John 10:28
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Immediately after describing his sheep who hear and follow, Jesus promises them eternal life and unshakable security. The next verse adds the Father's keeping to his own.
What Does John 10:28 Mean?
John 10:28 records one of the most reassuring promises Jesus ever made: to his sheep he gives eternal life, they shall never perish, and no one can pluck them out of his hand. Having described those who hear and follow him, Jesus now tells what he gives them and how safe they are in his keeping.
Three assurances pile up, each stronger than the last. First, "I give unto them eternal life" -- a present gift from Christ's own hand, life that belongs to the age to come. Second, "they shall never perish" -- the Greek is emphatic, by no means ever perish; the life he gives cannot be lost. Third, and most vivid, "neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." The picture is of a shepherd holding his sheep so firmly that no enemy, no force, can wrench them away. The word "pluck" suggests a violent snatching, and Jesus says it cannot succeed. This security rests not on the strength of the sheep but on the strength of the shepherd's grip. The very next verse adds that the Father's hand holds them too. For anyone anxious about whether they can hold on tightly enough, the comfort here is profound: it is Christ who holds you, and his hold does not fail.
In the Original Language
The Greek "ou me apolontai" uses a strong double negative: "shall by no means ever perish." "Harpasei" (pluck) means to seize or snatch violently, which Jesus says cannot happen to his sheep.
Cross References
“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
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,”
- Romans 8:38
“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
- 1 Peter 1:5
Application
Your security rests not on how tightly you can hold on but on how firmly Christ holds you. Rest in the assurance that no power can pluck you from his hand.