John 10:34 kjv
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
John 10:34 nkjv
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods" '?
John 10:34 niv
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are "gods"?'?
John 10:34 esv
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'?
John 10:34 nlt
Jesus replied, "It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, 'I say, you are gods!'
John 10 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 82:1 | God presides in the divine assembly; he renders judgment among the gods. | Context of the "gods" in the divine assembly. |
| Ps 82:6-7 | "I said, 'You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.' But you will die like mere mortals..." | The direct quote's immediate context and the mortality of these "gods." |
| Exod 21:6 | "...he is to be taken to the judges [Hebrew: elohim]..." | `Elohim` referring to human judges or authorities. |
| Exod 22:8 | "If a man gives his neighbor money or goods for safekeeping and it is stolen... the case is to be brought to the judges [Hebrew: elohim]..." | `Elohim` used for human judges. |
| Deut 1:17 | "...do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God..." | Judges act on behalf of God, signifying delegated authority. |
| 2 Chr 19:6 | "Consider carefully what you do, for you are not judging for man but for the LORD..." | Judges performing a divine role. |
| John 5:18 | "...He was not only breaking the Sabbath, but was even calling God his own Father, making Himself equal with God." | Similar accusation of blasphemy against Jesus. |
| John 10:30 | "I and the Father are one." | Jesus' strong claim to divinity, sparking the stoning attempt. |
| John 10:33 | "...'for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.'" | The explicit accusation Jesus is refuting. |
| John 10:36 | "...'You are blaspheming' because I said, 'I am God’s Son'—the one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world?" | Jesus clarifying His claim and divine commission. |
| John 5:39 | "You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me..." | The authority of Scripture to testify about Christ. |
| John 5:46 | "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me." | Jesus appealing to Moses' writings (part of the Law). |
| Matt 5:17 | "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." | Jesus' respect for and fulfillment of the Law. |
| Rom 15:4 | "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us..." | The instructive and authoritative nature of Old Testament writings. |
| Mark 14:61-64 | "...Again the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?' 'I am,' said Jesus... 'You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?'" | Jesus' divine claim leading to a charge of blasphemy at His trial. |
| Phil 2:6 | "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage..." | Christ's inherent divinity. |
| Col 1:15 | "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." | Christ as the full representation of God. |
| Heb 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..." | Christ embodying God's essence and power. |
| 1 John 5:20 | "...And we are in Him who is true—even in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." | Affirmation of Jesus' identity as true God. |
| Gal 4:4 | "But when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law..." | Emphasizes God sending His Son. |
| Heb 5:5 | "In the same way, Christ did not take on Himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.'" | Christ's unique divine Sonship confirmed by God. |
| Isa 42:1 | "Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom I delight..." | Prophetic hint of a divinely chosen figure, reflecting divine appointment. |
John 10 verses
John 10 34 Meaning
John 10:34 presents Jesus' defense against the Jewish accusation of blasphemy for making Himself God. He counters their charge by appealing to their own Scriptures, specifically Psalm 82:6. Jesus highlights that if the Law (here, the Old Testament broadly) refers to certain humans—identified as judges or rulers—as "gods" due to their divinely appointed authority, how much more legitimate is His claim to being the Son of God, especially since He was consecrated and sent by the Father Himself. This is an argument from the lesser to the greater, demonstrating the inconsistency of their accusation when viewed through the lens of their own sacred texts.
John 10 34 Context
John 10:34 is a pivotal moment in a heated confrontation between Jesus and Jewish leaders. Prior to this, Jesus declared, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). This profound statement of unity and shared essence with God the Father led the Jews to take up stones, intending to kill Him for blasphemy, as they understood His claim to mean He, a man, was making Himself God (John 10:31-33). Jesus' immediate response in verse 34 appeals directly to their authoritative text, the Old Testament, to justify His unique identity. The historical and cultural context is vital: the Jewish understanding of "Law" (Greek: nomos) encompassed the entire Old Testament Scripture, including the Prophets and the Writings (which contain Psalm 82), not just the Pentateuch (Torah). The concept of blasphemy was taken seriously, defined as uttering words that insult or show contempt or lack of reverence for God. Jesus demonstrates their inconsistent application of their own Law, arguing that if it designates human judges as "gods" because they act as divine representatives, then His much grander claim as the one directly consecrated and sent by God cannot logically be blasphemy.
John 10 34 Word analysis
- Jesus: The central figure whose divine claims are being challenged. His authority rests not merely on personal assertion but on divine witness and Scripture.
- answered: Greek `apokrinomai` (ἀποκρίνομαι), indicating a direct reply to the immediate accusation, engaging with their challenge.
- them: Refers to "the Jews" (οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι), specifically the hostile crowd attempting to stone Jesus for blasphemy.
- Is it not written: Greek `gegraptai` (γέγραπται), a perfect passive participle meaning "it stands written" or "it has been written." This signifies a settled, enduring, and authoritative statement, implying the unquestionable authority of the Scripture. It's a rhetorical question, expecting agreement.
- in your Law: Greek `nomos` (νόμος). While `nomos` often refers specifically to the Pentateuch (Torah), here it broadly refers to the entire Old Testament Scripture, specifically quoting Psalm 82, which is part of the "Writings." Jesus appeals to the entirety of the revered sacred text.
- 'I said': In Psalm 82:6, the speaker is God Himself. This underscores the divine origin of the statement, lending ultimate authority to the classification of certain humans as "gods."
- 'You are gods': Greek `theoi` (θεοί). The Hebrew term in Psalm 82:6 is `elohim` (אֱלֹהִים). In this context, `elohim` does not mean "divine beings by nature," but refers to human judges or rulers. These individuals were designated `elohim` because they administered God's justice on earth, acting as His representatives. They possessed God-given authority and were therefore, in a figurative sense, representing divine rule. Psalm 82:7 immediately clarifies their mortality ("you will die like mere mortals"), reinforcing they are human.
- "Is it not written in your Law": This phrase constitutes a powerful rhetorical question. Jesus is not asking for information but compelling His accusers to acknowledge the authority of their own Scriptures. It serves as an authoritative appeal, grounding His argument firmly within the Jewish accepted sacred texts.
- "I said, 'You are gods'": This is the core of Jesus' argument, quoting Psalm 82:6. By presenting this divine statement from their "Law," Jesus sets up an a fortiori (from the lesser to the greater) argument. If God Himself called human judges "gods" because of their delegated divine authority, how much more fitting is it for the one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world to call Himself the "Son of God" or indeed be called "God's Son," without being accused of blasphemy?
John 10 34 Bonus section
The a fortiori argument employed by Jesus in this passage is a key aspect. If the lesser (human judges acting with delegated authority) can be called "gods," then the greater (Jesus, directly consecrated and sent by the Father, one with Him) can certainly claim divine Sonship and implicitly equality with God without blasphemy. This passage unequivocally serves to defend Jesus' divine identity, not to suggest an inherent divinity for all humanity. The "gods" in Psalm 82 are explicitly described as dying like mere mortals (Psalm 82:7), clearly distinguishing them from the eternally divine nature of God, which Jesus shares. This underscores that while humanity can bear the image of God and be given authority by Him, only Jesus possesses true divine essence.
John 10 34 Commentary
In John 10:34, Jesus adeptly navigates the volatile accusation of blasphemy by leveraging the very Scriptures His accusers revered. He argues that if God's Word calls human judges—who operate with divinely delegated authority to render justice—"gods" (in the sense of acting as God's representatives), then His own claim of being "Son of God" is inherently consistent with their sacred texts, not contradictory. This is crucial: Jesus is not asserting that humans are divine by nature or advocating polytheism. Instead, He highlights the inconsistency of His accusers who accepted a broad application of "gods" for fallible human judges yet condemned Him, the one truly consecrated and sent by the Father, for claiming a unique Sonship implying oneness with God. His argument centers on His unparalleled divine commission and intimate relationship with the Father, making His claim legitimate and setting Him apart from those human judges, whose mortality is emphasized in the very next verse of Psalm 82. This response both silences the immediate charge of blasphemy and subtly elevates His own unique identity as the ultimate embodiment of God's presence and authority.