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If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—
John 10:35 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken),
  • KJV If he called them gods, unto 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 never pass away.
  • Rom 13:1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
  • Gen 15:1After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
  • Luke 16:17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
  • Luke 24:44–46Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
  • Acts 1:16“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.
  • 1 Sam 15:1Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.
  • Matt 26:53–56Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
  • 1 Sam 28:6He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.
  • 1 Chr 22:8but this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and waged great wars. You are not to build a house for My Name because you have shed so much blood on the ground before Me.
  • Luke 24:26–27Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?”
  • Deut 18:18–20I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
  • John 19:36–37Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.”
  • 1 Sam 23:9–11When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
  • Deut 18:15The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.
  • 2 Chr 11:2–3But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:
  • Matt 5:18For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
  • 2 Sam 7:5“Go and tell My servant David that this is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build for Me a house to dwell in?
  • Matt 27:35When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.
  • 1 Sam 14:36–37And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn, leaving no man alive!” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied. But the priest said, “We must consult God here.”
  • 2 Chr 19:2Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.
  • John 12:38–39This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
  • 1 Sam 30:8and David inquired of the LORD: “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” the LORD replied, “for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives.”
  • John 19:28After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus 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.