John 10:3

John 10:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
• New International Version (NIV)The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
• English Standard Version (ESV)To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
• New King James Version (NKJV)To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

Context of John 10:3

1“I tell you the solemn truth, the one who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens the door for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought all his own sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not recognize the stranger’s voice.”

John 10:3 word by word

τούτῳ ὁ θυρωρὸς ἀνοίγει, καὶ τὰ πρόβατα τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούει, καὶ τὰ ἴδια πρόβατα φωνεῖ κατ᾽ ὄνομα καὶ ἐξάγει αὐτά.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• To himοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• the porterὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the porterθυρωρόςthurōros · gatekeeperG2377
• openethἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the sheepπρόβατονprobaton · sheepG4263
• hearἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• he callethκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• his ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
• byκατάkata · according toG2596
• nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• leadethἐξάγωexagō · to lead outG1806

Cross-references for John 10:3

• 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.
• 1 Corinthians 16:9because a door of great opportunity stands wide open for me, but there are many opponents.
• Colossians 4:3At the same time pray for us too, that God may open a door for the message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
• 1 Peter 1:12They were shown that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things angels long to catch a glimpse of.
• Revelation 3:7“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following: “This is the solemn pronouncement of the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors no one can shut, and shuts doors no one can open:
• John 10:4When he has brought all his own sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.
• John 6:37Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never send away.
• John 10:14“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me –
• Exodus 33:17The Lord said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have requested, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”
• Romans 8:30And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
• Philippians 4:3Yes, I say also to you, true companion, help them. They have struggled together in the gospel ministry along with me and Clement and my other coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.
• 2 Timothy 2:19However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.”
• Revelation 20:15If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire.
• Psalms 23:2He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water.
• Psalms 78:52Yet he brought out his people like sheep; he led them through the wilderness like a flock.
• Psalms 80:1O shepherd of Israel, pay attention, you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep! You who sit enthroned above the winged angels, reveal your splendor!

Commentaries on John 10:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3To him the porter openeth - Sir Isaac Newton observes that our Lord being near the temple, where sheep were kept in folds to be sold for sacrifices, spoke many things parabolically of sheep, of their shepherds, and of the door to the sheepfold; and discovers that he alluded to the sheepfolds which were to be hired in the market place, by speaking of such folds as a thief could not enter by the door, nor the shepherd himself open, but a porter opened to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3To him the porter openeth - The porter is the doorkeeper. It seems that the more wealthy Jews who owned flocks employed some person to take charge of the flock. At first all shepherds attended their flocks personally by day and by night, and this continued to be commonly the practice, but not always. The sheep hear his voice - The voice of the shepherd. A flock will readily discern the well-known voice of one who is accustomed to attend them. The meaning…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3the sheep listen for his voice: The Middle Eastern shepherd is well known for having intimate knowledge of the sheep. Sheep are led with flute tunes, songs, or verbal commands.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. To him the porter openeth--that is, right of free access is given, by order of Him to whom the sheep belong; for it is better not to give the allusion a more specific interpretation [Calvin, Meyer, Luthardt]. and the sheep hear his voice--This and all that follows, though it admits of important application to every faithful shepherd of God's flock, is in its direct and highest sense true only of "the great Shepherd of the sheep," who in the first five…Read the comment

Topics related to John 10:3

• Character
• God Continued...
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Sheep
• Shepherd

In the dictionaries

• Fold
• Lay
• Parable
• Sanctify
• Sheep
• Thief
• Allegory
• Doorkeeper
• 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