Jesus the True Shepherd

10 “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. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by (A)name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a (B)stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came [a]before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. (C)I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The 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 (D)“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a [b]hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and (E)leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and (F)I know My sheep, and (G)am known by My own. 15 (H)As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; (I)and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And (J)other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; (K)and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17 “Therefore My Father (L)loves Me, (M)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 Myself. I (N)have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (O)This command I have received from My Father.”

19 Therefore (P)there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, (Q)“He has a demon and is [c]mad. Why do you listen to Him?”

21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. (R)Can a demon (S)open the eyes of the blind?”

The Shepherd Knows His Sheep

22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, (T)in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in [d]doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. (U)The works that I do in My Father’s name, they (V)bear witness of Me. 26 But (W)you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, [e]as I said to you. 27 (X)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; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 (Y)My Father, (Z)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 (AA)I and My Father are one.”

Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus

31 Then (AB)the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for (AC)blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, (AD)make Yourself God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, (AE)‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If He called them gods, (AF)to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture (AG)cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him (AH)whom the Father sanctified and (AI)sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ (AJ)because I said, ‘I am (AK)the Son of God’? 37 (AL)If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, (AM)believe the works, that you may know and [f]believe (AN)that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 (AO)Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

The Believers Beyond Jordan

40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place (AP)where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, (AQ)but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.

Footnotes

  1. John 10:8 M omits before Me
  2. John 10:12 hired man
  3. John 10:20 insane
  4. John 10:24 Suspense
  5. John 10:26 NU omits as I said to you
  6. John 10:38 NU understand

10 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh 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 have I received of my Father.

19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: 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 any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man 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 shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that 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 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 But if I do, though ye believe not 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 resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

42 And many believed on him there.

The story about the shepherd

10 Jesus then said, ‘I tell you this: A shepherd keeps his sheep in a safe place with a wall round it. There is a gate into that safe place. Anyone who gets into that place by another way, not through the gate, is not the shepherd. That person is a robber. He comes to take away the sheep for himself. But the shepherd goes in through the gate. The person who watches the gate opens it for the shepherd. The sheep recognize the shepherd's voice. He calls each of his own sheep by their name and he leads them out. When he has brought out all his own sheep, he goes in front of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger. They will run away from a stranger because they do not recognize his voice.’

Jesus told this story like a picture to teach the people. But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Jesus is like the good shepherd

So Jesus spoke again. He said, ‘I tell you this: I am like the gate for the sheep. All other men who came before me were like robbers.[a] But the sheep did not listen to them. I am like the gate. Everyone who comes in through me will be safe. They will be free to come in and to go out. And they will find plenty of food. 10 The robber only wants to take away my sheep. He wants to kill them. He comes only to destroy them. But I have come so that they can have true life. And so that they can have everything that they need.

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd would die so that he can save his sheep. 12 Another man may take care of sheep so that he gets money. But the sheep do not belong to him. A man like that is not the shepherd. If a wolf comes, a man like that runs away when he sees it. He leaves the sheep in danger. Then the wolf attacks the sheep. It causes them to run away in all directions. 13 That man runs away because the sheep do not belong to him. He does not think that the sheep are important.

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep, and they know me. 15 I know them in the same way that my Father knows me. And they know me in the same way that I know the Father. I will die so that I can save my sheep. 16 I also have other sheep, and I must bring them too. They do not belong to this group of sheep. But they also will listen to my voice. So all the sheep will become one group, and they will have one shepherd. 17 The Father loves me because I choose to die for my sheep. But after I give my life like that, I will become alive again. 18 Nobody can take my life away from me. Instead, I myself can choose to die. I have authority to do that. I also have authority to become alive again. My Father has said that I must do that.’

19 Again, the Jews could not agree about these things that Jesus said. 20 Many of them said, ‘He has a demon in him and he is crazy. You should not listen to him!’ 21 But other people said, ‘A man with a demon in him could not teach like this! A demon could not make blind people able to see!’

The Jewish leaders do not believe in Jesus

22 It was the time for the Jewish Festival called Hanukkah.[b] This happened in Jerusalem. It was winter.

23 Jesus was walking in the yard of the temple, under a place with a roof. The place was called Solomon's porch. 24 The Jewish leaders stood around him. They said to him, ‘We want to know who you are. When will you tell us? If you are the Messiah, tell us clearly.’ 25 Jesus answered, ‘I have already told you, but you do not believe. The things that I do by my Father's authority show you who I am. 26 But you refuse to believe, because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep recognize my voice. I know them and they follow me. 28 I give them life for ever with God. They will never die. Nobody can ever take them away from me. 29 My Father has given them to me. He is greater than all things. Nobody can ever take my sheep out of my Father's hand. 30 My Father and I are one.’

31 Then the Jewish leaders picked up stones again to throw at Jesus so that they could kill him. 32 Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good things. The Father sent me to do them, and I have shown them to you. Which of those good things make you want to kill me with stones?’ 33 The Jewish leaders answered, ‘We do not want to kill you because of any good things that you have done. We want to kill you because you are speaking against God. You are only a man, but you are saying that you are God.’

34 Jesus answered them, ‘It is written in your own books of God's Law that God said, “You are gods.”[c] 35 God called the people to whom he spoke “gods”. And you know that the Bible always remains true. 36 So, when I said that I am God's Son, why am I wrong? The Father chose me for himself. And he sent me into the world. So you should not say that I am speaking bad things against God. 37 If I am not doing my Father's work, do not believe me. 38 But if I am doing his work, you should believe that work. Even if you do not believe me, you should believe the things that I do. Then you will know certainly that the Father is in me. And you will know that I am in the Father.’

39 Again, the Jewish leaders tried to take hold of Jesus. But he escaped from them.

40 After that, Jesus returned across the Jordan River. He went to the place where John had earlier baptized people. Jesus stayed there. 41 Many people came to him. They said to each other, ‘John did not do any miracles. But everything that he said about this man was true.’ 42 So, in that place, many people believed in Jesus.

Footnotes

  1. 10:8 These men were leaders who said that they wanted to take care of God's people. But they did not really help the people. Instead they hurt them, like robbers.
  2. 10:22 At the Festival called Hanukkah, Israel's people remembered a special time, 165 years before Jesus came to the earth. A foreign ruler had come to Jerusalem. He had put false gods in the temple in Jerusalem. But some of Israel's people attacked that ruler and they sent him away. Then they made the temple clean again so that they could worship the one true God there.
  3. 10:34 See Psalms 82:6.

羊圈的比喻

10 “我实实在在地告诉你们:人进羊圈,不从门进去,倒从别处爬进去,那人就是贼,就是强盗。 从门进去的,才是羊的牧人。 看门的就给他开门,羊也听他的声音。他按着名叫自己的羊,把羊领出来。 既放出自己的羊来,就在前头走,羊也跟着他,因为认得他的声音。 羊不跟着生人,因为不认得他的声音,必要逃跑。” 耶稣将这比喻告诉他们,但他们不明白所说的是什么意思。

主是羊的门

所以,耶稣又对他们说:“我实实在在地告诉你们:我就是羊的门。 凡在我以先来的都是贼,是强盗,羊却不听他们。 我就是门,凡从我进来的,必然得救,并且出入得草吃。 10 盗贼来,无非要偷窃、杀害、毁坏;我来了,是要叫羊[a]得生命,并且得的更丰盛。

主是好牧人

11 “我是好牧人,好牧人为羊舍命。 12 若是雇工,不是牧人,羊也不是他自己的,他看见狼来,就撇下羊逃走,狼抓住羊,赶散了羊群。 13 雇工逃走,因他是雇工,并不顾念羊。 14 我是好牧人,我认识我的羊,我的羊也认识我, 15 正如父认识我,我也认识父一样;并且我为羊舍命。 16 我另外有羊,不是这圈里的,我必须领它们来,它们也要听我的声音,并且要合成一群,归一个牧人了。 17 我父爱我,因我将命舍去,好再取回来。 18 没有人夺我的命去,是我自己舍的。我有权柄舍了,也有权柄取回来,这是我从我父所受的命令。”

19 犹太人为这些话又起了纷争。 20 内中有好些人说:“他是被鬼附着,而且疯了!为什么听他呢?” 21 又有人说:“这不是鬼附之人所说的话。鬼岂能叫瞎子的眼睛开了呢?”

22 耶路撒冷有修殿节,是冬天的时候。 23 耶稣在殿里所罗门的廊下行走。 24 犹太人围着他,说:“你叫我们犹疑不定到几时呢?你若是基督,就明明地告诉我们。” 25 耶稣回答说:“我已经告诉你们,你们不信。我奉我父之名所行的事可以为我作见证, 26 只是你们不信,因为你们不是我的羊。 27 我的羊听我的声音,我也认识他们,他们也跟着我。 28 我又赐给他们永生,他们永不灭亡,谁也不能从我手里把他们夺去。 29 我父把羊赐给我,他比万有都大,谁也不能从我父手里把他们夺去。

主与父原为一

30 “我与父原为一。” 31 犹太人又拿起石头来要打他。 32 耶稣对他们说:“我从父显出许多善事给你们看,你们是为哪一件拿石头打我呢?” 33 犹太人回答说:“我们不是为善事拿石头打你,是为你说僭妄的话;又为你是个人,反将自己当做神。” 34 耶稣说:“你们的律法上岂不是写着‘我曾说你们是神’吗? 35 经上的话是不能废的。若那些承受神道的人尚且称为神, 36 父所分别为圣又差到世间来的,他自称是神的儿子,你们还向他说‘你说僭妄的话’吗? 37 我若不行我父的事,你们就不必信我。 38 我若行了,你们纵然不信我,也当信这些事,叫你们又知道又明白:父在我里面,我也在父里面。” 39 他们又要拿他,他却逃出他们的手走了。

40 耶稣又往约旦河外去,到了约翰起初施洗的地方,就住在那里。 41 有许多人来到他那里,他们说:“约翰一件神迹没行过,但约翰指着这人所说的一切话是真的。” 42 在那里信耶稣的人就多了。

Footnotes

  1. 约翰福音 10:10 或作:人。