Tag Archives: John 10:31

Ἐβάστασαν οὖν πάλιν λίθους οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἵνα λιθάσωσιν αὐτόν. (John 10:31)

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

The Force of the “Again”

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