John 10 32

John 10:32 kjv

Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

John 10:32 nkjv

Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?"

John 10:32 niv

but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"

John 10:32 esv

Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?"

John 10:32 nlt

Jesus said, "At my Father's direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?"

John 10 verses

John 10 32 Meaning

Jesus, faced with a stoning mob, questions their motivation. He highlights the "many good works" He performed, which originate from God the Father. He challenges them to identify a single good work for which He deserved to be stoned, exposing the irrationality and spiritual blindness behind their accusations and violent intent. His question is a rhetorical defense, pointing to the undeniable evidence of His divine mission and benevolent actions, implicitly asserting that His works attested to His true identity as from God, rather than blasphemy.

John 10 32 Context

John 10:32 occurs during the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) in Jerusalem. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus presented Himself as the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:1-18), laying down His life for the sheep and stating that no one could snatch His sheep from His hand or the Father's hand. Immediately prior to verse 32, in John 10:24, the Jews cornered Jesus, demanding plainly if He was the Christ. Jesus responded by referring to His works: "The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me" (Jn 10:25). This escalated in John 10:30, where Jesus declared, "I and the Father are one," a statement they clearly understood as a claim to deity, leading them to pick up stones to stone Him for blasphemy (Jn 10:31). Verse 32 is Jesus' direct challenge to their violent reaction, demanding justification for their murderous intent based on His visible, benevolent actions. The cultural context includes Jewish law mandating stoning for blasphemy (Lev 24:16) and their firm monotheistic belief, making any claim to divinity, especially by a human, anathema to them.

John 10 32 Word analysis

• Jesus (Ἰησοῦς - Iēsous): The Greek form of the Hebrew "Yeshua" or "Joshua," meaning "Yahweh saves." Here, it identifies the speaker as the divine Son of God, contrasting with the limited human perspective of His accusers.

• answered (ἀπεκρίθη - apekrithe): Implies a retort or response to their actions (picking up stones). It's a verbal counter to their physical threat.

• "Many (πολλά - polla) good (ἀγαθά - agatha) works (ἔργα - erga)":

  • πολλά (polla): "Many," emphasizing the abundance and undeniable volume of His benevolent deeds. Not just one or two, but numerous.
  • ἀγαθά (agatha): "Good," intrinsically righteous, beneficial, and divinely sanctioned. These are not merely 'neutral' or 'humanly commendable' works but works bearing God's character.
  • ἔργα (erga): "Works," referring to tangible actions, miracles (healings, casting out demons, feeding the multitudes), teachings, and general acts of kindness. These were observable proofs.

• "have I shown (ἔδειξα - edeixa) you (ὑμῖν - humin)":

  • ἔδειξα (edeixa): "I have shown/demonstrated/exhibited." Not merely talked about, but publicly displayed and made evident. It stresses physical manifestation.
  • ὑμῖν (humin): "To you," directly addressing His audience, the Jews and their leaders who had witnessed these very deeds. This highlights their direct culpability and lack of spiritual discernment.

• "from My Father (ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός μου - ek tou Patros mou)":

  • ἐκ (ek): "From/out of," denotes origin and source. It profoundly links the works to God the Father, establishing Jesus' divine authority and mission. This is crucial because it aligns His actions directly with God's will and power.
  • τοῦ Πατρός μου (tou Patros mou): "My Father." This phrase consistently refers to God and underscores Jesus' unique, intimate relationship as the Son, making His claim "I and the Father are one" comprehensible in light of these works.

• "For which (διὰ ποῖον - dia poion) of these (τούτων - toutōn) works (ἔργον - ergon)":

  • διὰ ποῖον (dia poion): A rhetorical question meaning "For which specific one?" or "On account of which?" It forces His accusers to pinpoint a malevolent or blasphemous action, which they cannot.

• "do you stone (λιθάζετε - lithazete) Me (με - me)?":

  • λιθάζετε (lithazete): "Do you stone." The present tense indicates their ongoing attempt or intent. Stoning was a severe punishment for specific religious offenses, primarily blasphemy.
  • με (me): "Me," emphasizing their direct violence against His person, in contrast to His beneficial works.

• "Many good works have I shown you from My Father": This phrase asserts the divine origin, quality, and quantity of Jesus' ministry. It challenges His accusers' preconceived notions by contrasting undeniable benevolent acts with their hostile, misguided judgment. It is a declarative statement of His benevolent mission and authentication.

• "For which of these works do you stone Me?": A powerful rhetorical question that highlights the profound disconnect between Jesus' demonstrable beneficence and the Jews' malicious intent. It unmasks the true nature of their opposition: not a rational objection to His deeds, but a spiritual resistance to His claims and identity revealed through those deeds.

John 10 32 Bonus section

• Irony of Accusation: The Jews sought to stone Jesus for blasphemy, believing He made Himself God, yet Jesus pointed to the works of God being done through Him as evidence for His divinity. They failed to recognize the divine fingerprints on His deeds, leading to a tragic irony.
• Context of Hanukkah: The Feast of Dedication celebrated God's miraculous deliverance and cleansing of the temple. In this setting, Jesus' claims and works as a demonstration of God's renewed presence and light held even greater significance, making the Jews' rejection starker.
• Testing Prophecy: According to OT tradition, prophets were identified by their works and the consistency of their message with God's word (Deut 18:20-22). Jesus’ works provided irrefutable proof of His prophetic and more than prophetic authority.
• Precedent for Persecution: This exchange prefigures the ongoing pattern throughout the New Testament where followers of Christ are persecuted despite their good works (1 Pet 3:13-17).

John 10 32 Commentary

John 10:32 serves as a pivotal moment in the escalating conflict between Jesus and the Jewish authorities. Jesus’ question is a powerful, logical appeal that seeks to expose the sheer illogic of their actions. He confronts their murderous intent not with a display of divine power to escape, but with an irrefutable defense based on His "many good works." These works were not performed in secret; they were public demonstrations of divine compassion and power—healings, deliverances, and teachings—all clearly emanating "from My Father." The question implicitly challenges the accusers to align their judgment with visible truth rather than prejudiced assumptions or theological error. The essence of the charge against Jesus was blasphemy (Jn 10:33), for making Himself God. Yet, Jesus points to the very works they have witnessed as the true evidence. These works should have verified His divine claims, not condemned them. Their desire to stone Him was thus revealed as a rejection of God’s own hand at work, proving their spiritual blindness rather than upholding righteous law. It highlights a common theme in John's Gospel: people rejecting light because their deeds are darkness, refusing to acknowledge truth evident in plain sight.