John 10:39
What does John 10:39 mean?
A plain-English look at John 10:39 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 10:39 means
Despite Jesus’ scriptural reasoning and appeal to His works, the leaders again attempt to seize Him. Their persistence shows the depth of their opposition. Yet Jesus eludes their grasp. His escape is not mere cleverness but providence; His hour has not yet come. The Shepherd remains sovereign over His path to the cross. Hostility cannot precipitate His death, nor can it prevent His ministry from continuing. This moment underscores both human responsibility in rejecting Him and divine control in preserving Him until the appointed time to lay down His life.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000They sought again to take him: and he went forth out of their hand.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901They sought again to take him: and he went forth out of their hand.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Then again they made an attempt to take him; but he got away from them.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Therefore were they seeking again to seize him, and he went forth out of their hand,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752They sought therefore to take him: and he escaped out of their hands.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890They sought therefore again to take him; and he went away from out of their hand
Context
After Jesus’ final appeal to the evidence of His works (verse 38), the leaders respond with another attempt to arrest Him (verse 39). The scene then transitions as Jesus withdraws beyond the Jordan (verse 40) to the place associated with John’s initial baptizing. There, among people who knew John’s testimony, the reception is notably different, resulting in many believing (verses 41–42).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 7:30
They sought therefore to take him: and no man laid his hand on him, because his hour was not yet come.
- John 7:44
And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
- John 10:31
The Jews took up stones again to stone him.
- Luke 4:29
and they rose up, and cast him forth out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong.
- John 8:59
They took up stones therefore to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.
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