JHN 10:22-39

Jesus at the Feast of Dedication

22At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, [10:23] and Jesus was walking in the temple in the Porch of Solomon. [10:24] The Jews therefore encircled him and were saying to him: "How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." [10:25] Jesus answered them: "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name — these testify concerning me. [10:26] But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep. [10:27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, [10:28] and I give them eternal life, and they will certainly never perish, and no one will snatch them from my hand. [10:29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them from the Father's hand. [10:30] I and the Father are one." [10:31] The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. [10:32] Jesus answered them: "I showed you many good works from the Father — for which of those works are you stoning me?" [10:33] The Jews answered him: "We are not stoning you for a good work, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God." [10:34] Jesus answered them: "Is it not written in your law: 'I said, you are gods'? [10:35] If he called them gods — to whom the word of God came — and the Scripture cannot be broken, [10:36] do you say of the one whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world: 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? [10:37] If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me. [10:38] But if I do them — even if you do not believe me — believe the works, so that you may know and continue to know that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." [10:39] Therefore they were seeking again to seize him, and he went out of their grasp.

In the world it was spoken into

The Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) commemorated the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple after its desecration by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 BCE. By the 1st century, it was a nationalistic celebration of Jewish identity and divine deliverance. Jesus’ presence in the Temple during this feast, specifically in Solomon’s Porch—a colonnaded area associated with royal and messianic expectations—would have heightened tensions. The Jewish leaders’ question, 'If You are the Christ, tell us plainly,' reflects their expectation of a political Messiah who would liberate Israel from Roman rule. Jesus’ response, emphasizing His works and His unity with the Father, challenges their understanding of Messiahship. His claim to divinity ('I and the Father are one') would have been seen as blasphemous under Jewish law, punishable by stoning. The term (boldness) underscores Jesus’ fearless proclamation of His identity, even in the face of hostility. The double negative ('never') in His assurance of eternal security for His sheep highlights the irrevocable nature of His promise, contrasting with the leaders’ unbelief.

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How other translations render this

JHN 10:22

KJV: And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
BSB: At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,
Koinōnos: At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,

JHN 10:23

KJV: And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
BSB: and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomonʼs Colonnade.
Koinōnos: and Jesus was walking in the temple in the Porch of Solomon.

JHN 10:24

KJV: Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
BSB: So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Koinōnos: The Jews therefore encircled him and were saying to him: "How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.

JHN 10:25

KJV: Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
BSB: “I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Fatherʼs name testify on My behalf.
Koinōnos: Jesus answered them: "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name — these testify concerning me.

JHN 10:26

KJV: But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
BSB: But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.
Koinōnos: But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep.

JHN 10:27

KJV: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
BSB: My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
Koinōnos: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me,

JHN 10:28

KJV: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
BSB: I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.
Koinōnos: and I give them eternal life, and they will certainly never perish, and no one will snatch them from my hand.

JHN 10:29

KJV: My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
BSB: My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Fatherʼs hand.
Koinōnos: My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them from the Father's hand.

JHN 10:30

KJV: I and my Father are one.
BSB: I and the Father are one.”
Koinōnos: I and the Father are one.

JHN 10:31

KJV: Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
BSB: At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.
Koinōnos: The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.

JHN 10:32

KJV: Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
BSB: But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”
Koinōnos: Jesus answered them: "I showed you many good works from the Father — for which of those works are you stoning me?

JHN 10:33

KJV: The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
BSB: “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, make Yourself out to be God.”
Koinōnos: The Jews answered him: "We are not stoning you for a good work, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God.

JHN 10:34

KJV: Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
BSB: Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’?
Koinōnos: Jesus answered them: "Is it not written in your law: 'I said, you are gods'?

JHN 10:35

KJV: If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
BSB: If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—
Koinōnos: If he called them gods — to whom the word of God came — and the Scripture cannot be broken,

JHN 10:36

KJV: Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
BSB: then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God?
Koinōnos: do you say of the one whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world: 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?

JHN 10:37

KJV: If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
BSB: If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me.
Koinōnos: If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me.

JHN 10:38

KJV: But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
BSB: But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”
Koinōnos: But if I do them — even if you do not believe me — believe the works, so that you may know and continue to know that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.

JHN 10:39

KJV: Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
BSB: At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.
Koinōnos: Therefore they were seeking again to seize him, and he went out of their grasp.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

JHN 10:24

hold You in suspense?:The word translated 'hold you in suspense' literally means to lift up or take away. The sense here is that they want Jesus to 'take away' their uncertainty by speaking plainly.
plainly.:The term translated 'plainly' refers to speaking with boldness and frankness, without concealment or ambiguity, a privilege often associated with free citizens in ancient Greek society.

JHN 10:28

certainly:The word translated 'certainly' is a strong, absolute negative, emphasizing a factual denial rather than a conditional or subjective one. It underscores the impossibility of the stated action.

JHN 10:35

to be broken:The word translated 'to be broken' carries a broader meaning of loosening, untying, or dissolving. In this context, it refers to the idea of the scripture being annulled or rendered invalid.