John 10:31 (ASV)

Passage

The Jews took up stones again to stone him.

Nearby Context

John 10:29 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.

John 10:30 I and the Father are one.

John 10:31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him.

John 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from the Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

John 10:33 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jews", "took", "stones", and "again". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jews" and "took", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 30's "I and the Father are one..." into verse 32's "Jesus answered them Many good works have...", so "jews" and "took" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "jews" and "took" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.