John 10
Worldwide English (New Testament)
10 Then Jesus went on to say, `I tell you the truth. A person must get to the sheep through the door. Anyone who climbs over the wall to get in is a bad man and steals things. He has come to steal the sheep.
2 But the man who comes in through the door, he is the one who takes care of the sheep.
3 The guard will open the door for him. The sheep will listen to him. He calls his own sheep by their names and leads them out.
4 When all his own sheep are out of the house, he goes ahead of them. The sheep come behind him because they know his voice.
5 They will not go after a stranger. They will run away from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.'
6 Jesus told this story to the Pharisees, but they did not understand what he was trying to tell them.
7 So Jesus told them again. He said, `I tell you the truth. I am the door of the sheep house.
8 All those who came before me are bad people and steal things. They came to steal the sheep. But the sheep did not listen to them.
9 I am the door. Anyone who comes in through me will be saved. He will go in and out as he wants to, and will have food to eat.
10 The thief comes only to steal the sheep and to kill them and spoil them. I have come so that people may live and that they may enjoy life to the full.
11 `I am the good shepherd. I am the one who really cares for the sheep. The good shepherd is willing to die to save his sheep.
12 Some people work for pay. The one who does that is not the one who really cares. The sheep do not belong to him. When he sees a bad animal coming, he will leave the sheep and run away. He will let the animal take the sheep and make the sheep run away.
13 He does that because he is only working for pay and does not care what happens to the sheep.
14 `I am the good shepherd, the one who really cares for the sheep. I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
15 So my Father knows me and I know him. I am willing to die to save the sheep.
16 `I have some other sheep which are not with these sheep. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice. Then all the sheep will be together and there will be one person who cares for all of them.
17 My Father loves me because I am willing to die. But when I die, I will live again.
18 No one kills me. I die only because I choose to die. I have power to die and I have power to live again. This is what my Father has told me to do.'
19 The Jews did not all say the same thing because of what Jesus said.
20 Many of them said, `A bad spirit is in him. He is crazy. Why do you listen to him?'
21 But others said, `A person who has a bad spirit in him does not say the things this man says. Can a bad spirit make blind people see?'
22 At that time there was a feast in Jerusalem at the temple. It was the cold time of the year.
23 Jesus was walking in that part of the temple called Solomon's resting place.
24 The Jews came around Jesus and said, `How long will you keep us wondering about this matter? If you are really the Christ, then tell us plainly.'
25 Then Jesus said, `I have already told you and you did not believe it. My Father has given me the power to do big works. These works tell you who I am.
26 And yet you do not believe because you are not my sheep. I told you this before.
27 My sheep listen to me. I know them. They come to me.
28 I give them life that lasts for ever. They will never die. No one will take them out of my hand.
29 My Father gave the sheep to me. He is greater than anyone else. No one is able to take them out of my Father's hand.
30 My Father and I are one.'
31 Then the leaders of the Jews picked up stones again to kill him.
32 So Jesus said to them, `I have done many good things that come from my Father. For which one of those are you going to kill me?'
33 Then the Jewish leaders answered him, `We do not kill you for doing any good thing. But you do not respect God. You are only a man, and yet you say you are God.'
34 Jesus answered them, `In your own books it is written that God said, "You are gods."
36 Nothing can change the words in the holy writings. It is written that God spoke to men and that he called them gods. So he called some men gods. Then why do you say I do not respect God when I say that I am the Son of God? I am the one God chose and sent into the world.
37 If I am not doing my Father's work, then do not believe me.
38 But if I am doing my Father's work, believe the work that I do, even though you do not believe me. Then you will know and you will believe that my Father is in me and I am in him.'
39 Because of what he said, they tried to catch Jesus again. But he got away from them.
40 He went away again to the other side of the Jordan River. He went to the place where John [the Baptizer] was when he first baptized people. Jesus stayed there for a while.
41 Many people came to him there. They said, `John himself did not do any big work. But everything that John said about this man is true.'
42 Many people believed on Jesus there.
John 10
New International Reader's Version
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
10 “What I’m about to tell you Pharisees is true. What if someone does not enter the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in another way? That person is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him. The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own sheep, he goes on ahead of them. His sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger. In fact, they will run away from him. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus told this story. But the Pharisees didn’t understand what he was telling them.
7 So Jesus said again, “What I’m about to tell you is true. I am like a gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers. But the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I’m like a gate. Anyone who enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out. And they will find plenty of food. 10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so they may have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 12 The hired man is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when the hired man sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired man. He does not care about the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me. 15 They know me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I give my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this sheep pen. I must bring them in too. They also will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I give up my life. But I will take it back again. 18 No one takes it from me. I give it up myself. I have the authority to give it up. And I have the authority to take it back again. I received this command from my Father.”
19 The Jews who heard these words could not agree with one another. 20 Many of them said, “He is controlled by a demon. He has gone crazy! Why should we listen to him?”
21 But others said, “A person controlled by a demon does not say things like this. Can a demon open the eyes of someone who is blind?”
Another Challenge to Jesus’ Claims
22 Then came the Feast of Hanukkah at Jerusalem. It was winter. 23 Jesus was in the temple courtyard walking in Solomon’s Porch. 24 The Jews who were gathered there around Jesus spoke to him. They said, “How long will you keep us waiting? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you. But you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name are a witness for me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never die. No one will steal them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than anyone. No one can steal them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 Again the Jews who had challenged him picked up stones to kill him. 32 But Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which good work are you throwing stones at me for?”
33 “We are not throwing stones at you for any good work,” they replied. “We are stoning you for saying a very evil thing. You are only a man. But you claim to be God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Didn’t God say in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’? (Psalm 82:6) 35 We know that Scripture is always true. God spoke to some people and called them ‘gods.’ 36 If that is true, what about the one the Father set apart as his very own? What about this one the Father sent into the world? Why do you charge me with saying a very evil thing? Is it because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Don’t believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But what if I do them? Even if you don’t believe me, believe these works. Then you will 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 them.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan River. He went to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed. 41 Many people came to him. They said, “John never performed a sign. But everything he said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.
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