John 10
Amplified Bible
Parable of the Good Shepherd
10 “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up from some other place [on the stone wall], that one is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep [the protector and provider]. 3 The [a]doorkeeper opens [the gate] for this man, and the sheep hear his voice and pay attention to it. And [knowing that they listen] he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out [to pasture]. 4 When he has brought all his own sheep outside, he walks on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice and recognize his call. 5 They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what He was talking about.
7 So Jesus said again, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I am [b]the Door for the sheep [leading to life]. 8 All who came before Me [as false messiahs and self-appointed leaders] are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security). 10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].
11 [c]I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd [d]lays down His [own] life for the sheep.(A) 12 But the hired man [who merely serves for wages], who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away; and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The man runs because he is a hired hand [who serves only for wages] and is not concerned about the [safety of the] sheep. 14 I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]— 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My [very own] life [sacrificing it] for the benefit of the sheep. 16 I have [e]other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring those also, and they will listen to My voice and pay attention to My call, and they will become [f]one flock with one Shepherd.(B) 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life so that I may take it back. 18 No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down voluntarily. I am authorized and have power to lay it down and to give it up, and I am authorized and have power to take it back. This command I have received from My Father.”
19 A division [of opinion] occurred again among the Jews because of these words [of His]. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon and He is mad [insane—He raves and rambles]. Why listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the words and thoughts of one possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Jesus Asserts His Deity
22 At that time the [g]Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. 23 It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple [area] in [h]Solomon’s portico. 24 So the Jews surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long are You going to keep us in suspense? If You are [really] the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), tell us so plainly and openly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I have told you so, yet you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name testify concerning Me [they are My credentials and the evidence declaring who I am]. 26 But you do not believe Me [so you do not trust and follow Me] because you are not My sheep. 27 The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever [by any means] perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand. 29 [i]My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are One [in essence and nature].”
31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works [and many acts of mercy] from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “We are not going to stone You for a good work, but for blasphemy, because You, a mere man, make Yourself out to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods [human judges representing God, not divine beings]’?(C) 35 If He [j]called them gods, men to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be undone or annulled or broken), 36 [if that is true] then do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and set apart for Himself and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father [that is, the miracles that only God could perform], then do not believe Me. 38 But if I am doing them, even if you do not believe Me or have faith in Me, [at least] believe the works [that I do—admit that they are the works of God], so that you may know and keep on knowing [clearly—without any doubt] that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father [that is, I am One with Him].” 39 So they tried again to seize Him, but He eluded their grasp.
40 He went back again across the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. 41 Many came to Him, and they were saying, “John did not perform a single sign (attesting miracle), but everything John said about this Man was true and accurate.” 42 And many there believed and confidently trusted in Him [accepting Him as Savior, and following His teaching].
Footnotes
- John 10:3 The shepherd’s hired assistant who guarded the sheep at night when they were inside the stone enclosure.
- John 10:7 The third of the memorable “I am” statements. See note 6:35.
- John 10:11 The fourth of the memorable “I am” statements. See note 6:35.
- John 10:11 A reference to the atoning sacrifice Jesus was going to make to provide the way for sinners to be saved and reconciled with God.
- John 10:16 I.e. the Gentiles.
- John 10:16 Jews and Gentiles will be joined through their personal belief in Jesus. The revelation that God intended to unite the Jews and Gentiles into one body of believers was a difficult concept to accept for many in the early church.
- John 10:22 Now known as Hanukkah or the Feast of Lights.
- John 10:23 Located on the east side of the temple, this was a sheltered area consisting of a long, covered portico or colonnade. It later became a meeting place for Christians (Acts 3:11; 5:12).
- John 10:29 One early ms reads What My Father has given Me is greater than all.
- John 10:35 This statement in Ps 82:6 is addressed to the ruling judges of Israel, who were supposed to serve as God’s representatives on earth. Jesus’ argument (v 36) is that since He is in fact proving Himself to be the Father’s representative on earth, He is entitled to be recognized as the Son of God.
John 10
Jubilee Bible 2000
10 ¶ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5 And they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.
6 Jesus spoke this parable unto them, but they did not understand what it was that he spoke unto them.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I AM the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I AM the door; whosoever enters in by me shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief comes not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy the sheep; I am come that they might have life and that they might have it in abundance.
11 I AM the good shepherd; the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
12 But the hireling, who is not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches them and scatters the sheep.
13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling, and the sheep do not belong to him.
14 I AM the good shepherd, and know my sheep and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knows me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down my soul for the sheep.
16 And I have other sheep which are not of this fold; it is expedient that I bring them also, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.
17 Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my soul that I might take it again.
18 No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment I have received of my Father.
19 ¶ There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these words.
20 And many of them said, He has a demon and is beside himself; why do ye hear him?
21 Others said, These are not the words of him that has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?
22 ¶ And they celebrated the dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.
23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
24 Then the Jews came round about him and said unto him, Until when wilt thou hold our soul in suspense? If thou art the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I have told you, and ye do not believe; the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me;
28 and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
30 I and my Father are one.
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we do not stone thee, but for blasphemy; and because thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
35 If he called them gods unto whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken),
36 do ye say of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God?
37 If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me.
38 But if I do, though ye do not believe me, believe the works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him.
39 ¶ Therefore they sought again to take him, but he escaped out of their hand
40 and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized, and there he abode.
41 And many came unto him and said, John certainly did no sign, but all the things that John spoke of this man were true.
42 And many believed in him there.
John 10
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
The Good Shepherd
10 ‘Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber.(A) 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd(B) of the sheep.(C) 3 The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t know the voice of strangers.’ 6 Jesus gave them this figure of speech, but they did not understand(D) what he was telling them.
7 Jesus said again, ‘Truly I tell you, I am(E) the gate for the sheep.(F) 8 All who came before me[a] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9 I am the gate. 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 kill and 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 hand, 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 hand and doesn’t care about the sheep.
14 ‘I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, 15 just 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 from this sheepfold; 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 lay down my life(Q) so that 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 the Jews were divided(S) 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 who is demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? ’(U)
Jesus at the Festival of Dedication
22 Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s Colonnade.(V) 24 The Jews surrounded him and asked, ‘How long are you going to keep us in suspense?[c] If you are the Messiah,(W) tell us plainly.’[d](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 of my sheep.[e](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) 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 I and the Father are one.’(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. For which of these works are you stoning me? ’
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 law,[f] I said, you are gods?(AI)[g] 35 If he called those to whom the word(AJ) of God came “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[h] that the Father is in me and I in the Father.’(AN) 39 Then they were trying again to seize him,(AO) but he escaped 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 baptising 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.
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