New International Version
John 8:59
59At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
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.
- 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.
- 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
57“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” 58“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
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 8:5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
- John 10:30I and the Father are one.”
- John 11:8“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”
- John 18:31Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected.
- Leviticus 24:16anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to death. The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.
- Luke 4:29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff.
- Acts 7:57At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,
- John 5:13The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
- John 10:39Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
- John 11:54Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
- Genesis 19:11Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.
- 2 Kings 6:18As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
- Luke 4:30But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
- Luke 24:31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
- Acts 8:39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but 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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries