John 10:5
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
John 10:5 in other translations
| BSB | But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.” |
|---|---|
| WEB | They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.” |
| ASV | And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. |
| YLT | and a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, because they have not known the voice of strangers.' |
| DARBY | But they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they know not the voice of strangers. |
| BBE | They will not go after another who is not their keeper, but will go from him in flight, because his voice is strange to them. |
| Webster | And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. |
What does John 10:5 mean?
Barnes' Notes
"This is true to the letter. They are so tame
and so trained that they follow their keeper with the
utmost docility. He leads them forth from the fold, or
from their houses in the villages, just where he
pleases. As there are many flocks in such a place
as this, each one takes a different path, and it is his
business to find pasture for them. It is necessary,
therefore, that they should be taught to follow, and
not to stray away into the unfenced fields of corn
which lie so temptingly on either side. Any one that
thus wanders is sure to get into trouble. The shepherd
calls sharply from time to time to remind them of his
presence. They know his voice and follow on; but if a
stranger call, they stop short, lift up their heads
in alarm, and, if it is repeated, they turn and flee,
because they know not the voice of a stranger. This is
not the fanciful costume of a parable; it is simple fact.
I have made the experiment repeatedly. The shepherd goes
before, not merely to point out the way, but to see
that it is practicable and safe. He is armed in order
to defend his charge, and in this he is very courageous.
Many adventures with wild beasts occur not unlike that
recounted by David, and in these very mountains; for,
though there are now no lions here, there are wolves in
abundance; and leopards and panthers, exceedingly fierce,
prowl about these wild wadies. They not unfrequently
attack the flock in the very presence of the shepherd,
and he must be ready to do battle at a moment's warning.
I have listened with intense interest to their
graphic descriptions of downright and desperate fights
with these savage beasts. And when the thief and the
robber come (and come they do), the faithful shepherd
has often to put his life in his hand to defend his
flock. I have known more than one case in which he
had literally to lay it down in the contest. A poor
faithful fellow last spring, between Tiberias and Tabor,
instead of fleeing, actually fought three Bedouin robbers
until he was hacked to pieces with their khanjars, and
died among the sheep he was defending."
(g) "but will flee from him" 2Ti 3:5, Rev 2:2
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 10:1-5
Here is a parable or similitude, taken from the customs of the East, in the management of sheep. Men, as creatures depending on their Creator, are called the sheep of his pasture. The church of God in the world is as a sheep-fold, exposed to deceivers and persecutors. The great Shepherd of the sheep knows all that are his, guards them by his providence, guides them by his Spirit and word, and goes before them, as…
John 10:5 in the original Greek
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Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for John 10:5
- 1 John 4:5-6
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
- Colossians 2:6-10
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. …
- Proverbs 19:27
Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.
- Mark 4:24
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
- 1 Peter 2:1-3
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
- Revelation 2:2
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
- Ephesians 4:11-15
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; …
- 1 Kings 22:7
And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?
- 2 Timothy 3:5-7
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- Luke 8:18
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
- 1 John 2:21
I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
- 1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- John 10:4
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
- John 10:5
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
- John 10:6
This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
John 10:5 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Mas al extraño no seguirán, antes huirán de él: porque no conocen la voz de los extraños. |
|---|---|
| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | mais elles ne suivront point un étranger, mais elles s’enfuiront loin de lui, parce qu’elles ne connaissent pas la voix des étrangers. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Einem Fremden aber werden sie nicht folgen, sondern werden vor ihm fliehen, weil sie die Stimme der Fremden nicht kennen. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Alienum autem non sequuntur, sed fugiunt ab eo: quia non noverunt vocem alienorum. |