My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
Parallel translations
- WEB My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
- KJV My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
- BSB My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
- NKJV My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
- NLT My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus' sheep hear His voice, are known by Him, and follow Him. True believers are marked by hearing, being known, and obeying their shepherd.
Overview
These three marks describe the genuine relationship between Christ and His people. Hearing His voice means responding in faith, and following means a life of obedience. The verse describes the secure and responsive flock of the Good Shepherd.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 25
- John 10:16I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.
- John 10:14I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own;
- Rev 3:20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.
- 1 Cor 8:3But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him.
- John 10:3–4The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
- Heb 3:7Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice,
- John 5:25Most certainly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live.
- John 8:12Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- Gal 4:9But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?
- John 10:8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.
- John 12:26If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
- John 8:43Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.
- Luke 9:23He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
- 1 Kgs 18:21Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people didn’t say a word.
- Matt 17:5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
- 2 Tim 2:19However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
- John 21:22Jesus said to him, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.”
- Mark 8:34He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
- Matt 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
- Luke 13:27He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’
- Matt 7:23Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’
- Matt 25:12But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
- Acts 3:23It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
- Mark 10:21Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”
- Rev 14:4These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 10:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.