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

3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” 6Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• a strangerἀλλότριοςallotrios · another’sG245
• will theyἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
• notοὐou · noG3756
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• will fleeφεύγωpheugō · to fleeG5343
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• they knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• the voiceὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• ·μήmē · notG3361

Cross-references for John 10:5

• 1 Kings 22:7But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.”
• Proverbs 19:27If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge.
• Mark 4:24Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.
• Luke 8:18“So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”
• Ephesians 4:11Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
• Colossians 2:6And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.
• 2 Timothy 3:5They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
• 2 Timothy 4:3For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.
• 1 Peter 2:1So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.
• 1 John 2:19These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.
• 1 John 4:5Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them.
• Revelation 2:2“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars.

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