John 10:35 says that Scripture carries lasting authority, so that its words cannot be undone or set aside. Jesus makes this point while answering critics who accuse him of blasphemy, and he uses an Old Testament verse they already accept to make his case. The statement is part of a debate with Jewish leaders in Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication.
If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken)…
John 10:35 (WEB)
What John 10:35 Means
Jesus begins with a conditional phrase, “If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came.” He is referring to Psalm 82, where God addresses human rulers and judges as “gods” because they hold delegated authority and received God’s word. Jesus treats that earlier usage as a settled fact in Scripture, not a point open for debate.
The parenthetical clause, “the Scripture can’t be broken,” is the heart of the verse. The word translated “broken” means something like being loosened, dissolved, or annulled. Jesus is saying that what God has spoken through Scripture remains binding and cannot be dismissed or nullified. The verse does not promise that every reader will understand every passage, but it does affirm that God’s written word stands.
The Context of John 10:35
John’s Gospel was written to show who Jesus is, with the aim that readers would believe and have life in his name, a purpose the author states near the end of the book. Its audience was likely a mix of Jewish and Gentile Christians, and the Gospel often explains Jewish customs and disputes for those less familiar with them. Traditionally the book is attributed to John, the disciple, though scholars debate the details of its composition.
Just before verse 35, Jesus answers the charge of blasphemy by pointing to his good works from the Father. In verse 36 he moves from Psalm 82 to his own claim to be the Son of God, arguing from the lesser to the greater. Reading verse 35 in that setting shows that Jesus is not diverting the argument but building toward his identity as the one the Father sanctified and sent.
Key Phrases in John 10:35
Psalm 82:6
I said, “You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High.
(WEB)
This is the psalm Jesus quotes, where God addresses rulers as gods. Reading it alongside John 10:35 shows you exactly what Jesus is referring to and how he uses it in his argument.
Matthew 5:18
For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
(WEB)
Jesus speaks here of the lasting authority of the law and the prophets, using similar language about the permanence of God’s word. It helps you see how consistently he affirms that Scripture endures.
A Short Prayer From John 10:35
Lord, thank you that your word stands firm when everything around me shifts. Help me to read Scripture with humility and care, trusting its authority even when I do not understand every part. Teach me to listen closely to what you have said, and to let it shape how I think, speak, and live. Give me patience with the hard passages and gratitude for the clear ones. Amen.
