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

57The Jews said, ‘You are not 50 years old yet. But you say that you have seen Abraham!’ 58Jesus said, ‘I tell you this: Before Abraham was even born, “I am”.’ Then they picked up stones. They wanted to throw them at him and kill him. But Jesus hid himself from them. He went away from 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 8:5In God's Law Moses says that we should throw stones at this kind of woman, to kill her. What do you say about this?’
• John 10:30My Father and I are one.’
• John 11:8The disciples said, ‘Teacher, only a short time ago, the Jews there tried to kill you with stones. You should not return there!’
• John 18:31Pilate said to them, ‘You yourselves take him away. You should judge him by your own laws.’ The Jewish leaders replied, ‘We do not have authority to kill anyone when they have done something bad.’
• Leviticus 24:16He must die. All the people must throw stones at him until he is dead.” You must kill anyone who says bad things about the Lord's name. They may be a foreigner or an Israelite. You must kill them.
• Luke 4:29They stood up and they made him leave the town. They took him to the top of the hill outside the town. They wanted to throw him over the edge to the bottom.
• Acts 7:57When the Jewish leaders heard this, they put their hands over their ears. Then they shouted very loudly at Stephen and they all ran towards him.
• John 5:13The man did not know who had made him well. Jesus had gone away and joined the crowd that was there.
• John 10:39Again, the Jewish leaders tried to take hold of Jesus. But he escaped from them.
• John 11:54So Jesus stopped travelling about in Judea where everyone could see him. Instead, he went away from there to a town called Ephraim that was near to the wilderness. He stayed there with his disciples.
• Genesis 19:11Then they caused all the men outside to become blind. The young men of the city and the old men all became blind. As a result, they could not find the door of the house, even though they tried for some time.
• 2 Kings 6:18When the enemy soldiers came towards Elisha, he prayed, ‘Lord, please make these people become blind.’ The Lord did what Elisha had asked. He made the enemy soldiers become blind.
• Luke 4:30But Jesus walked through the middle of the crowd and he went away.
• Luke 24:31Their eyes became clear and they recognized him. But then he disappeared, and they could no longer see him.
• Acts 8:39They both came up out of the water again. Immediately the Lord's Holy Spirit took Philip away from that place. The officer did not see Philip again. He continued his journey and he was very happy.

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