John 10:27

27 My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me.

John 10:27 Meaning and Commentary

John 10:27

My sheep hear my voice
The voice of Christ in his Gospel, both externally and internally; (See Gill on John 10:4), (See Gill on John 10:16); and since therefore these Jews did not, it was a plain case they were not of his sheep:

and I know them; (See Gill on John 10:14); but Christ knew not these as the elect of God, or as the Father's gift to him, and therefore they could not be his sheep:

and they follow me;
both in the exercise of grace, and in the discharge of duty, and whithersoever he the good shepherd leads them; (See Gill on John 10:3), (See Gill on John 10:4). But now, whereas these Jews did not follow Christ, but turned their backs on him, and rejected him, it was notorious that they were none of his sheep; but both happy and safe are those persons, that are the sheep of Christ, as appears from what is next said of them.

John 10:27 In-Context

25 Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words.
26 You don't believe because you're not my sheep.
27 My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand.
29 The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him.

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Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.