Jesus' assertion of His divine oneness with the Father. The swift, violent reaction of "the Jews" underscores their interpretation of His words: they understood Jesus was indeed making Himself equal with God. For them, this was the ultimate blasphemy, directly violating the First Commandment and meriting the death penalty by stoning under Mosaic Law. Their repeated attempts to stone Jesus highlight their hardened hearts and spiritual blindness to His true identity, even as He revealed it through words and miraculous deeds. This act exemplifies the collision between God's revelation in Christ and human resistance born of misinterpretation, religious zealotry, and an unwillingness to accept a Messiah who defied their preconceived notions. This event foreshadows the greater rejection that would lead to His crucifixion, a recurring pattern of a people's rejection of God's Anointed.