John 10 29

John 10:29 kjv

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

John 10:29 nkjv

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.

John 10:29 niv

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

John 10:29 esv

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

John 10:29 nlt

for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand.

John 10 verses

John 10 29 Meaning

John 10:29 emphatically declares the absolute security of believers, described as the "sheep" whom the Father has entrusted to Jesus. This verse highlights the Father's supreme power, stating that He is greater than all forces and beings. Consequently, no one possesses the capability to forcefully remove these believers from the protective grasp of the Father's omnipotent hand, thereby guaranteeing their eternal safety and belonging within God's care.

John 10 29 Context

John chapter 10 presents Jesus as the Good Shepherd, a rich and familiar metaphor in the ancient Near East, portraying the intimate care, guidance, and protection a shepherd provides for his flock. This chapter unfolds against the backdrop of growing opposition from the Jewish religious leaders (Pharisees and others, from chapters 8-9) who questioned Jesus' authority, identity, and healing of the blind man. Jesus' discourse contrasts His selfless, life-giving shepherd-role with the self-serving actions of "hirelings" (vv. 12-13) and "thieves and robbers" (v. 8), which subtly refers to those leaders who exploited or misled the people.

The specific context of John 10:29 immediately follows Jesus' assertion of the absolute security of His sheep in verse 28: "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand." Verse 29 then shifts the emphasis, bolstering this claim by placing the ultimate source of that security not only in Jesus' hand but in the Father's omnipotent hand, underscoring the unity and shared divine power between the Father and the Son. This statement leads directly into Jesus' profound declaration in John 10:30, "I and the Father are one," which ignites further controversy and accusations of blasphemy from the Jewish leaders.

Historically, this passage would have resonated deeply with the Jewish audience's understanding of God as the Shepherd of Israel (Ps 23; Ezek 34), asserting Jesus' divine claim and inviting a choice between Him and their traditional, yet failing, religious structures. The concept of God's "hand" was also a well-understood metaphor for divine power, protection, and sovereign control.

John 10 29 Word analysis

• My Father (Ὁ Πατήρ μου - Ho Patēr mou): This deeply personal address signifies Jesus' unique, intimate, and divine relationship with God, distinct from any general "our Father." It establishes the ultimate authority and source of the protection.
• who has given them to me (ὃ δέδωκέν μοι - ho dedōken moi): The verb "dedōken" (has given) is in the perfect tense in Greek, indicating a completed action in the past with enduring results in the present. This highlights the Father's sovereign initiative and eternal act of election, specifically granting these "sheep" (believers) to the Son. They are a divine gift, not obtained by human merit.
• is greater (μείζων - meizōn): While often comparative, in this context with "pantōn" (all), it expresses supreme superiority and absolute preeminence. It emphasizes God the Father's transcendent power, authority, and majesty over everything. There is no power, human or spiritual, that surpasses or can challenge His ultimate might.
• than all (πάντων - pantōn): Refers to all things, all beings, all powers, all opposition – visible and invisible, spiritual and physical. This affirms the Father's unqualified supremacy.
• and no one (καὶ οὐδεὶς - kai oudeis): An emphatic negation. It means absolutely no one, no person, no spiritual entity, no force, no circumstance can accomplish the action that follows.
• is able (δύναται - dynatai): Signifies inherent capacity, power, or capability. It asserts the complete inability or lack of power of any opposing force to overcome the Father's will and protection.
• to snatch them (ἁρπάσαι - harpasai): Implies a forceful, violent, and predatory seizure or removal. It's an image of robbery or violent abduction against one's will, emphasizing the impossibility of such an act against the Father's power.
• out of my Father's hand (ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ Πατρός μου - ek tēs cheiros tou Patros mou): The "hand" is a profound biblical metaphor representing power, authority, sovereign control, protection, and ownership. To be "in the Father's hand" means to be under His direct, omnipotent, and inviolable care, making removal by any opposing force utterly impossible.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "My Father, who has given them to me": This phrase links the eternal security directly to divine election and the unified plan of salvation orchestrated by both Father and Son. The Father initiates salvation by gifting believers to the Son.
• "is greater than all": This declaration is the foundation for the security promised. God's omnipotence and ultimate supremacy make His protective capacity absolute and unquestionable. No created power can ever supersede His.
• "and no one is able to snatch them": This highlights the definitive impossibility of external forces overcoming God's protection. The strong negation ("no one") combined with the inability ("is able") and the forceful action ("snatch") emphasizes absolute security.
• "out of my Father's hand": This phrase personifies God's protective power, evoking an image of believers held firmly and safely within His direct, personal, and irresistible control. It underlines divine possession and secure custody.

John 10 29 Bonus section

The emphatic dual assertion of security, first by Jesus (v. 28, "out of my hand") and then by the Father (v. 29, "out of my Father's hand"), powerfully underscores the inseparability and equality of the Father and the Son, leading directly to Jesus' "I and the Father are one" in v. 30. This passage thus becomes a critical proof text for the divinity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity. The Jews of Jesus' day immediately understood the implication of shared divine power and deity, which is why they reacted with attempts to stone Him for blasphemy (v. 31). The concept of being "given" by the Father to the Son (δοσθέντες) is a recurring theme in John's Gospel (cf. 6:37, 39, 44, 65; 17:6, 9, 24), highlighting the Father's active role in drawing individuals to Jesus and ensuring their eternal salvation, reinforcing that faith itself is a gift rooted in divine initiative. This verse speaks not just of security but of divine possession – believers are treasures safeguarded by God.

John 10 29 Commentary

John 10:29 serves as a theological cornerstone affirming the ultimate security of believers. Building upon Jesus' earlier statement in verse 28 regarding His own ability to preserve His sheep, this verse reinforces and deepens that assurance by explicitly locating the final guarantee in the absolute sovereignty and omnipotence of God the Father. The description of believers as those "given" to Jesus by the Father underscores a divine initiative in salvation, implying election and predestination within God's eternal purpose. The Father's supreme "greatness" over all establishes that no force in heaven or on earth can contend with or overcome His protective power. To be "in His hand" is to be in an unassailable position of safety and belonging. This verse highlights the profound unity between the Father and the Son in their shared purpose and power concerning the salvation and preservation of believers, culminating in Jesus' bold claim in John 10:30. It strongly supports the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, assuring believers that their ultimate destiny is divinely secured from external threats and spiritual enemies.