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 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 8:59 | "So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple." | Similar attempt to stone Jesus |
| John 10:30 | "I and the Father are one." | Jesus' claim that provokes this |
| Matthew 27:41-43 | "In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot save himself...'" | Mockery and rejection by leaders |
| Isaiah 40:31 | "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." | God's power vs. human weakness |
| Psalms 2:1-2 | "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one." | Opposition against God's Anointed |
| John 1:1 | "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." | Divinity of Jesus (the Word) |
| John 14:9-11 | "Jesus answered: 'Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been believing in me. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me?'" | Unity of Jesus and the Father |
| John 5:18 | "For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." | Prior attempt to kill Jesus |
| Hebrews 1:3 | "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." | Jesus' divine nature |
| Deuteronomy 13:1-5 | Warning against false prophets who lead people to worship other gods. | Jewish law on blasphemy/idolatry |
| Exodus 31:12-17 | The Sabbath commandment. | Context for accusations against Jesus |
| Mark 14:61-64 | Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin, where he is accused of blasphemy. | Accusation of blasphemy |
| 1 Corinthians 1:18 | "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." | God's power rejected by men |
| Romans 9:33 | "as it is written: 'See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and on rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.'" | Jesus as a stumbling block |
| Matthew 11:29 | "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." | Contrast to the accusers' hardened hearts |
| John 10:22-23 | The Feast of Dedication, setting the immediate context for the confrontation. | Immediate context |
| 1 Peter 2:4-5 | Believers as living stones built into a spiritual house. | Jesus as the chief cornerstone |
| Ephesians 2:20-22 | The church built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. | Jesus as the foundation |
| Acts 4:11 | "He is the stone the builders rejected, who has become the cornerstone." | Fulfillment of Ps 118:22 |
| John 10:32 | "But Jesus answered them, 'I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you intend to stone me?'" | Jesus' defense and questioning |
| John 5:46-47 | "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say?” | Jesus' appeal to Moses |
John 10 verses
John 10 31 Meaning
The Jewish people attempted to stone Jesus, indicating they did not accept his claims of divine sonship and his unity with the Father. This verse signifies the ultimate rejection of Jesus by the religious establishment of his day, despite his powerful works and teachings.
John 10 31 Context
This event occurs during the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) in Jerusalem, as recorded in the preceding verses (John 10:22). Jesus was walking in Solomon's Portico in the temple. He had just finished a discourse on his relationship with the Father, asserting, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). This statement, coupled with his previous claims of divine authority and healing actions (like healing the man blind from birth in chapter 9), was interpreted as blasphemy by the Jewish leaders. Their anger and desire to stone Jesus underscore their fundamental disagreement with his messianic claims and his perceived affront to the Law, particularly concerning the Sabbath.
John 10 31 Word Analysis
- "Then" (Τοτε, tote): Indicates a chronological sequence following Jesus' declaration. It marks the immediate reaction of the crowd to his profound statement about his unity with God.
- "the Jews" (οι Ιουδαιοι, oi Ioudaioi): In John's Gospel, this term often refers to the religious authorities or the populace influenced by them, representing the opposition Jesus faced. It can denote a specific group, not necessarily all Jewish people.
- "again" (παλιν, palin): Suggests this was not the first instance of such opposition or intent; previous encounters had also led to attempts to seize or harm Jesus.
- "took up stones" (ελαβον λιθους, elabon lithous): A direct action, the plural "stones" implies preparation or availability of stones for stoning. Stoning was a capital punishment prescribed in the Old Testament for offenses like blasphemy and idolatry.
- "to stone him" (ινα λιθασωσιν αυτον, hina lithasosin auton): The infinitive clause expresses the purpose of picking up the stones. The verb lithazo specifically means to stone.
Words-Group Analysis
- "Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him": This collective action highlights the organized opposition and the severe charge (blasphemy) that fueled their aggression. The readiness to use stones demonstrates the intensity of their conviction that Jesus was defying God. This is a clear confrontation and rejection of Jesus' divine claims.
John 10 31 Bonus Section
The charge of blasphemy against Jesus for claiming equality with God is a recurring theme in John's Gospel. In John 5:18, it is stated that the Jews "tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." This verse in chapter 10 represents a climactic moment of this animosity. The cultural context of stoning was well-understood by both Jesus and the crowd; it was a violent and definitive punishment for egregious religious offenses. This event sets the stage for Jesus' departure from the temple and reinforces the deep division between his followers and the religious elite. His later appearance, when he asks, "For which of these do you intend to stone me?" (John 10:32), reveals the lack of specific valid charges under their own law, aside from their interpretation of his identity.
John 10 31 Commentary
Jesus' statement "I and the Father are one" was not a mere theological assertion but a direct claim to deity. The Jewish leaders, deeply committed to monotheism and the exclusivity of God, perceived this as a profound act of blasphemy, punishable by death according to their law. Their immediate physical reaction – reaching for stones – demonstrates their adherence to a strict interpretation of the Law and their unreadiness to accept Jesus' self-identification with God. Jesus' divinity was central to his identity and mission, and his claim of unity with the Father placed him at odds with the established religious authority who refused to acknowledge him. The Gospel of John consistently presents this tension, where belief in Jesus leads to life, while rejection leads to judgment. Jesus’ calm presence in the face of this immediate threat further underscores his divine authority and control over the situation.