John 10:15 kjv
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:15 nkjv
As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
John 10:15 niv
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father?and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:15 esv
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:15 nlt
just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.
John 10 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Divine Knowledge (Father & Son) | ||
| Mt 11:27 | All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father... | Exclusive, reciprocal knowledge. |
| Lk 10:22 | ...no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son... | Same concept as Matthew; deep insight. |
| Jn 1:18 | No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son... has explained Him. | Jesus reveals the Father due to unique intimacy. |
| Jn 8:55 | ...you have not known Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar... | Jesus' claim to absolute knowledge of Father. |
| Jn 14:7 | If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also... | Knowledge of Son leads to knowledge of Father. |
| Jn 17:21 | ...that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You... | Unity in being and knowledge. |
| 1 Cor 2:11 | ...no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. | Highlights divine knowledge. |
| Jesus as Shepherd & Sacrifice | ||
| Isa 40:11 | Like a shepherd He will tend His flock... will gently lead the ewes with their young. | God as shepherd, comforting, leading. |
| Ezek 34:11-12 | For thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out." | God's direct intervention to shepherd His people. |
| Zech 13:7 | "Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered..." | Prophetic of Messiah's suffering. |
| Jn 10:11 | I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. | Direct thematic parallel, introduces the core idea. |
| Jn 10:17-18 | For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. | Voluntary nature of Jesus' sacrifice. |
| Jn 15:13 | Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. | Ultimate love demonstrated through self-sacrifice. |
| Rom 5:8 | But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. | God's sacrificial love through Christ. |
| Eph 5:2 | ...walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us... | Christ's self-giving as an example of love. |
| Heb 13:20 | Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep... | Jesus identified as the "Great Shepherd." |
| 1 Pet 2:25 | For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. | Jesus as the restoring Shepherd. |
| 1 Pet 5:4 | When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. | Jesus as the "Chief Shepherd" and final rewarder. |
| 1 Jn 3:16 | We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. | Example of love from Christ's sacrifice. |
| Titus 2:14 | ...who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed... | Christ's sacrifice for redemption. |
John 10 verses
John 10 15 Meaning
John 10:15 succinctly declares the intimate and perfect reciprocal knowledge between Jesus, the Son, and God the Father, stating that "just as the Father knows me, I also know the Father." This profound divine communion then serves as the foundation and motivation for Jesus' ultimate act of selfless love: "and I lay down my life for the sheep." The verse reveals the unique relationship within the Godhead, linking this intrinsic knowledge to Jesus' voluntary, sacrificial work as the Good Shepherd on behalf of His followers, providing the assurance of their redemption and security through His divine love and sacrifice.
John 10 15 Context
John chapter 10 begins with Jesus' discourse on the Good Shepherd, delivered after the healing of the man born blind (Jn 9) and the subsequent spiritual blindness of the Pharisees. In this allegorical speech, Jesus contrasts Himself with "thieves and robbers" (Jn 10:1) and "hired hands" (Jn 10:12-13) who do not care for the sheep. He identifies Himself as "the door of the sheep" (Jn 10:7) and then as "the good shepherd" (Jn 10:11). This verse (10:15) solidifies His claim by showing the basis and depth of His Good Shepherd identity, grounding His sacrificial love in His unique divine relationship with the Father. The historical context reflects a Jewish audience familiar with Old Testament shepherd imagery for leaders (e.g., Ps 23, Ezek 34), but Jesus here claims a divine, sacrificial shepherd role, directly challenging the existing, unfaithful religious leadership.
John 10 15 Word analysis
- καθώς (kathōs) - "just as," "even as": This term signifies an exact correspondence and perfect parallel. It links the two parts of the verse, showing that the depth and quality of Jesus' knowledge of the Father (and vice versa) are the basis and pattern for His love and self-sacrifice for His sheep.
- γινώσκει (ginōskei) - "knows": This is present tense, indicating a continuous, living knowledge. In Greek, ginōskō implies an intimate, experiential, relational, and personal knowledge, as opposed to oida, which denotes intellectual understanding or factual acquaintance. Here, it denotes deep communion and fellowship.
- με (me) - "me": Refers to Jesus, the Son of God.
- ὁ πατήρ (ho patēr) - "the Father": Refers to God the Father. This highlights the Trinitarian relationship, showing Jesus' divine origin and intrinsic connection.
- κἀγὼ (kagō) - "and I," "I also": The conjunction "καὶ" (kai, "and") joined with "ἐγώ" (egō, "I") emphasizes the reciprocity – "I, too."
- τὸν πατέρα (ton patera) - "the Father": Object of Jesus' reciprocal knowledge.
- καὶ (kai) - "and": Connects the two main clauses of the verse, showing a logical progression from divine relationship to redemptive action. The intimate divine knowledge undergirds the sacrificial love.
- τὴν ψυχήν (tēn psychēn) - "the life," "soul": Here, it primarily means "life," emphasizing His physical and spiritual self, His very being. Laying down His soul/life signifies a total sacrifice.
- τίθημι (tithēmi) - "I lay down," "I place": Present tense, active voice, indicative mood. This signifies a deliberate, voluntary, and sovereign act. Jesus is not a victim; He willingly surrenders His life.
- ὑπὲρ (hyper) - "for," "on behalf of," "instead of": This preposition indicates substitutionary and vicarious atonement. Jesus gives His life in place of, and for the benefit of, the sheep.
- τῶν προβάτων (tōn probatōn) - "the sheep": Refers to Jesus' followers, those who hear His voice and belong to Him.
Words-Group Analysis
- "Just as the Father knows Me, I also know the Father": This phrase defines the nature of the relationship within the Godhead. It's one of perfect, mutual, intimate, and continuous knowledge. This is not merely intellectual; it is an interpersonal communion, unique to the Father and the Son, providing the basis of Jesus' authority and identity.
- "And I lay down My life for the sheep": This second phrase describes the profound implication of the Father-Son knowledge for humanity. Jesus' perfect understanding of the Father's will and His intrinsic divine love (which He shares with the Father) compel Him to voluntarily offer His own life as a substitutionary sacrifice for those who are His. The divine 'knowing' is the motive power for the redemptive 'laying down.'
John 10 15 Bonus section
The kathōs (just as) in this verse is paramount; it bridges the intra-Trinitarian life with the incarnate Son's redemptive work. It suggests that the same depth of communion that allows the Father and Son to perfectly 'know' each other also enables Jesus, with divine wisdom and love, to perfectly fulfill the Father's plan for humanity's salvation by giving His life. This contrasts sharply with earthly leaders or even other spiritual figures who may act out of duty or limited understanding. Jesus' sacrifice flows from the infinite, eternal love and knowledge shared within the Godhead itself, making it a perfect, willing, and completely sufficient atonement. It highlights the security of the sheep because the One who gives His life for them is operating from the most intimate counsel of the Triune God.
John 10 15 Commentary
John 10:15 is a profoundly theological and salvific statement. It reveals the heart of the Trinitarian relationship, where the Father and Son share a perfect, unhindered, and intimate knowledge of each other. This divine relational knowledge is not merely an abstract concept; it is the very essence of God's love. Crucially, this verse shows that this deep communion propels Jesus' actions. His complete understanding of the Father's will, rooted in eternal love and shared knowledge, provides the perfect justification and empowerment for His mission to save. The "just as... so also" structure emphasizes that the very same quality of relational understanding that defines the Godhead is now extended in a redemptive act. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, fully informed by the Father and willingly, personally, and intentionally chooses to sacrifice His very life—not by coercion, but by sovereign will and profound love—for the security and salvation of His chosen people, the "sheep." This makes His sacrifice utterly unique and unparalleled, ensuring the efficacy and sufficiency of His atonement. It secures the sheep in His hands, undergirded by divine knowledge and sacrificial love.