The Ideal Shepherd

10 “I assure you: Anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.(A) The one who enters by the door is the shepherd(B) of the sheep.(C) The doorkeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.”

Jesus gave them this illustration, but they did not understand(D) what He was telling them.

The Good Shepherd

So Jesus said again, “I assure you: I am(E) the door of the sheep.(F) All who came before Me[a] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal(G) and to kill and to destroy.(H) I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

11 “I am the good shepherd.(I) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(J) 12 The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them[b] and runs away when he sees a wolf(K) coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13 This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father.(L) I lay down My life(M) for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep(N) that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.(O) 17 This is why the Father loves Me,(P) because I am laying down My life(Q) so I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from My Father.”(R)

19 Again a division(S) took place among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon(T) and He’s crazy! Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These aren’t the words of someone demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”(U)

Jesus at the Festival of Dedication

22 Then the Festival of Dedication[c] took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 Jesus was walking in the temple complex in Solomon’s Colonnade.[d](V) 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and asked, “How long are You going to keep us in suspense?[e] If You are the Messiah,(W) tell us plainly.”[f](X)

25 “I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them. “The works(Y) that I do in My Father’s name testify about Me. 26 But you don’t believe because you are not My sheep.[g](Z) 27 My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life,(AA) and they will never perish(AB)—ever! No one will snatch(AC) them out of My hand. 29 My Father,(AD) who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”[h](AE)

Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus

31 Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him.(AF)

32 Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works(AG) from the Father. Which of these works are you stoning Me for?”

33 “We aren’t stoning(AH) You for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because You—being a man—make Yourself God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your scripture,[i] I said, you are gods?(AI)[j] 35 If He called those whom the word(AJ) of God came to ‘gods’—and the Scripture(AK) cannot be broken— 36 do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the One the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God?(AL) 37 If I am not doing My Father’s works,(AM) don’t believe Me. 38 But if I am doing them and you don’t believe Me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand[k] that the Father is in Me and I in the Father.”(AN) 39 Then they were trying again to seize Him,(AO) yet He eluded their grasp.(AP)

Many beyond the Jordan Believe in Jesus

40 So He departed again across the Jordan(AQ) to the place where John(AR) had been baptizing earlier, and He remained there. 41 Many came to Him(AS) and said, “John never did a sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.

Footnotes

  1. John 10:8 Other mss omit before Me
  2. John 10:12 Lit leaves the sheep
  3. John 10:22 Or Hanukkah, also called the Feast of Lights; this festival commemorated the rededication of the temple in 164 b.c.
  4. John 10:23 Rows of columns supporting a roof
  5. John 10:24 Lit How long are you taking away our life?
  6. John 10:24 Or openly, or publicly
  7. John 10:26 Other mss add just as I told you
  8. John 10:30 Lit I and the Father—We are one.
  9. John 10:34 Other mss read in the scripture
  10. John 10:34 Ps 82:6
  11. John 10:38 Other mss read know and believe

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.(A) The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.(B) The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.(C) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.(D) When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.(E) But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech,(F) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.(G)

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am(H) the gate(I) for the sheep. All who have come before me(J) are thieves and robbers,(K) but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,(L) and have it to the full.(M)

11 “I am(N) the good shepherd.(O) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(P) 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.(Q) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd;(R) I know my sheep(S) and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father(T)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.(U) 16 I have other sheep(V) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock(W) and one shepherd.(X) 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life(Y)—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.(Z) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”(AA)

19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.(AB) 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed(AC) and raving mad.(AD) Why listen to him?”

21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.(AE) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”(AF)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[b] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.(AG) 24 The Jews(AH) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”(AI)

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you,(AJ) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,(AK) 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.(AL) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,(AM) and they follow me.(AN) 28 I give them eternal life,(AO) and they shall never perish;(AP) no one will snatch them out of my hand.(AQ) 29 My Father, who has given them to me,(AR) is greater than all[c];(AS) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”(AT)

31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,(AU) 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”(AV)

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,(AW) ‘I have said you are “gods”’[d]?(AX) 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God(AY) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside(AZ) 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart(BA) as his very own(BB) and sent into the world?(BC) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?(BD) 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.(BE) 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”(BF) 39 Again they tried to seize him,(BG) but he escaped their grasp.(BH)

40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan(BI) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,(BJ) all that John said about this man was true.”(BK) 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.(BL)

Footnotes

  1. John 10:9 Or kept safe
  2. John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
  3. John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
  4. John 10:34 Psalm 82:6