John 10 39

John 10:39 kjv

Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

John 10:39 nkjv

Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

John 10:39 niv

Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

John 10:39 esv

Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

John 10:39 nlt

Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them.

John 10 verses

John 10 39 Meaning

John 10:39 conveys the escalating conflict between Jesus and the Jewish authorities. Following Jesus' powerful assertions of His divine identity and unity with the Father, their attempts to stone Him turned into a concerted effort to seize Him for formal arrest and judgment. However, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty and control over His own life and destiny, Jesus miraculously eluded their grasp, highlighting that His time had not yet come according to His Father's divine plan.

John 10 39 Context

John 10:39 occurs within the account of Jesus' discourse at the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) in Jerusalem, specifically in Solomon's Colonnade (Jn 10:22-23). The passage begins with the Jews demanding to know plainly if Jesus is the Christ. Jesus responds by appealing to His works, which testify to His identity, and then makes the audacious claim: "I and the Father are one" (Jn 10:30). This statement is immediately met with a violent reaction; the Jews pick up stones to stone Him for blasphemy, specifically "because You, being a Man, make Yourself God" (Jn 10:33). Jesus defends Himself by referencing Psalm 82:6, arguing that if God called judges "gods" in the Law, then He, whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, could legitimately call Himself the Son of God without blasphemy, especially when His works prove His claim. However, the authorities remained unconvinced and hostile. Verse 39 describes the direct consequence of this confrontation: their continued resolve to arrest Him, thwarted only by His supernatural evasion. This entire episode showcases Jesus' clear claim to divinity and the deep-seated spiritual opposition He faced from the religious establishment, who fundamentally misunderstood both His person and the scriptures they claimed to uphold.

John 10 39 Word analysis

• Therefore (Διὰ τοῦτο - Dia touto):

  • Indicates a logical consequence.
  • Connects directly to the Jews' understanding (or misunderstanding) of Jesus' preceding statements about His unity with the Father and His identity as God's Son (Jn 10:30, 36). Their intent to seize Him is a direct response to His perceived blasphemy and His unassailable arguments.

• they sought (ἐζήτουν - ezētoun):

  • Imperfect tense in Greek.
  • Suggests an ongoing, repeated, or persistent attempt, not just a momentary impulse. This underlines their determined opposition.

• again (πάλιν - palin):

  • Highlights the recurrence of attempts to apprehend Jesus.
  • Recalls previous similar efforts that also failed (Jn 7:30, 7:44, 8:20, 8:59). This establishes a pattern of divine protection and human impotence until the preordained time.

• to seize Him (πιάσαι αὐτόν - piasai auton):

  • Piasai means to lay hold of, catch, or arrest, often implying a forceful apprehension.
  • Distinguishes their intent from merely throwing stones (Jn 10:31). This signifies a desire for formal arrest and judicial process rather than a spontaneous act of violence.
  • This is the same verb used in John 18:12 when He is finally seized, emphasizing that here they sought to seize but could not.

• but He escaped (ἐξῆλθεν - exēlthen):

  • Literally means "He went out" or "He exited."
  • In context, it signifies an unexpected and supernatural evasion, rather than merely walking away unnoticed. This miraculous disappearance or passing through them asserts His divine control over the situation, preventing His enemies from controlling Him.
  • It echoes a similar escape from a mob in Nazareth (Lk 4:30) and again in the temple (Jn 8:59).

• out of their hand (ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν - ek tēs cheiros autōn):

  • Idiomatic expression meaning beyond their control, from their grasp, or out of their power.
  • Emphasizes their complete inability to effect their will against Him. It underscores His sovereignty, not just His physical elusiveness.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Therefore they sought again to seize Him": This phrase captures the hardened resolve of Jesus' opponents. Their theological and personal offense at His claims has matured from spontaneous stoning attempts to a calculated, repeated intention to formally arrest and silence Him, indicating their deepening rejection of His person and ministry.

• "but He escaped out of their hand": This antithetical clause dramatically highlights Jesus' divine sovereignty. Despite human intention and physical proximity, Jesus demonstrates absolute command over His destiny. His "escape" signifies God's protective hand, preventing the premature execution of human evil plans and preserving Jesus for the precise "hour" determined by the Father. This reveals Jesus' non-passive acceptance of the Passion, but a sovereign movement towards it, at the perfect time.

John 10 39 Bonus section

The consistent failure of the Jewish authorities to apprehend Jesus throughout John's Gospel (e.g., Jn 7:30, 7:44, 8:20, 8:59) creates a powerful dramatic irony. While they repeatedly seek to lay hold of Him, they are ultimately powerless because Jesus operates according to His Father's predetermined "hour." This leitmotif builds suspense, hinting that the eventual arrest and crucifixion are not defeats, but the sovereign fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. John deliberately highlights that the religious leaders are spiritually blind to the true nature of God's Son and unable to comprehend the divine works that confirm His identity, further entrenching them in their rejection and ultimately sealing their condemnation. This narrative pattern of failed capture serves to magnify Jesus' divine power and underscore the theme that His life and death were entirely under His sovereign control, not subject to human machinations.

John 10 39 Commentary

John 10:39 is a pivotal moment in the escalating narrative of rejection in John's Gospel. The Jewish leaders' attempts to seize Jesus directly after His declaration of oneness with the Father reveal the depth of their theological blindness and spiritual animosity. For them, Jesus' claim was outright blasphemy, deserving of death. Their intention shifted from spontaneous stoning to calculated arrest, signifying a move towards legal proceedings, indicative of the authorities' desire for institutional action against Him.

However, the concise statement "but He escaped out of their hand" underscores a fundamental truth about Jesus' ministry: He was not a victim of circumstance or human machinations, but was sovereignly in control. His "escape" was not an act of fear, but a demonstration of divine timing and power. He was not taken by force or trickery; He allowed Himself to be arrested only when His appointed "hour" had come (Jn 18:4-9). This supernatural evasion, similar to other instances in His ministry, confirms that no one could take His life from Him unless He willingly laid it down, aligning with His prior declaration: "No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative" (Jn 10:18). This verse serves as a potent reminder of God's overarching control, even amidst intense opposition and human malevolence, ensuring that His purposes unfold according to His perfect will.