John 10:18

John 10:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
• New International Version (NIV)No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."
• New King James Version (NKJV)No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

Context of John 10:18

16But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.” 19Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and he’s crazy. Why do you listen to him?”

John 10:18 word by word

οὐδεὶς αἴρει αὐτὴν ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ τίθημι αὐτὴν ἀπ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ. ἐξουσίαν ἔχω θεῖναι αὐτὴν καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω πάλιν λαβεῖν αὐτήν· ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔλαβον παρὰ τοῦ πατρός μου.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• No manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• takethαἴρωairō · to take upG142
• itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• layτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
• myselfἐμαυτοῦemautou emautō emauton · myselfG1683
• I haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to takeλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• againπάλινpalin · againG3825
• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• commandmentὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• ofπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962

Cross-references for John 10:18

• John 18:5“Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them.
• John 19:11“You would have no authority over me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”
• Matthew 26:53Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will provide me here and now with more than twelve legions of angels?
• John 2:19Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.”
• Isaiah 53:10Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely. When you make him a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.
• Acts 2:24God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.
• Acts 3:15You killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this.
• Philippians 2:6who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.
• Hebrews 2:9But we do see Jesus — made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone — crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.
• John 6:38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
• John 14:31On the contrary, so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do as the Father commanded me. “Get up; let’s leave this place.
• John 15:10If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
• Psalms 40:6You do not delight in sacrifice and offering; you open my ears to listen. You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering.
• Hebrews 5:6also says in another place, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
• Hebrews 10:6You did not delight in whole burnt offerings and sin offerings.

Commentaries on John 10:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18I have power - Or, authority, . Our Lord speaks of himself here as man, or the Messiah, as being God's messenger, and sent upon earth to fulfill the Divine will, in dying and rising again for the salvation of men. This commandment have I received - That is, I act according to the Divine commandment in executing these things, and giving you this information.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18No man taketh it from me - That is, no one could take it by force, or unless I was willing to yield myself into his hands. He had power to preserve his life, as he showed by so often escaping from the Pharisees; he voluntarily went up to Jerusalem, knowing that he would die; he knew the approach of Judas to betray him; and he expressly told Pilate at his bar that he could have no power at all against him except it were given him by his Father, John 19:11…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. 18No one takes it from Me: The death of the Son was voluntary. Jesus was not a helpless victim of events beyond his control. He chose to give his life freely in obedience and close relationship with the Father (see Acts 2:23–24). The resurrection of Jesus was not an afterthought or a rescue from failure. God cannot be confined by death or a tomb. Because Jesus and the Father are one, Jesus possessed the authority to rise from death.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 10:18

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Power

In the dictionaries

• Fold
• Lay
• Resurrection of Christ
• Sanctify
• Thief
• Authority in Religion
• Christ, Offices of
• Christ, the Exaltation of
• Commandment, the New
• Commandment; Commandments

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