Section 10:22–42

The Jewish leaders rejected Jesus

The Jewish leaders challenged Jesus to say clearly that he was the Messiah if he was. Jesus told them that he had told them but they did not believe him because they were not his sheep. He said that he gives his sheep eternal life and no one can take them from him.

Jesus also said that he was one with God the Father, so the religious authorities wanted to kill him. They said that this was blasphemy (speaking against God). Jesus said that it was not blasphemy because he was the one God sent into the world. He also said that God was in him and he was in God. His opponents again tried to seize him, and he again escaped from them.

Jesus then went back to the east side of the Jordan River, away from Jerusalem. Many followed him and believed in him.

Here are other possible section headings:

Some Jewish leaders wrongly said that Jesus spoke against God
-or-
Jewish leaders became very angry with Jesus
-or-
Jewish leaders challenged Jesus

Paragraph 10:22–24

The Jewish leaders now challenged Jesus to say clearly that he was the Messiah if he was.

10:22a

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem: This sentence introduces a new event in the story. It indicates the time of year and where these new events happened. Here are other ways to translate this sentence:

Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. (New International Version)
-or-
It was the time of the feast of Dedication in Jerusalem. (New Jerusalem Bible)

the Feast of Dedication: This celebration was a feast remembering the time when the Jews freed Jerusalem and its temple from their enemies. It celebrated the rededication of the temple in 164 B.C. It is also called the Feast of Lights, or Hanukkah. The feast is mentioned to indicate the time (December) of the story. You may want to explain about the feast in a footnote. For example:

The Jews remembered when long ago (167 B.C.) an enemy placed an altar in the temple to worship an idol. The Jews rebelled, drove the enemy away, and had an eight-day celebration three years later to clean the temple.

Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

the Festival of the Dedication of the Temple (Good News Translation)
-or-
Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication (New Living Translation (2004))

See how you translated Feast in 7:2a, where a different festival is mentioned.

took place: The expression took place here means “happened.” Use the expression that is natural in your language to indicate the time of a feast or festival. For example:

was being celebrated (Good News Translation)

10:22b

It was winter: This clause tells the time of year. It was the coldest part of the year. For example:

It was the cold season

General Comment on 10:22a–b

In some languages it may be natural to reverse 10:22a–b. For example:

22b It was winter, 22a and the Festival of the Dedication of the Temple was being celebrated in Jerusalem. (Good News Translation)
-or-

22b That winter, 22a Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Temple Festival. (Contemporary English Version)

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