John 10:15

John 10:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
• New International Version (NIV)just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
• English Standard Version (ESV)just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
• New King James Version (NKJV)As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

Context of John 10:15

13The man runs because he is a hired hand [who serves only for wages] and is not concerned about the [safety of the] sheep. 14I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]— even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My [very own] life [sacrificing it] for the benefit of the sheep. 16I have other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring those also, and they will listen to My voice and pay attention to My call, and they will become one flock with one Shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life so that I may take it back.

John 10:15 word by word

καθὼς γινώσκει με ὁ πατὴρ κἀγὼ γινώσκω τὸν πατέρα, καὶ τὴν ψυχήν μου τίθημι ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• the Fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• knowethγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• even soκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• I lay downτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
• lifeψυχήpsuchē · soul: lifeG5590
• forὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• the sheepπρόβατονprobaton · sheepG4263

Cross-references for John 10:15

• John 1:18No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father].
• John 6:46Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He [who was with the Father and] who is from God; He [alone] has seen the Father.
• John 8:55Yet you do not know Him, but I know Him fully. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him and keep His word.
• John 17:25“O just and righteous Father, although the world has not known You and has never acknowledged You [and the revelation of Your mercy], yet I have always known You; and these [believers] know [without any doubt] that You sent Me;
• Matthew 11:27All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son [deliberately] wills to reveal Him.
• Luke 10:21In that very hour He was overjoyed and rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and He said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things [relating to salvation] from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants [the childlike and untaught]. Yes, Father, for this way was [Your gracious will and choice, and was] well-pleasing in Your sight.
• Revelation 5:2And I saw a strong angel announcing with a loud voice, “Who is worthy [having the authority and virtue] to open the scroll and to break its seals?”
• John 10:11I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His [own] life for the sheep.
• John 15:13No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.
• Isaiah 53:4But [in fact] He has borne our griefs, And He has carried our sorrows and pains; Yet we [ignorantly] assumed that He was stricken, Struck down by God and degraded and humiliated [by Him].
• Daniel 9:26Then after the sixty-two weeks [of years] the Anointed One will be cut off [and denied His Messianic kingdom] and have nothing [and no one to defend Him], and the people of the [other] prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
• Zechariah 13:7“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the Man, My Associate,” Declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd so that the sheep [of the flock] may be scattered; And I will turn My hand and stretch it out against the little ones [of the flock].
• Matthew 20:28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [paying the price to set them free from the penalty of sin].”
• Galatians 1:4who gave Himself [as a sacrifice to atone] for our sins [to save and sanctify us] so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father—
• Galatians 3:13Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs [crucified] on a tree (cross)”—
• Ephesians 5:2and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

Commentaries on John 10:15

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15As the Father knoweth me … - See the Matthew 11:27 note; also Luke 10:22 note. I lay down my life for the sheep - That is, I give my life as an atoning sacrifice for their sins. I die in their place, to redeem them from sin, and danger, and death. See John 10:17-18.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-18Verses 10-18 Christ is a good Shepherd; many who were not thieves, yet were careless in their duty, and by their neglect the flock was much hurt. Bad principles are the root of bad practices. The Lord Jesus knows whom he has chosen, and is sure of them; they also know whom they have trusted, and are sure of Him. See here the grace of Christ; since none could demand his life of him, he laid it down of himself for our redemption. He offered himself to be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15The Father and the Son have an intimate relationship. Jesus shares a similar relationship with his sheep (his followers) through the Holy Spirit (14:23–31; 15:1–11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1815-18. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father--What claim to absolute equality with the Father could exceed this? (See on Mt 11:27). and I lay down my life for the sheep--How sublime this, immediately following the lofty claim of the preceding clause! It is the riches and the poverty of "the Word made flesh"--one glorious Person reaching at once up to the Throne and down even to the dust of death, "that we might live through Him." A candid…Read the comment

Topics related to John 10:15

• God
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Sheep
• Shepherd
• Suffering

In the dictionaries

• Fold
• Lay
• Parable
• Sanctify
• Sheep
• Thief
• Allegory
• Christ, Offices of
• God
• Jesus Christ

Commentaries on John 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings