John 8:59

John 8:59 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
• New King James Version (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.

Context of John 8:59

57Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not even fifty years old, and You [claim to] have seen Abraham?” 58Jesus replied, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, before Abraham was born, I Am.” So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus concealed Himself and left the temple.

John 8:59 word by word

ἦραν οὖν λίθους ἵνα βάλωσιν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν. Ἰησοῦς δὲ ἐκρύβη καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• took they upαἴρωairō · to take upG142
• stonesλίθοςlithos · stoneG3037
• toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• castβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
• atἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• butδέde · thenG1161
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• hid himselfκρύπτωkruptō · to hideG2928
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• went outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the templeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the templeἱερόνhieron · templeG2411
• goingδιέρχομαιdierchomai · to pass throughG1330
• throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the midstμέσοςmesos · midstG3319
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• passed byπαράγωparagō · to passG3855

Cross-references for John 8:59

• John 8:5Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women [to death]. So what do You say [to do with her—what is Your sentence]?”
• John 10:30I and the Father are One [in essence and nature].”
• John 11:8The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), the Jews were only recently going to stone You, and You are [thinking of] going back there again?”
• John 18:31Then Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your own law.” The Jews said, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.”
• Leviticus 24:16Further, the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall most certainly be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him. The stranger as well as the native-born shall be put to death when he blasphemes the Name [of the Lord].
• Luke 4:29and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the crest of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to hurl Him down the cliff.
• Acts 7:57But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and together rushed at him [considering him guilty of blasphemy].
• John 5:13Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away [unnoticed] since there was a crowd in that place.
• John 10:39So they tried again to seize Him, but He eluded their grasp.
• John 11:54For that reason Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but left there and went to the district that borders on the uninhabited wilderness, to a town called Ephraim; and He stayed there with the disciples.
• Genesis 19:11They struck (punished) the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, from the young men to the old men, so that they exhausted themselves trying to find the doorway.
• 2 Kings 6:18When the Arameans came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people (nation) with blindness.” And God struck them with blindness, in accordance with Elisha’s request.
• Luke 4:30But passing [miraculously] through the crowd, He went on His way.
• Luke 24:31Then their eyes were [suddenly] opened [by God] and they [clearly] recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.
• Acts 8:39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord [suddenly] took Philip [and carried him] away [to a different place]; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing.

Commentaries on John 8:59

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 59Then took they up stones, etc. - It appears that the Jews understood him as asserting his Godhead; and, supposing him to be a blasphemer, they proceeded to stone him, according to the law. Leviticus 24:16. But Jesus hid himself - In all probability he rendered himself invisible - though some will have it that he conveyed himself away from those Jews who were his enemies, by mixing himself with the many who believed on him, ( John 8:30, John 8:31;), and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 59Then took they up stones - It seems they understood him as blaspheming, and proceeded, even without a form of trial, to stone him as such, because this was the punishment prescribed in the law for blasphemy, Leviticus 24:16. See John 10:31. The fact that the Jews understood him in this sense is strong proof that his words naturally conveyed the idea that he was divine. This was in the temple. Herod the Great had not yet completed its repairs, and Dr…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 54-59Verses 54-59 Christ and all that are his, depend upon God for honour. Men may be able to dispute about God, yet may not know him. Such as know not God, and obey not the gospel of Christ, are put together, 2Th 1:8. All who rightly know anything of Christ, earnestly desire to know more of him. Those who discern the dawn of the light of the Sun of Righteousness, wish to see his rising. "Before Abraham was, I AM." This speaks Abraham a creature, and our Lord…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 59Those listening to Jesus finally understood his claim to be God (8:58). Because of this, they became very angry. They believed they had heard blasphemy (words that dishonored God) and picked up stones to throw at him, which was the proper legal response (Leviticus 24:16). Jesus was hidden from them because God had chosen a different time for his death (see study note on John 12:23; see also 7:30, 44; Luke 4:29–30).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 57-5957-59. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old--"No inference can be drawn from this as to the age of our Lord at the time as man. Fifty years was with the Jews the completion of manhood" [Alford]. and hast thou seen Abraham?--He had said Abraham saw Him, as being his peculiar privilege. They give the opposite turn to it--"Hast Thou seen Abraham?" as an honor too great for Him to pretend to.Read the comment

Topics related to John 8:59

• Persecution
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Act
• Conscience
• Continue
• Flesh
• Hear
• Lift
• Treasury
• Jesus Christ

Commentaries on John 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings