The disciples *said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and yet You are going there again?”
Parallel translations
- WEB The disciples told him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”
- KJV His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither 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?”
- 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 8:59Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.
- John 10:31Therefore Jews took up stones again to stone him.
- Acts 21:12–13When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.
- Matt 16:21–23From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.
- John 10:39They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand.
- Acts 20:24But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.
- Ps 11:1–3For the Chief Musician. By David. In Yahweh, I take refuge. How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain!”
- Matt 23:7the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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.