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His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
John 11:8 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB The disciples told him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”
  • BSB “Rabbi,” they replied, “the Jews just tried to stone You, and You are going back there?”
  • NKJV The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”
  • NASB The disciples *said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and yet You are going there again?”
  • 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?”

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

The disciples remind Jesus that the Jews had just tried to stone Him and question His return. They fear for His life and theirs.

Overview

Their objection reflects real danger and understandable concern. Yet it also shows they did not grasp the necessity of His mission. Jesus' reply will redirect them from fear to trust in God's appointed time.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 8

  • John 8:59Then 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 10:31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
  • Acts 21:12–13And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
  • Matt 16:21–23From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
  • John 10:39Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
  • Acts 20:24But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
  • Ps 11:1–3In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
  • Matt 23:7And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

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 11:8YouTube · 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 11:8 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.