So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”
Parallel translations
- WEB The Jews therefore said, “Will he kill himself, that he says, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come’?”
- KJV Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.
- BSB So the Jews began to ask, “Will He kill Himself, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
- NASB So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
- NLT The people asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?”
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 Jews wonder if Jesus means to kill Himself, since He says where He goes they cannot come. They again misread His words about returning to the Father.
Overview
Misunderstanding Jesus' reference to His departure, the leaders speculate He might be contemplating suicide. Their confusion, marked by irony, shows their inability to grasp spiritual realities. Far from taking His own life in despair, Jesus would lay it down willingly for the salvation of sinners and rise again to the Father.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- John 8:52Then the Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and you say, ‘If a man keeps my word, he will never taste of death.’
- John 8:48Then the Jews answered him, “Don’t we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?”
- Ps 22:6But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
- Ps 123:4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.
- John 10:20Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane! Why do you listen to him?”
- John 7:20The multitude answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?”
- Heb 12:3For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.
- Heb 13:13Let us therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach.
- John 7:35The Jews therefore said among themselves, “Where will this man go that we won’t find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
- Ps 31:18Let the lying lips be mute, which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.
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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 8:22 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
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