New Testament Greek

They say to him, Rabbi, now the Jews were seeking to stone you, and again are you going there;

The verse crafts its tension through a structure that moves abruptly from narration into direct discourse, and this transition is syntactically marked by the placement of λέγουσιν αὐτῷ before any content, creating a grammatical staging that foregrounds relational immediacy. The definite noun phrase οἱ μαθηταί, placed immediately after the verb, forms a subject that is not newly introduced but activated within the ongoing narrative, demonstrating how discourse maintains continuity while shifting focus.… Learn Koine Greek

Therefore the Jews again picked up stones in order to stone Him.

In John 10:31, a dramatic tension erupts with the simple yet weighty phrase πάλιν (“again”). This small adverb signals repetition, not a spontaneous outburst. The hostility toward Jesus has become cyclical, predictable, and increasingly volatile. The verb Ἐβάστασαν (aorist active of βαστάζω) means “they picked up,” “they carried,” or “they lifted.” It conveys deliberate physical action, not impulsive reaction. The narrative shows a collective response: οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι — a group unified by shared outrage.… Learn Koine Greek