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18 No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down[a] of my own free will.[b] I have the authority[c] to lay it down, and I have the authority[d] to take it back again. This commandment[e] I received from my Father.”

19 Another sharp division took place among the Jewish people[f] because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He is possessed by a demon and has lost his mind![g] Why do you listen to him?”

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Footnotes

  1. John 10:18 tn Or “give it up.”
  2. John 10:18 tn Or “of my own accord.” “Of my own free will” is given by BDAG 321 s.v. ἐμαυτοῦ c.
  3. John 10:18 tn Or “I have the right.”
  4. John 10:18 tn Or “I have the right.”
  5. John 10:18 tn Or “order.”
  6. John 10:19 tn Or perhaps “the Jewish religious leaders”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase could be taken to refer to the Jewish religious leaders, since the Pharisees were the last to be mentioned specifically by name, in John 9:40. However, in light of the charge about demon possession, which echoes 8:48, it is more likely that Jewish people in general (perhaps in Jerusalem, if that is understood to be the setting of the incident) are in view here.
  7. John 10:20 tn Or “is insane.” To translate simply “he is mad” (so KJV, ASV, RSV; “raving mad” NIV) could give the impression that Jesus was angry, while the actual charge was madness or insanity.