Limitless Word
If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken),
John 10:35 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
  • BSB If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—
  • NKJV If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),
  • NASB If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified),
  • NLT And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God’s message were called ‘gods,’

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Jesus notes that Scripture called certain men 'gods' and affirms that Scripture cannot be broken. He upholds the absolute authority and reliability of God's Word.

Overview

In passing, Jesus makes a foundational statement: the Scripture cannot be broken or set aside. If even fallible men could be called 'gods' as God's representatives, the term is not inherently blasphemous. The verse is a key witness to the Bible's full trustworthiness affirmed by Christ Himself.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 24

  • Matt 24:35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
  • Rom 13:1Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.
  • Gen 15:1After these things Yahweh’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
  • Luke 16:17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tiny stroke of a pen in the law to fall.
  • Luke 24:44–46He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.”
  • Acts 1:16“Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus.
  • 1 Sam 15:1Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of Yahweh’s words.
  • Matt 26:53–56Or do you think that I couldn’t ask my Father, and he would even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?
  • 1 Sam 28:6When Saul inquired of Yahweh, Yahweh didn’t answer him by dreams, by Urim, or by prophets.
  • 1 Chr 22:8But Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ‘You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.
  • Luke 24:26–27Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?”
  • Deut 18:18–20I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.
  • John 19:36–37For these things happened, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him will not be broken.”
  • 1 Sam 23:9–11David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
  • Deut 18:15Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.
  • 2 Chr 11:2–3But Yahweh’s word came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
  • Matt 5:18For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
  • 2 Sam 7:5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Yahweh says, “Should you build me a house for me to dwell in?
  • Matt 27:35When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,
  • 1 Sam 14:36–37Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take plunder among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them.” They said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let us draw near here to God.”
  • 2 Chr 19:2Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate Yahweh? Because of this, wrath is on you from before Yahweh.
  • John 12:38–39that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, “Lord, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
  • 1 Sam 30:8David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “If I pursue after this troop, will I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue; for you will surely overtake them, and will without fail recover all.”
  • John 19:28After this, Jesus, seeing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty.”

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 10:35YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.

How John 10:35 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.