John 10 · Verse 8

John 10:8

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
John 10:8, King James Version

John 10:8 in other translations

BSBAll who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
WEBAll who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.
ASVAll that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
YLTall, as many as came before me, are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them;
DARBYAll whoever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them.
BBEAll who came before me are thieves and outlaws: but the sheep did not give ear to them.
WebsterAll that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

What does John 10:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 10:7-14

7-14. I am the door of the sheep--that is, the way in to the fold, with all blessed privileges, both for shepherds and sheep (compare Joh 14:6; Ep 2:18).

Read the full comment on John 10:7-14 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. All that ever came before me. This does not refer to the prophets, but to those who came pretending to be the pastors or guides of the people. Some have supposed that he referred to those who pretended to be the Messiah before him; but there is not evidence that any such person appeared before the coming of Jesus. It is probable that he rather refers to the scribes and Pharisees, who claimed to be instructors of the people, who claimed the right to regulate the affairs of religion, and whose only aim was to aggrandize themselves and to oppress the people. Jn 1:18. When the Saviour says that "all" were thieves, he speaks in a popular sense, using the word "all" as it is often used in the New Testament, to denote the great mass or the majority.

Thieves and robbers. See Jn 10:1, Jer 23:1: "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture;" Eze 24:2,3: "Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed; but ye feed not the flock." This had been the general character of the Pharisees and scribes. They sought wealth, office, ease at the expense of the people, and thus deserved the character of thieves and robbers. They insinuated themselves slyly as a thief, and they oppressed and spared not, like a robber.

The sheep. The people of God--the pious and humble portion of the Jewish nation. Though the great mass of the people were corrupted, yet there were always some who were the humble and devoted people of God. Comp. Rom 11:3,4. So it will be always. Though the great mass of teachers may be corrupt, yet the true friends of God will mourn in secret places, and refuse to "listen to the instruction that causeth to err."

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 All that ever came before me - Or, as some translate, all that came instead of me, προ εμου, i.e. all that came as the Christ, or Messiah, such as Theudas, and Judas the Gaulonite, who are mentioned, Act 5:36, Act 5:37; and who were indeed no other than thieves, plundering the country wherever they came; and murderers, not only slaying the simple people who resisted them, but leading the multitudes of their followers to the slaughter. But our Lord probably refers to the scribes and Pharisees, who pretended to show the way of salvation to the people - who in fact stole into the fold, and clothed themselves with the fleece, and devoured the sheep. The words, προ εμου, before me, are wanting in EGMS, Mt. BKV, seventy others; Syriac, Persic, Syriac Hieros., Gothic, Saxon, Vulgate, eleven copies of the Itala; Basil, Cyril, Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euthymius, Augustin, and some others. Griesbach has left them in the text with a note of doubtfulness. The reason thy these words are wanting in so many respectable MSS., versions, and fathers, is probably that given by Theophylact, who says that the Manicheans inferred from these words that all the Jewish prophets were impostors. But our Lord has borne sufficient testimony to their inspiration in a variety of places. Κλεπτης, and λῃστης, the thief and the robber, should be properly distinguished; one takes by cunning and stealth; the other openly and by violence. It would not be difficult to find bad ministers who answer to both these characters. Tithes have been often enforced and collected in a most exceptionable manner, and in a most disgraceful spirit. The reflection of pious Quesnel on this verse is well worth attention. A pastor ought to remember that whoever boasts of being the way of salvation, and the gate of heaven, shows himself to be a thief and an impostor; and though few are arrived at this degree of folly, yet there are many who rely too much upon their own talents, eloquence, and labors, as if the salvation of the sheep depended necessarily thereon: in which respect they are always robbers, since they rob the grace of Christ of the glory of saving the sheep. God often puts such pastors to shame, by not opening the hearts of the people to receive their word: while he blesses those who are humble, in causing them to be heard with attention, and accompanying their preaching with an unction which converts and saves souls. Let every man know that in this respect his sufficiency and success are of the Lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 10:6-9

Many who hear the word of Christ, do not understand it, because they will not. But we shall find one scripture expounding another, and the blessed Spirit making known the blessed Jesus. Christ is the Door. And what greater security has the church of God than that the Lord Jesus is between it and all its enemies? He is a door open for passage and communication. Here are plain directions how to come into the fold; we…

Read the full comment on John 10:6-9 →

John 10:8 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.

πάντεςpantesAllG3956
ὅσοιhosoias many asG3745
ἦλθονēlthoncameG2064
πρὸprobeforeG4253
ἐμοῦ,emouMeG1473
κλέπταιkleptaithievesG2812
εἰσὶνeisinareG1510
καὶkaiandG2532
λῃσταί·lēstairobbers;G3027
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
οὐκouknotG3756
ἤκουσανēkousandid listenG191
αὐτῶνautōnto themG846
τὰtatheG3588
πρόβατα.probatasheep.G4263

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

Cross references for John 10:8

  • Ezekiel 34:2

    Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

  • Jeremiah 23:1

    Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.

  • John 10:1

    Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

  • Ezekiel 22:25-28

    There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken.

  • Isaiah 56:10-12

    His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

  • John 10:27

    My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

  • Acts 5:36

    For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

  • John 10:5

    And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

  • Zechariah 11:16

    For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.

  • Zechariah 11:4-9

    Thus saith the Lord my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not. For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them. And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. …

  • Zephaniah 3:3

    Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
came.
1; Isa 56:10-12; Eze 22:25-28; 34:2; Zep 3:3; Zec 11:4-9,16; Ac 5:36
but.
5,27

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

Context

  • John 10:7

    Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

  • John 10:8

    All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

  • John 10:9

    I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Read all of John 10

John 10:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Todos los que antes de mí vinieron, ladrones son y robadores; mas no los oyeron las ovejas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Tous, autant qu’il en est venu avant moi, sont des voleurs et des larrons; mais les brebis ne les ont pas écoutés.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Alle, die irgend vor mir gekommen, sind Diebe und Räuber; aber die Schafe hörten nicht auf sie.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Omnes quotquot venerunt, fures sunt, et latrones, et non audierunt eos oves.