John 10:27-28

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"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand."

John 10:27-28 (NKJV)

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand."

John 10:27-28 (NIV)

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 man pluck them out of my hand.

John 10:27-28 (KJV)

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me."

John 10:27-28 (NLT)

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand."

John 10:27-28 (ESV)

"My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand."

John 10:27-28 (NASB)

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org

"My sheep hear My voice and listen to it, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever [by any means] perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand."

John 10:27-28 (AMP)

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org

My sheep hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand.

John 10:27-28 (AMPC)

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMPC), Copyright © 1954, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org

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

John 10:27-28 (MSG)

Scripture quotations from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.

New Covenant Meaning

You Are Known, Not Just Managed

Jesus says three things in verse 27 that build on each other: His sheep hear His voice, He knows them, and they follow Him. The word "know" in the Greek is ginosko, the relational, experiential kind of knowing. This is not the knowledge of a database entry or a case file. It is the knowing of a shepherd who has been with his flock, who knows the specific quirks and needs of each one, who calls each by name (v. 3). You are not in a crowd that Jesus is managing from a distance. You are individually known by name, by nature, by need. The one holding you in His hand is the one who knows you completely.

No One Can Snatch You Out of His Hand

This is one of the most absolute security statements in the New Testament. "No one will snatch them out of My hand." The Greek uses a double negative for emphasis: they will absolutely never perish. And the hand holding them is described in verse 29 as the Father's hand as well: "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand." You are held by both the Son and the Father. The enemy can attack, circumstances can be difficult, and temptation can be real. But the one who snatch you out of that grip does not exist. You are held.

In the New Covenant, the security of the believer rests not on their ability to hold on but on Christ's ability to hold them. Romans 8:38-39 declares that nothing in all creation can separate the believer from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Jude 24 praises the one who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before His glory with exceeding joy. Your security is not produced by your performance. It is secured by His grip. The believer who understands John 10:27-28 does not live in constant fear of losing their salvation. They live in the settled confidence of someone held in the hands of the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep.

Application for Your Life

Train Your Ear to Hear His Voice

Verse 27 begins with "My sheep hear My voice." Hearing His voice is not automatic or passive. It is cultivated through relationship. Sheep that know their shepherd recognize his voice because they have spent time with him. The believers who most readily hear God's voice are the ones who are consistently in the word, consistently in prayer, and consistently attentive to the Holy Spirit throughout their day. If you are not hearing God's voice as clearly as you want to, the answer is not to try harder in isolated moments. It is to build the ongoing relationship in which His voice becomes familiar.

Stop Living as If Your Salvation Depends on Your Grip

Many believers carry anxiety about their salvation that is rooted in the wrong foundation. They are looking at how tightly they are holding on to God rather than looking at how tightly God is holding on to them. John 10:28-29 places the grip where it belongs: in His hand and the Father's hand. You are not maintaining your salvation by your effort or consistency. He is maintaining it by His. This does not give license to treat sin casually. But it does free you from the exhausting anxiety of wondering whether your hold is strong enough. His hold is. Rest there.

Prayer Based on This Verse

Lord Jesus, I am one of Your sheep. I hear Your voice. You know me by name and You hold me in Your hand. I receive the security that Your word promises today. No one can snatch me from Your grip. I am not maintaining my salvation through my effort. You are holding me through Yours. I release the anxiety about whether I am good enough to stay in Your hand and I rest in the truth that Your hand does not let go. Thank You for the eternal life You have given me. Thank You for knowing me. Thank You for the grip that never fails. In Jesus name. Amen.