The Meaning of John 10:26 Explained

John 10:26

KJV: But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

YLT: but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep,

Darby: but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep, as I told you.

ASV: But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  ye  believe  not,  because  ye are  not  of  my  sheep,  as  I said  unto you. 

What does John 10:26 Mean?

Context Summary

John 10:19-30 - Our Assurance Of Safe-Keeping
Our Lord did not shrink from the avowal of His divine origin and glory, when there was need or when they were challenged. See John 4:26; Matthew 26:64. For the most part, however, He wished men to exercise their own faculties of discernment and to accept Him, not because He told them what He was, but because they were inwardly convinced.
In John 10:27 we have three characteristics of His sheep-to hear, to be recognized by Him, and to follow; and in John 10:28 there are also three privileges which they enjoy-to possess eternal life, never to perish, never to be snatched away by man or devil.
Note the safety of those who really belong to Christ. They are not only in His hand, but in the Father's, because the Father and He are one. "Your life is hid with Christ in God." Here is a double protection. They may wander far, lose joy and comfort, fall on dark and stormy times, but He is responsible for them, will seek them out, and bring them home. This also is true-that our relationship with Jesus involves our relationship with the Father. But if any should presume to live carelessly because of this divine grace, it is clear that such a one is not one of Christ's sheep. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 10

1  Jesus is the door, and the good shepherd
19  Diverse opinions of him
23  He proves by his works that he is Jesus the Son of God;
31  escapes the Jews;
39  and goes again beyond Jordan, where many believe on him

Greek Commentary for John 10:26

Because ye are not of my sheep [οτι εκ των προβατων μου]
This had been the point in the allegory of the Good Shepherd. In fact, they were the children of the devil in spirit and conduct (John 8:43), pious ecclesiastics though they seemed, veritable wolves in sheep‘s clothing (Matthew 7:15). [source]
As I said unto you []
The best texts omit. [source]

What do the individual words in John 10:26 mean?

But you not believe because not you are from among the sheep - of Me
ἀλλὰ ὑμεῖς οὐ πιστεύετε ὅτι οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐκ τῶν προβάτων τῶν ἐμῶν

πιστεύετε  believe 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: πιστεύω  
Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἐστὲ  you  are 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἐκ  from  among 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
προβάτων  sheep 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: προβάτιον 
Sense: any four footed, tame animal accustomed to graze, small cattle (opp. to large cattle, horses, etc.), most commonly a sheep or a goat.
τῶν  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐμῶν  of  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Neuter 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐμός  
Sense: my, mine, etc.