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

16I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold. I must bring them too, and they will listen to my voice, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17This is why the Father loves me – because I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again. No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This commandment I received from my Father.” 19Another sharp division took place among the Jewish people because of these words. 20Many of them were saying, “He is possessed by a demon and has lost his mind! 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 18:5They replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He told them, “I am he.” (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, was standing there with them.)
• John 19:11Jesus replied, “You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
• Matthew 26:53Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions of angels right now?
• John 2:19Jesus replied, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.”
• Isaiah 53:10Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
• Acts 2:24But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power.
• Acts 3:15You killed the Originator of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses!
• Philippians 2:6who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped,
• Hebrews 2:9but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God’s grace he would experience death on behalf of everyone.
• John 6:38For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
• John 14:31but I am doing just what the Father commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Get up, let us go from here.”
• John 15:10If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
• Psalms 40:6Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern. You make that quite clear to me! You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.
• Hebrews 5:6as also in another place God says, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
• Hebrews 10:6“Whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you took no delight in.

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