John 10:6

John 10:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
• New International Version (NIV)Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Context of John 10:6

4After he has brought out all his sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5They won’t follow a stranger. Instead, they will run away from a stranger because they don’t recognize his voice.” Jesus 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. 8All who came before I did were thieves or robbers. However, the sheep didn’t respond to them.

John 10:6 word by word

Ταύτην τὴν παροιμίαν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἐκεῖνοι δὲ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τίνα ἦν ἃ ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• parableὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• parableπαροιμίαparoimia · proverbG3942
• spakeλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• butδέde · thenG1161
• theyἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• understoodγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• notοὐou · noG3756
• what thingsτίςtis · which?G5101
• they wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he spakeλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980

Cross-references for John 10:6

• John 6:52The Jews began to quarrel with each other. They said, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
• John 7:36What does he mean when he says, ‘You will look for me, but you won’t find me,’ and ‘You can’t go where I’m going’?”
• John 8:27(The Jews didn’t know that he was talking to them about the Father.)
• Psalms 82:5Wicked people do not know or understand anything. As they walk around in the dark, all the foundations of the earth shake.
• Psalms 106:7When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles. They did not remember your numerous acts of mercy, so they rebelled at the sea, the Red Sea.
• Proverbs 28:5Evil people do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand everything.
• Isaiah 6:9And he said, “Go and tell these people, ‘No matter how closely you listen, you’ll never understand. No matter how closely you look, you’ll never see.’
• Isaiah 56:11These dogs have huge appetites. They are never full. They are the shepherds, but they don’t understand. All of them have turned to go their own ways. Each one seeks his own gain.
• Daniel 12:10Many will be purified, made white, and refined. But wicked people will do wicked things, and none of them will understand. Only wise people will understand.
• Matthew 13:13This is why I speak to them this way. They see, but they’re blind. They hear, but they don’t listen. They don’t even try to understand.
• 1 Corinthians 2:14A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the teachings of God’s Spirit. He thinks they’re nonsense. He can’t understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them.
• 1 John 5:20We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we know the real God. We are in the one who is real, his Son Jesus Christ. This Jesus Christ is the real God and eternal life.

Commentaries on John 10:6

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6This parable - See the notes at Matthew 13:3. They understood not … - They did not understand the meaning or design of the illustration.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-9Verses 6-9 Many who hear the word of Christ, do not understand it, because they will not. But we shall find one scripture expounding another, and the blessed Spirit making known the blessed Jesus. Christ is the Door. And what greater security has the church of God than that the Lord Jesus is between it and all its enemies? He is a door open for passage and communication. Here are plain directions how to come into the fold; we must come in by Jesus Christ…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 10:6

• Apostles
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Sheep
• Shepherd

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Fold
• Lay
• Parable
• Sanctify
• Thief
• Allegory
• 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