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

3To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. 7So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of 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

• A strangerἀλλότριοςallotrios · another’sG245
• they simply will not followἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
• but will fleeφεύγωpheugō · to fleeG5343
• from him, becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• the voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456

Cross-references for John 10:5

• 1 Kings 22:7But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?”
• Proverbs 19:27Cease listening, my son, to discipline, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
• Mark 4:24And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.
• Luke 8:18So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”
• Ephesians 4:11And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
• Colossians 2:6Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
• 2 Timothy 3:5holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
• 2 Timothy 4:3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
• 1 Peter 2:1Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
• 1 John 2:19They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
• 1 John 4:5They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.
• Revelation 2:2‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

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