John 10
Christian Standard Bible
The Good Shepherd
10 “Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen 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 sheep pen; 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?[g](AI) 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 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.
John 10
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Jesus the Good Shepherd
10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; 2 but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. 9 I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd;[a] I know my own and my own know me, 15 as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father.”[b]
19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and he is mad; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the sayings of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Jesus Is Rejected by the Jews
22 It was the feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness to me; 26 but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,[c] is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We stone you for no good work but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 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 am in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John at first baptized, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him; and they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.
Footnotes
- 10.14 the good shepherd: The name has Messianic significance; cf Ezek 34.
- 10.18 Throughout the Gospel, Jesus insists that he is master of his own life and no one takes it from him; cf. 18.6 (at his arrest); 19.11 (before Pilate); 19.30 (on the cross).
- John 10:29 Other ancient authorities read What my Father has given to me
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.