John 10 · Verse 15

John 10:15

As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:15, King James Version

John 10:15 in other translations

BSBjust as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep.
WEBeven as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.
ASVeven as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
YLTaccording as the Father doth know me, and I know the Father, and my life I lay down for the sheep,
DARBYas the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
BBEEven as the Father has knowledge of me and I of the Father; and I am giving my life for the sheep.
WebsterAs the Father knoweth me, even so I know the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

What does John 10:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 10:15-18
15-18. 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 interpretation of the words, "for the sheep," ought to go far to establish the special relation of the vicarious death of Christ to the Church.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 15. As the Father knoweth me, &c. Mt 11:27 Lk 10:22.

I lay down my life for the sheep. That is, I give my life as an atoning sacrifice for their sins. I die in their place, to redeem them from sin, and danger, and death. See Jn 10:17,18.

(n) "As the Father" Mt 11:27 (o) "I lay down" Jn 15:13, Isa 53:4,5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 10:10-18

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…

Read the full comment on John 10:10-18 →

John 10:15 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καθὼςkathōsEven asG2531
γινώσκειginōskeiknowsG1097
μεmeMeG3165
ὁhotheG3588
πατὴρpatērFatherG3962
κἀγὼkagōI myself alsoG1473
γινώσκωginōskōknowG1097
τὸνtontheG3588
πατέρα,pateraFather,G3962
καὶkaiandG2532
τὴνtēntheG3588
ψυχήνpsuchēnlifeG5590
μουmouof MineG3165
τίθημιtithēmiI lay downG5087
ὑπὲρhuperforG5228
τῶνtōntheG3588
προβάτων.probatōnsheep.G4263

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 10:15

  • Galatians 1:4

    Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

  • John 10:11

    I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

  • Matthew 11:27

    All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

  • 1 John 2:2

    And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

  • Isaiah 53:10

    Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

  • 1 Peter 3:18

    For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

  • Zechariah 13:7

    Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

  • 1 Timothy 2:5-6

    For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

  • 1 Peter 2:24

    Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

  • Matthew 20:28

    Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

  • John 15:13

    Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

  • John 10:17-18

    Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
As.
1:18; 6:46; 8:55; 17:25; Mt 11:27; Lu 10:21; Re 5:2-9
and I.
11,17; 15:13; Isa 53:4-6,8,10; Da 9:26; Zec 13:7; Mt 20:28; Ga 1:4
Ga 3:13; Eph 5:2; 1Ti 2:5,6; Tit 2:14; 1Pe 2:24; 3:18; 1Jo 2:2
Re 5:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 10:14

    I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

  • John 10:15

    As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

  • John 10:16

    And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Read all of John 10

John 10:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Como el Padre me conoce, y yo conozco al Padre; y pongo mi vida por las ovejas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
comme le Père me connaît et moi je connais le Père; et je mets ma vie pour les brebis.
German
Elberfelder 1871
gleichwie der Vater mich kennt und ich den Vater kenne; und ich lasse mein Leben für die Schafe.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Sicut novit me Pater, et ego agnosco Patrem: et animam meam pono pro ovibus meis.