John 10:27 meaning
John 10:27 meaning
(John 10:25-30 [KJV])
[25] Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
[26] But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
[27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
[28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
[29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
[30] I and my Father are one.
Explanation: John 10:27 is a powerful affirmation of the relationship between Jesus and those who are truly saved — His sheep. The verse states:
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
- "My sheep" refers to those who have believed the gospel and are born again, having trusted in the finished work of Jesus Christ for salvation. These are not just outward believers, but true possessors of eternal life.
- "Hear my voice" means they recognize the voice of the Shepherd. This is not audible but spiritual — they have received the Holy Ghost, which was promised to all believers (Ephesians 1:13). The Spirit bears witness with their spirit that they are the children of God (Romans 8:16), guiding them in truth (John 16:13).
- "I know them" speaks to intimacy and identity — Jesus doesn’t just know about them; He knows them as His own. They are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13–14), adopted into God’s family, and eternally secure.
- "They follow me" reflects the natural result of receiving the indwelling Holy Ghost. The Spirit becomes the comforter (John 14:26) and guide, making it possible for believers to follow Christ — not to be saved, but because they already are.
This verse is not a condition for salvation, but a description of the saved. It supports the eternal security of the believer: Jesus gives them eternal life (v. 28), and no man can pluck them out of His hand or the Father's. The Holy Ghost is both the seal of that promise and the means by which the believer hears, is known, and follows.