So they began to persecute Jesus, because he had done this healing on a Sabbath.

This saying made the Jewish authorities all the more determined to kill him; not only had he broken the Sabbath law, but he had said that God was his own Father and in this way had made himself equal with God.

Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.

His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, who had already agreed that anyone who said he believed that Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue.

Once more they tried to seize Jesus, but he slipped out of their hands.

They oppose me, even though I love them and have prayed for them.