Devine Scripture

John 10:28

What does John 10:28 mean?

A plain-English look at John 10:28 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What John 10:28 means

To His sheep, Jesus gives eternal life—a present possession with unending duration and divine quality. He adds an unqualified promise: they shall never perish, and no one will snatch them from His hand. The imagery conveys both tenderness and strength. Salvation is a gift secured by the Giver. Enemies may threaten, but they cannot overpower the Shepherd’s grasp. This grounds assurance not in our hold on Him but in His hold on us. The permanence of His gift reflects the sufficiency of His work and the constancy of His love. The sheep’s safety depends on the Shepherd’s power, not their prowess.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And I give them eternal life; they will never come to destruction, and no one will ever take them out of my hand.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and life age-during I give to them, and they shall not perish--to the age, and no one shall pluck them out of my hand;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And I give them life everlasting: and they shall not perish for ever. And no man shall pluck them out of my hand.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

and I give them life eternal; and they shall never perish, and no one shall seize them out of my hand.

Context

Verse 28 follows the description of the sheep in verse 27 with promises that flow from belonging to Jesus: eternal life and irreversible security. Verse 29 will intensify this assurance by appealing to the Father’s greatness and protective hand. Together these verses form a double assurance—Christ’s hand and the Father’s hand—leading directly into verse 30’s statement of unity between the Son and the Father.

v.27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

v.28This passage

v.29My Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Romans 5:9

    Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him.

  • Philippians 1:6

    being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:

  • John 5:39

    Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me;

  • 1 John 5:13

    These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.

  • Hebrews 7:25

    Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

  • Jeremiah 32:40

    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good; and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me.

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