John 10:5

John 10:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
• New International Version (NIV)But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Context of John 10:5

3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.” 6Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them. 7So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

John 10:5 word by word

ἀλλοτρίῳ δὲ οὐ μὴ ἀκολουθήσουσιν ἀλλὰ φεύξονται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδασιν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων τὴν φωνήν.¶Read the interlinear

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• they will never followοὐou · noG3756
• they will never followμήmē · notG3361
• they will never followἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
• a strangerἀλλότριοςallotrios · another’sG245
• in factἀλλάalla · butG235
• they will fleeφεύγωpheugō · to fleeG5343
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• they do not recognizeεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456

Cross-references for John 10:5

• 1 Kings 22:7But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”
• Proverbs 19:27If you cease to hear instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.
• Mark 4:24He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
• Luke 8:18Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
• Ephesians 4:11And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
• Colossians 2:6Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him,
• 2 Timothy 3:5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!
• 2 Timothy 4:3For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
• 1 Peter 2:1Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.
• 1 John 2:19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us.
• 1 John 4:5They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them.
• Revelation 2:2I know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles.

Commentaries on John 10:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5And a stranger will they not follow - That is, a man who, pretending to be a shepherd of the flock of God, is a stranger to that salvation which he professes to preach. His mode of preaching soon proves, to those whose hearts are acquainted with the truths of God, that he is a stranger to them; and therefore, knowing him to have got into the fold in an improper way, they consider him a thief, a robber, and a murderer; and who can blame them if they wholly…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5A stranger … - This was literally true of a flock. Accustomed to the voice and presence of a kind shepherd, they would not regard the command of a stranger. It is also true spiritually. Jesus by this indicates that the true people of God will not follow false teachers - those who are proud, haughty, and self-seeking, as were the Pharisees. Many may follow such, but humble and devoted Christians seek those who have the mild and self-denying spirit of their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-21This illustration of a shepherd and his sheep comes from a Middle Eastern perspective of shepherding and Old Testament traditions in first-century AD Jewish culture. God was the shepherd of Israel (Genesis 49:24; Psalms 23; 78:52–53; Isaiah 40:10–11). Spiritual and political leaders of Israel were also shepherds of God’s people, the flock of God (Isaiah 56:9–12; Jeremiah 23:1–4; Ezekiel 34). Jesus spoke these words during the Feast of Dedication (see John…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-21This discourse seems plainly to be a continuation of the closing verses of the ninth chapter. The figure was familiar to the Jewish ear (from Jr 23:1-40; Eze 34:1-31; Zec 11:1-17, &c.). "This simple creature [the sheep] has this special note among all animals, that it quickly hears the voice of the shepherd, follows no one else, depends entirely on him, and seeks help from him alone--cannot help itself, but is shut up to another's aid" [Luther in Stier]…Read the comment

Topics related to John 10:5

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Righteous
• Sheep
• Shepherd

In the dictionaries

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

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