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 respond to his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out of the pen. 4After he has brought out all his sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They won’t follow a stranger. Instead, they will run away from a stranger because they don’t recognize his voice.” 6Jesus used this illustration as he talked to the people, but they didn’t understand what he meant. 7Jesus emphasized, “I can guarantee this truth: 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• a strangerἀλλότριοςallotrios · another’sG245
• will theyἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
• notοὐou · noG3756
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• will fleeφεύγωpheugō · to fleeG5343
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• they knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• the voiceὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• ·μήmē · notG3361

Cross-references for John 10:5

• 1 Kings 22:7But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord whom we could ask?”
• Proverbs 19:27If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.
• Mark 4:24He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you’re listening to! ⌞Knowledge⌟ will be measured out to you by the measure ⌞of attention⌟ you give. This is the way knowledge increases.
• Luke 8:18“So pay attention to how you listen! Those who understand ⌞these mysteries⌟ will be given ⌞more knowledge⌟. However, some people don’t understand ⌞these mysteries⌟. Even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”
• Ephesians 4:11He also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as pastors and teachers as gifts ⌞to his church⌟.
• Colossians 2:6You received Christ Jesus the Lord, so continue to live as Christ’s people.
• 2 Timothy 3:5They will appear to have a godly life, but they will not let its power change them. Stay away from such people.
• 2 Timothy 4:3A time will come when people will not listen to accurate teachings. Instead, they will follow their own desires and surround themselves with teachers who tell them what they want to hear.
• 1 Peter 2:1So get rid of every kind of evil, every kind of deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander.
• 1 John 2:19They left us. However, they were never really part of us. If they had been, they would have stayed with us. But by leaving they made it clear that none of them were part of us.
• 1 John 4:5These people belong to the world. That’s why they speak the thoughts of the world, and the world listens to them.
• Revelation 2:2I know what you have done—how hard you have worked and how you have endured. I also know that you cannot tolerate wicked people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not apostles. You have discovered that they are liars.

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