¹⁸ This made ·them [the Jewish leaders; ^Lthe Jews] try still harder to kill him. They said, “First Jesus was breaking the law about the Sabbath day. Now he says that God is his own Father, making himself equal with God!” [^CBoth breaking the Sabbath and blasphemy against God were punishable by death; Ex. 35:2; Lev. 24:16.]