John 10:4 Meaning and Explanation
“And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The shepherd goes ahead of his sheep, and they follow because they know his voice.
What Does John 10:4 Mean?
The picture moves from the fold to the open country. Having called his own out, the shepherd does not drive them from behind but walks in front, taking the road first, and the flock follows the voice it has come to know by long living with him.
Christ leads from ahead. Every path he asks his people to walk — obedience, suffering, death itself — is a path he has already walked. There is no valley he sends us into that he has not entered first. And the following is not blind: it rests on acquaintance. Sheep learn a shepherd's voice by life together; disciples learn Christ's voice the same way, through his words kept close until they are unmistakable.
John 10:4 in the Original Language
akoloutheo (ἀκολουθέω), 'follow' -- to go the same road with another; the Gospels' word for discipleship.
Frequently Asked Questions About John 10:4
What does John 10:4 mean?
The shepherd goes ahead of his sheep, and they follow because they know his voice.