John 10
10
Jesus, the Good Shepherd
1“I can guarantee this truth: The person who doesn’t enter the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in somewhere else is a thief or a robber. 2But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out of the pen. 4After he has brought out all his sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5They won’t follow a stranger. Instead, they will run away from a stranger because they don’t recognize his voice.” 6Jesus used this illustration as he talked to the people, but they didn’t understand what he meant.
7Jesus emphasized, “I can guarantee this truth: I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before I did were thieves or robbers. However, the sheep didn’t respond to them. 9I am the gate. Those who enter the sheep pen through me will be saved. They will go in and out of the sheep pen and find food. 10A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have everything they need.
11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 12A hired hand isn’t a shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep. When he sees a wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and quickly runs away. So the wolf drags the sheep away and scatters the flock. 13The hired hand is concerned about what he’s going to get paid and not about the sheep.
14“I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep as the Father knows me.#10:14 The first part of verse 15 (in Greek) has been moved to verse 14 to express the complex Greek sentence structure more clearly in English. My sheep know me as I know the Father. 15So I give my life for my sheep. 16I also have other sheep that are not from this pen. I must lead them. They, too, will respond to my voice. So they will be one flock with one shepherd. 17The Father loves me because I give my life in order to take it back again. 18No one takes my life from me. I give my life of my own free will. I have the authority to give my life, and I have the authority to take my life back again. This is what my Father ordered me to do.”
19The Jews were divided because of what Jesus said. 20Many of them said, “He’s possessed by a demon! He’s crazy! Why do you listen to him?” 21Others said, “No one talks like this if he’s possessed by a demon. Can a demon give sight to the blind?”
The Jews Reject Jesus
22The Festival of the Dedication of the Temple took place in Jerusalem during the winter. 23Jesus was walking on Solomon’s porch in the temple courtyard.
24The Jews surrounded him. They asked him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25Jesus answered them, “I’ve told you, but you don’t believe me. The things that I do in my Father’s name testify on my behalf. 26However, you don’t believe because you’re not my sheep. 27My sheep respond to my voice, and I know who they are. They follow me, 28and I give them eternal life. They will never be lost, and no one will tear them away from me. 29My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than everyone else, and no one can tear them away from my Father. 30The Father and I are one.”
31The Jews had again brought some rocks to stone Jesus to death. 32Jesus replied to them, “I’ve shown you many good things that come from the Father. For which of these good things do you want to stone me to death?”
33The Jews answered Jesus, “We’re going to stone you to death, not for any good things you’ve done, but for dishonoring God. You claim to be God, although you’re only a man.”
34Jesus said to them, “Don’t your Scriptures say, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35The Scriptures cannot be discredited. So if God calls people gods (and they are the people to whom he gave the Scriptures), 36why do you say that I’m dishonoring God because I said, ‘I’m the Son of God’? God set me apart for this holy purpose and has sent me into the world. 37If I’m not doing the things my Father does, don’t believe me. 38But if I’m doing those things and you refuse to believe me, then at least believe the things that I’m doing. Then you will know and recognize that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father.”
39The Jews tried to arrest Jesus again, but he got away from them. 40He went back across the Jordan River and stayed in the place where John first baptized people.
41Many people went to Jesus. They said, “John didn’t perform any miracles, but everything John said about this man is true.” 42Many people there believed in Jesus.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
John 10
10
Jesus the True Shepherd
1“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by #John 20:16name and leads them out. 4And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5Yet they will by no means follow a #(2 Cor. 11:13–15)stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
Jesus the Good Shepherd
7Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9#(John 14:6; Eph. 2:18)I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11#Gen. 49:24; Is. 40:11; Ezek. 34:23; (Heb. 13:20); 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4; Rev. 7:17“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and #Zech. 11:16, 17leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd; and #Is. 40:11; Nah. 1:7; Zech. 13:7; John 6:64; 2 Tim. 2:19I know My sheep, and #2 Tim. 1:12am known by My own. 15#Matt. 11:27As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; #Matt. 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; (John 15:13; 19:30); 1 John 3:16and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16And #Is. 42:6; 56:8; Acts 10:45; 11:18; 13:46other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; #Ezek. 37:22; John 11:52; 17:20; Eph. 2:13–18; 1 Pet. 2:25and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17“Therefore My Father #John 5:20loves Me, #(Is. 53:7, 8, 12; Heb. 2:9)because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I #Matt. 26:53; (John 2:19; 5:26)have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. #(John 6:38; 14:31; 17:4; Acts 2:24, 32)This command I have received from My Father.”
19Therefore #John 7:43; 9:16there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20And many of them said, #John 7:20“He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
21Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. #(Ex. 4:11)Can a demon #John 9:6, 7, 32, 33open the eyes of the blind?”
The Shepherd Knows His Sheep
22Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23And Jesus walked in the temple, #Acts 3:11; 5:12in Solomon’s porch. 24Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. #John 5:36; 10:38The works that I do in My Father’s name, they #Matt. 11:4; John 2:11; 20:30bear witness of Me. 26But #(John 8:47)you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27#John 10:4, 14My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29#John 14:28My Father, #(John 17:2, 6, 12, 24)who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30#John 17:11, 21–24I and My Father are one.”
Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus
31Then #John 8:59the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
33The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for #Matt. 9:3blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, #John 5:18make Yourself God.”
34Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, #Ps. 82:6‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35If He called them gods, #Matt. 5:17, 18to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture #1 Pet. 1:25cannot be broken), 36do you say of Him #John 6:27whom the Father sanctified and #John 3:17sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ #John 5:17, 18because I said, ‘I am #Luke 1:35the Son of God’? 37#John 10:25; 15:24If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38but if I do, though you do not believe Me, #John 5:36believe the works, that you may know and believe #John 14:10, 11that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39#John 7:30, 44Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.
The Believers Beyond Jordan
40And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place #John 1:28where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, #(John 1:29, 36; 3:28–36; 5:33)but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42And many believed in Him there.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.