Then 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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore 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.
- BSB At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.
- NKJV Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
- NASB Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and left the temple grounds.
- NLT At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.
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
Understanding his claim to deity, they pick up stones to kill him for blasphemy, but Jesus withdraws from the temple. His hour had not yet come.
Overview
The crowd recognizes Jesus' claim as a declaration of deity and reacts with an attempt to stone him for blasphemy. Yet Jesus is mysteriously hidden and departs, since the time of his death was not yet at hand. The episode confirms both the meaning of his "I AM" and the sovereign control he exercised over his own passion.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- John 11:8His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
- John 10:39–40Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
- John 10:30–33I and my Father are one.
- Lev 24:16And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.
- Luke 4:29–30And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
- Luke 24:31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
- John 11:54Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.
- John 12:36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
- John 5:13And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
- Gen 19:11And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
- 2 Kgs 6:18–20And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
- Acts 7:57Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
- John 18:31Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
- Acts 8:39–40And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
- John 8:5–6Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
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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 8:59 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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