and be put to death. Any Israelite or any foreigner living in Israel who curses the LORD shall be stoned to death by the whole community.

The letters said: "Proclaim a day of fasting, call the people together, and give Naboth the place of honor.

The officials and leading citizens of Jezreel did what Jezebel had commanded.

The two scoundrels publicly accused him of cursing God and the king, and so he was taken outside the city and stoned to death.

At this the High Priest tore his clothes and said, "Blasphemy! We don't need any more witnesses! You have just heard his blasphemy!

What do you think?" They answered, "He is guilty and must die."

And they said, "We don't need any witnesses! We ourselves have heard what he said!"

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.

"I am telling you the truth," Jesus replied. "Before Abraham was born, 'I Am'."

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

Then the people again picked up stones to throw at him.

They answered, "We do not want to stone you because of any good deeds, but because of your blasphemy! You are only a man, but you are trying to make yourself God!"

The crowd answered back, "We have a law that says he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God."