John 8 59

John 8:59 kjv

Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

John 8:59 nkjv

Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

John 8:59 niv

At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

John 8:59 esv

So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

John 8:59 nlt

At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.

John 8 verses

John 8 59 Meaning

John 8:59 describes the immediate, violent reaction of the Jewish religious leaders to Jesus' explicit claim of divinity. When Jesus stated, "before Abraham was, I am," He declared His eternal pre-existence and identified Himself with the divine covenant name revealed to Moses (Ex 3:14). Perceiving this as blatant blasphemy against God, an act punishable by death under Mosaic Law, they picked up stones to execute Him. However, Jesus miraculously evaded their grasp and departed from the Temple, demonstrating His sovereign control over His life and timing, as His designated hour for suffering had not yet arrived.

John 8 59 Context

John chapter 8 forms part of Jesus' teaching during the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. The chapter details intense confrontation between Jesus and various Jewish factions (Pharisees, teachers of the Law, hostile Jews) regarding His identity, authority, and claims. It follows the narrative of the woman caught in adultery, then Jesus declaring Himself the Light of the World (Jn 8:12). The core conflict escalates as Jesus claims divine origin, calls His adversaries slaves to sin and children of the devil, and finally culminates in His profound statement: "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am" (Jn 8:58). This declaration, made in the Temple courts, directly led to the events of verse 59, where the Jewish leaders correctly understood His statement as a claim to deity, thus invoking the capital offense of blasphemy under their understanding of Mosaic Law (Lev 24:16). Historically, stoning was the prescribed method for capital punishment for blasphemy and other severe offenses against God or the community. The Temple complex was a common area for such disputes, making the violent reaction immediate and public.

John 8 59 Word analysis

• So (οὖν, oun): Connects the act of violence directly as a consequence of Jesus' prior statement ("before Abraham was, I am"). It indicates a logical and inevitable conclusion from their perspective.
• they picked up stones (ἦραν λίθους, ēran lithous): "Picked up" (from αἴρω, airō) implies an immediate, spontaneous act driven by rage, not a formal judicial process. The "stones" signify intent to execute by stoning, the prescribed method for blasphemy. This was an attempt at an immediate, violent, informal execution, effectively a lynching.
• to throw at Him (ἵνα βάλωσιν ἐπ’ αὐτόν, hina balōsin ep' auton): Explicitly states their murderous intention. It reveals their understanding of His claim as deserving of death.
• but Jesus hid Himself (Ἰησοῦς δὲ ἐκρύβη, Iēsous de ekrybē): The Greek verb "ἐκρύβη" (ekrybē) is an aorist passive, which can mean "He was hidden" or "He hid Himself." This suggests a supernatural intervention or divine power enabling Him to become imperceptible or escape notice, rather than simply fleeing. It emphasizes Jesus' sovereignty over His life; His "hour" had not yet come (Jn 7:30, 8:20).
• and went out of the temple (ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, exēlthen ek tou hierou): Indicates His physical departure from the immediate danger. The act of leaving the Temple, a symbol of divine presence, could also carry symbolic weight for a system that had rejected its Lord.
• passing through the midst of them (διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν, dia mesou autōn): This phrase is absent in some significant early manuscripts but is present in others and generally accepted in most English translations. If present, it underscores the miraculous nature of His escape—He did not sneak around them, but rather moved directly through their hostile assembly, undetected or unimpeded by divine power. This mirrors other instances of Jesus evading capture (Lk 4:30).
• and so passed by (καὶ παρῆγεν οὕτως, kai parēgen houtōs): Confirms His unhindered departure. "Oὕτως" (houtōs) suggests "in such a manner" or "thus," reinforcing the unusual nature of His exit, highlighting His control over the situation.

Words-group analysis:

• "picked up stones to throw at Him": This phrase succinctly portrays the mob's verdict of blasphemy and their immediate, visceral attempt to apply the death penalty without due process, driven by profound rage at Jesus' divine claim. It highlights the clash between human judicial (or mob) power and divine authority.
• "Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple": This action demonstrates Jesus' miraculous ability to protect Himself, aligning with His repeated assertion that His "hour had not yet come." It points to His divine control over the timing of His passion and His sovereign nature, refusing to be killed prematurely by human hands.
• "passing through the midst of them, and so passed by": If this longer reading is taken, it powerfully illustrates Jesus' divine omnipresence and subtle omnipotence. He wasn't merely hiding; He was in plain sight yet invisible or untouchable to those who sought to harm Him, signifying a miraculous passage that underscored His authority even in moments of danger.

John 8 59 Bonus section

• Temple Setting Significance: The incident occurred within the Temple complex, the supposed house of God. The irony is stark: those who ministered in God's house attempted to murder God incarnate within its very confines. This underscores the corruption of religious authority and the displacement of God from His own dwelling by human tradition and hardened hearts.
• Theme of "His Hour": John's Gospel repeatedly mentions that Jesus' "hour" had not yet come (Jn 2:4, 7:6, 7:30, 8:20). Verse 59 perfectly exemplifies this: Jesus was untouchable until His divinely appointed time for suffering and death arrived. His escape was not a desperate flight, but an exercise of sovereign control over His mission and destiny, distinct from the ultimate "hour" of His crucifixion.
• Divine "Hiddenness": Jesus' act of "hiding Himself" can be paralleled with Old Testament motifs where God sometimes veiled His presence (e.g., Isa 45:15, "Truly, You are a God who hides Himself"). Here, it functions to protect Jesus, allowing Him to fulfill His ministry according to the Father's timing.

John 8 59 Commentary

John 8:59 serves as a climactic moment, fully exposing the deep chasm between Jesus' self-understanding as divine and the religious leaders' adamant rejection. Jesus' declaration, "before Abraham was, I am," was a direct invocation of God's personal, eternal name (Ex 3:14), not merely a claim to seniority but to absolute, timeless existence and deity. This left no room for misunderstanding among those steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures. Their response of immediately gathering stones for execution perfectly reflects the prescribed penalty for blasphemy. However, Jesus' subsequent miraculous escape—whether by supernatural concealment, invisibility, or divinely imposed inability for them to grasp Him—asserts His ultimate sovereignty. His life was not subject to the capricious will of humans; He would lay it down at His appointed time and place, thus demonstrating His divine nature and foreknowledge. This incident underscores Jesus' absolute authority, His control over His destiny, and the spiritual blindness of those who could not perceive God standing in their midst. It's a vivid illustration of both profound divine truth and profound human rejection.