John 10:8

John 10:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
• New International Version (NIV)All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

Context of John 10:8

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. All who came before I did were thieves or robbers. However, the sheep didn’t respond to them. 9I am the gate. Those who enter the sheep pen through me will be saved. They will go in and out of the sheep pen and find food. 10A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have everything they need.

John 10:8 word by word

πάντες ὅσοι ἦλθον πρὸ ἐμοῦ, κλέπται εἰσὶν καὶ λῃσταί· ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἤκουσαν αὐτῶν τὰ πρόβατα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• All thatπᾶςpas · allG3956
• everὅσοςhosos · just as/how muchG3745
• cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• thievesκλέπτηςkleptēs · thiefG2812
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• robbersλῃστήςlēstēs · robber/rebelG3027
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• the sheepὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the sheepπρόβατονprobaton · sheepG4263
• didἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• notοὐou · noG3756
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for John 10:8

• John 10:1“I can guarantee this truth: The person who doesn’t enter the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in somewhere else is a thief or a robber.
• Isaiah 56:10⌞Israel’s⌟ watchmen are blind. None of them know anything. All of them are like dogs that are unable to bark. They lie around dreaming; they love to sleep.
• Ezekiel 22:25Your princes are like roaring lions who tear their prey into pieces. They eat people and take their treasures and precious belongings. They turn many women into widows.
• Ezekiel 34:2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy to these shepherds. Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of only themselves. Shouldn’t shepherds take care of the sheep?
• Zephaniah 3:3Its officials are ⌞like⌟ roaring lions. Its judges are ⌞like⌟ wolves in the evening. They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning.
• Zechariah 11:4This is what the Lord my God says: Take care of the sheep that are about to be slaughtered.
• Acts 5:36Some time ago Theudas appeared. He claimed that he was important, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, and all his followers were scattered. The whole movement was a failure.
• John 10:5They won’t follow a stranger. Instead, they will run away from a stranger because they don’t recognize his voice.”

Commentaries on John 10:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8All that ever came before me - Or, as some translate, all that came instead of me, , i.e. all that came as the Christ, or Messiah, such as Theudas, and Judas the Gaulonite, who are mentioned, Acts 5:36, Acts 5:37; and who were indeed no other than thieves, plundering the country wherever they came; and murderers, not only slaying the simple people who resisted them, but leading the multitudes of their followers to the slaughter. But our Lord probably…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8All that ever came before me - This does not refer to the prophets, but to those who came pretending to be the pastors or guides of the people. Some have supposed that he referred to those who pretended to be the Messiah before him; but there is not evidence that any such person appeared before the coming of Jesus. It is probable that he rather refers to the scribes and Pharisees, who claimed to be instructors of the people, who claimed the right to…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. 7-147-14. I am the door of the sheep--that is, the way in to the fold, with all blessed privileges, both for shepherds and sheep (compare Joh 14:6; Ep 2:18).Read the comment

Topics related to John 10:8

• Church
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• 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