My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
sheep.
John 10:4,8,16 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice…
John 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
and I.
John 10:3,14 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out…
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
and they.
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 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
listen to My voice;
Listening to the voice of Jesus implies a relationship characterized by recognition and obedience. In the context of the Gospel of John, this listening is not merely auditory but involves a deep, spiritual understanding and acceptance of His teachings. This phrase connects to the broader theme of Jesus as the Word of God (John 1:1) and the importance of hearing and responding to His message. The ability to discern His voice is a mark of true discipleship and is contrasted with those who do not recognize Him (John 10:5).
I know them,
The knowledge Jesus speaks of here is intimate and personal, reflecting a deep relationship between the shepherd and His sheep. This echoes the covenant relationship God has with His people, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 1:5, where God knows His people even before they are formed. In the New Testament, this knowledge is reciprocal, as believers are also called to know Christ (Philippians 3:10). The Greek word for "know" (γινώσκω) implies an ongoing, dynamic relationship rather than mere intellectual awareness.
and they follow Me.
Following Jesus involves a commitment to His teachings and a lifestyle that reflects His example. This phrase emphasizes the active response required from believers, who are called to walk in His footsteps (1 Peter 2:21). The concept of following is central to discipleship, as seen in Jesus' call to His first disciples (Matthew 4:19). It also implies trust and reliance on Jesus as the shepherd who leads His flock to safety and provision, resonating with the promise of eternal life and security found in Him (John 10:28).
Jesus opens with ownership. We belong to Him. Just as a shepherd counts every lamb, He counts us as His own. Psalm 23:1 echoes, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” In John 10:14-16 He says, “I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep … I must bring them in as well.” Peter adds, “You were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd” (1 Peter 2:25).
Key truths:
• Identity: We are defined first by whose we are, not by what we do.
• Security: The shepherd guards His flock (Ezekiel 34:11-16).
• Unity: One flock under one Shepherd—no believer is left outside the fold.
Sheep survive by recognizing their shepherd’s call. Jesus says, “The sheep listen for his voice” (John 10:3-4). Across Scripture God keeps speaking:
• Revelation 3:20—He knocks and calls us to table fellowship.
• Hebrews 3:7-8—“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”
• Isaiah 30:21—A whisper behind you, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Listening means:
– Attentiveness: tuning out competing noises.
– Obedience: not just hearing but responding with trust.
– Relationship: we hear because we are already His sheep.
Knowledge here is intimate and personal. 2 Timothy 2:19 assures, “The Lord knows those who are His.” Jesus is not merely aware of data about us; He loves us deeply. Galatians 4:9 reminds that we are “known by God.” Nahum 1:7 promises He “cares for those who trust in Him.”
Practical comfort:
• He knows every weakness and still claims us.
• He guides with perfect wisdom because nothing about us is hidden.
• His knowledge guarantees eternal security—He will not lose a single sheep (John 10:28-29).
Hearing leads to motion. The true mark of belonging is discipleship: “The sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:4-5). Jesus later says, “Whoever serves Me must follow Me” (John 12:26).
Following involves:
– Daily surrender: “Take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23; Matthew 16:24).
– Separation: refusing the voice of strangers and false shepherds.
– Perseverance: Revelation 14:4 pictures saints who “follow the Lamb wherever He goes,” even through hardship.
It is not optional; it is the inevitable outcome of real hearing and real knowing.
John 10:27 paints a complete portrait of the believer’s relationship with Christ. We are His possession (“My sheep”), His attentive listeners (“listen to My voice”), His intimately loved ones (“I know them”), and His obedient followers (“they follow Me”). The verse invites confident rest in His care and active commitment to walk wherever the Shepherd leads.
(27, 28) The reference to those who believe not because they were not of His sheep, introduces the contrast between them and those who were, and the position of the true members of the flock is expanded in this pair of parallel clauses. One member of each pair refers to the act or state of the sheep; and the other to the act or gift of the Shepherd. The pairs proceed in a climax from the first response of the conscience which recognises the divine voice to the eternal home which is in the Father's presence.(1)"My sheep hear My voice," . . "and I know them;"
(2)"And they follow Me" . . "and I give unto them eternal life;"
(3)"And they shall never perish" . . . "neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand."
By reading successively the clauses placed on the left side of the page, we trace the progress of the human act and state; by reading, in the same way, the clauses on the right side of the page, we trace the progress of the divine gift; by reading each pair in the order of the text, we see how at each stage the gift is proportioned to the faculty which can receive it.
The earlier clauses are familiar to us from the preceding discourse, but some expressions will need a word of explanation.
Eternal life.--Comp. John 10:10, where the word "eternal" is added in some readings. Here the verb is in the present, "I give (am now giving) them." (Comp. John 3:15; John 5:24; John 6:47 et seq.). We cannot be too careful to observe that our Lord's thoughts of "eternal life" is never of the future only. It is a development, rather than a simply future existence. We shall live eternally, because we now live spiritually in communion with the Spirit who is Eternal. . . .
Verses 27-30. -(2) Christ's claim to equality of power and essence, and similarity of gracious operation with the Father. Verses 27, 28. - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any one pluck them out of my hand. Commentators have differed as to the arrangement of these two verses - whether the six assertions should be regarded as two triplets, in the first of which the sheep of Christ are made prominent, and in the latter of which the Shepherd; thus -
(l) The sheep -
"My sheep hear my voice" (their receptivity). . . .
Parallel Commentaries ...