John 11:8 kjv
His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
John 11:8 nkjv
The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?"
John 11:8 niv
"But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?"
John 11:8 esv
The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?"
John 11:8 nlt
But his disciples objected. "Rabbi," they said, "only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?"
John 11 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 8:59 | So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself... | Jesus' life was threatened previously by stoning. |
| Jn 10:31-33 | Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him... "We are not stoning you for any good work...but for blasphemy." | Another explicit stoning attempt just before this passage. |
| Matt 16:21-23 | From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem... Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him... "Get behind me, Satan!" | Disciples' misunderstanding of Jesus' mission, preferring safety over suffering. |
| Mk 8:32-33 | And he spoke the word openly. And Peter took him and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter... | Peter's fear for Jesus and lack of understanding, similar to the other disciples. |
| Luke 13:33-34 | But I must go on my way today and tomorrow... for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem. | Jesus knows His path and destined suffering in Jerusalem. |
| Matt 23:37 | O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! | Jerusalem's history of rejecting and harming God's messengers. |
| Jn 4:34 | Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." | Jesus' absolute obedience to the Father's will, even in danger. |
| Jn 5:30 | I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge... For I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. | Jesus' complete submission to divine purpose. |
| Jn 6:38 | For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. | Reiterates Jesus' primary purpose to obey the Father. |
| Heb 10:7 | Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'" | Christ's pre-existent willingness to do God's will. |
| Psa 118:6 | The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? | Trusting God despite human threats. |
| Isa 51:12 | "I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies..." | Rebukes fear of man, encourages trust in God. |
| Matt 10:28 | And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul... | Calls disciples to fear God, not persecutors. |
| Prov 29:25 | The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. | Danger of allowing fear of man to dictate actions. |
| Acts 7:57-59 | But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears... And casting him out of the city they stoned him. | Example of stoning of a faithful witness (Stephen). |
| Jer 26:20-23 | There was another man... Uriah... who also prophesied... And when King Jehoiakim with all his mighty men... heard his words, the king sought to put him to death. | Prophetic persecution mirroring Jesus' experience. |
| Jn 7:30 | So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. | Jesus' 'hour' or timing is divinely appointed. |
| Jn 8:20 | These words he spoke in the treasury... but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. | Emphasizes divine control over Jesus' arrest and death. |
| Jn 12:23 | And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." | Jesus knows the precise divine timing for events. |
| Jn 13:1 | Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world... | Jesus operates according to the Father's predetermined timeline. |
| Rom 8:31 | What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? | Divine protection and purpose. |
John 11 verses
John 11 8 Meaning
John 11:8 conveys the disciples' immediate fear and confusion in response to Jesus' declaration that He would return to Judea. They reminded Him of the recent attempt on His life by stoning in that very region. Their question reflects their human perspective, prioritizing safety and survival over Jesus' divine mission, highlighting a profound difference in understanding between them and their Lord regarding His ultimate purpose and God's sovereign timing.
John 11 8 Context
John chapter 11 opens with the news of Lazarus's illness, delivered to Jesus while He was in Perea (across the Jordan), where He had retreated after the last attempt to stone Him in Jerusalem (Jn 10:40). Jesus explicitly states His intention to return to Judea, specifically to Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. This verse captures the disciples' reaction to that declaration. Their concern is deeply rooted in the recent and violent confrontations Jesus had with the Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem, documented in Chapters 8 and 10. They had witnessed attempts to seize and stone Jesus for His teachings, particularly His claims of divine sonship (Jn 10:33). Therefore, their warning in John 11:8 is a natural human response, expressing genuine fear for their teacher's safety and life, failing to grasp the deeper, divine purpose behind Jesus' seemingly dangerous journey back to Judea.
John 11 8 Word analysis
- The disciples: (οἱ μαθηταί, hoi mathētai) Refers to the collective body of Jesus' followers. Their designation as 'disciples' highlights their role as learners, yet here they demonstrate a human, earthly understanding contrasted with divine foresight.
- said to him: Straightforward narration of their verbal reaction.
- Rabbi, (ῥαββί, rhabbi): An Aramaic term meaning 'my master' or 'my teacher', transliterated into Greek. It is a title of respect, yet used in a context of gentle caution, showing their deference while questioning His judgment.
- a short while ago: (πάλιν, palin) Literally "again" or "back," implying a recent, repeated event. This signifies their clear and vivid memory of the immediate past danger. Scholars often interpret it as "just now" or "recently."
- the Jews: (οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, hoi Ioudaioi) In John's Gospel, this phrase often refers specifically to the hostile Jewish leadership and authorities in Jerusalem (e.g., Sanhedrin, Pharisees), rather than the general Jewish population. It points to a particular segment of society who actively opposed Jesus.
- tried to stone you, (ἐζήτουν σε λιθάσαι, ezētoun se lithasai): "Sought to stone you." Stoning was a severe form of execution prescribed for capital offenses like blasphemy (Lev 24:16). Their attempt here, outside formal legal channels (though religious leaders could incite it), indicates mob action and deadly intent. It demonstrates the serious and imminent threat Jesus faced.
- and are you going there again?: (καὶ πάλιν ἐκεῖ ὑπάγεις;, kai palin ekei hypageis?): The "again" (πάλιν, palin) repeats and reinforces their astonishment and incredulity. "There" (ἐκεῖ, ekei) refers to Judea, specifically the dangerous area around Jerusalem where the stoning attempts occurred. This rhetorical question highlights their desperate plea for Him to reconsider, rooted in human fear for His physical safety.
- Word-Group Analysis:
- "The disciples said to him, 'Rabbi,'": Establishes the deferential relationship between learners and teacher, but also foreshadows their upcoming human counsel against divine will.
- "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you,": This phrase recalls the immediate and violent past. It sets up the explicit danger and grounds the disciples' alarm in recent events, contrasting their perceived reality with Jesus' apparent disregard for it. It refers to the events described in John 8:59 and especially 10:31-33, marking a recent and life-threatening confrontation.
- "and are you going there again?": This rhetorical question succinctly encapsulates their shock, fear, and human reasoning. It underscores the clash between the natural instinct for self-preservation and Jesus' divine imperative to fulfill His Father's will regardless of the risk.
John 11 8 Bonus section
- The disciples' query functions as a foil, enhancing the reader's understanding of Jesus' unique mission and His commitment to God's will. Their fear underscores the magnitude of Jesus' courage and resolve.
- This verse can be seen as an example of Peter's earlier rebuke of Jesus in Matt 16:22-23, where disciples prioritized Jesus' safety over His prophetic suffering, earning Jesus' "Get behind me, Satan!" Here, it is a collective expression of similar human thinking, though without the same direct rebuke from Jesus.
- The proximity of Judea and Jerusalem meant that returning to Judea was effectively returning to the heart of the opposition and danger. Bethany, where Lazarus lived, was only about two miles from Jerusalem, well within the sphere of the Jewish leaders' influence.
John 11 8 Commentary
John 11:8 offers a poignant glimpse into the disciples' genuine, human concern for Jesus' safety, a reaction that arises from their direct experience of the volatile political and religious climate in Judea. Their appeal, respectful yet firm ("Rabbi"), reflects a very natural response to an imminent and clearly remembered danger. They correctly perceived the life-threatening hostility from "the Jews" (referring to the antagonistic Jewish authorities) who had repeatedly sought to stone Jesus. However, their apprehension also highlights a recurring theme in the Gospels: the disciples' limited understanding of Jesus' divine purpose and God's perfect timing. While they saw an unnecessary risk, Jesus saw a divine appointment, a manifestation of the Father's glory through Lazarus's resurrection (Jn 11:4). This verse subtly underscores the constant tension between human prudence and divine calling, a tension often experienced by those who follow Christ, where faith is called to transcend logical human fear in obedience to a higher will.