English Standard Version
John 8:59
59So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.
Context of John 8:59
57So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" 58Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
Read all of John 8John 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. So what do you say?"
- John 10:30I and the Father are one."
- John 11:8The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?"
- John 18:31Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death."
- Leviticus 24:16Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.
- Luke 4:29And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.
- Acts 7:57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.
- John 5:13Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.
- John 10:39Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
- John 11:54Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
- Genesis 19:11And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.
- 2 Kings 6:18And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, "Please strike this people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.
- Luke 4:30But passing through their midst, he went away.
- Luke 24:31And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.
- Acts 8:39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and 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
In the dictionaries
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
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