# John 10.31-33

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">My Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">I and the Father are one.</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">The Jews took up stones again to stone him.</span> 32. Jesus answered them, <span class="rl-speech">Many good works have I showed you from the Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?</span> 33. The Jews answered him, For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.**
>
> 34. Jesus answered them, <span class="rl-speech">Is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods?</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken),</span> (John 10:29-35, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">I and the Father are one.”</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">Therefore Jews took up stones again to stone him.</span> 32. Jesus answered them, <span class="rl-speech">“I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?”</span> 33. The Jews answered him, “We don’t stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God.”**
>
> 34. Jesus answered them, <span class="rl-speech">“Isn’t it written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods?’</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken),</span> (John 10:29-35, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">I and my Father are one.</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.</span> 32. Jesus answered them, <span class="rl-speech">Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?</span> 33. 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.**
>
> 34. Jesus answered them, <span class="rl-speech">Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;</span> (John 10:29-35, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 29. <span class="rl-speech">my Father, who hath given to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of the hand of my Father;</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">I and the Father are one.'</span>
>
> **31. <span class="rl-speech">Therefore, again, did the Jews take up stones that they may stone him;</span> 32. Jesus answered them, <span class="rl-speech">'Many good works did I shew you from my Father; because of which work of them do ye stone me?'</span> 33. The Jews answered him, saying, 'For a good work we do not stone thee, but for evil speaking, and because thou, being a man, dost make thyself God.'**
>
> 34. Jesus answered them, <span class="rl-speech">'Is it not having been written in your law: I said, ye are gods?</span> 35. <span class="rl-speech">if them he did call gods unto whom the word of God came, (and the Writing is not able to be broken,)</span> (John 10:29-35, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G2316 - theos](/codex/g2316-theos/), *theos* (Strong's G2316). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.23](/codex/matthew-1-23/), [Matthew 3.16](/codex/matthew-3-16/), [Matthew 5.9](/codex/matthew-5-9/).
- [G2424 - Iesous](/codex/g2424-iesous/), *Iesous* (Strong's G2424). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.1](/codex/matthew-1-1/), [Matthew 1.16](/codex/matthew-1-16/), [Matthew 1.18](/codex/matthew-1-18/).
- [G3962 - pater](/codex/g3962-pater/), *pater* (Strong's G3962). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.48](/codex/matthew-5-48/), [Matthew 6.25-26](/codex/matthew-6-25-26/), [Matthew 6.25-34](/codex/matthew-6-25-34/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Anointing Implies Subordination Objection Defeater](/codex/anointing-implies-subordination-objection-defeater/), via [John 10.33](/codex/john-10-33/)
- [Jesus Never Claimed to Be God Objection Defeater](/codex/jesus-never-claimed-to-be-god-objection-defeater/), via [John 10.33](/codex/john-10-33/)
- [Liar Lunatic or Lord](/codex/liar-lunatic-or-lord/), via [John 10.33](/codex/john-10-33/)
- [Religious Pluralism Objection Defeater](/codex/religious-pluralism-objection-defeater/), via [John 10.33](/codex/john-10-33/)

**Concepts:**

- [Christ is God](/codex/christ-is-god/), via [John 10.30-33](/codex/john-10-30-33/)
- [Christianity](/codex/christianity/), via [John 10.30-33](/codex/john-10-30-33/), [John 10.33](/codex/john-10-33/)
- [Christs Deity](/codex/christs-deity/), via [John 10.33](/codex/john-10-33/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 10](/codex/john-10/)
- [Lesson 2.4, Christology in One Lesson](/codex/lesson-2-4-christology-in-one-lesson/), via [John 10.33](/codex/john-10-33/)
- [Old Testament Witness to the Deity of Christ](/codex/old-testament-witness-to-the-deity-of-christ/), via [John 10.30-39](/codex/john-10-30-39/)
- [The Muslim Defense](/codex/the-muslim-defense/), via [John 10.33](/codex/john-10-33/)

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