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The Illustration of the Sheepfold

10 “Truly, I tell all of you[a] emphatically, the person who doesn’t enter the sheepfold through the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. It’s to him the gatekeeper opens the gate, and it’s his voice the sheep hear. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They’ll never follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration with them, but they didn’t understand what he was saying to them.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

So again Jesus said, “Truly, I tell all of you[b] emphatically, I’m the gate for the sheep. All who came before me[c] are thieves and bandits, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I’m the gate. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved. He’ll come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I’ve come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

11 “I’m the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down[d] his life for the sheep. 12 The hired worker, who isn’t the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, deserts the sheep, and runs away. So the wolf snatches them and scatters them, 13 because he’s a hired worker, and the sheep don’t matter to him.

14 I’m the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down[e] my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that don’t belong to this fold. I must lead these also, and they’ll listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it back again. 18 No one is taking it from me; I lay it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This is what my Father has commanded me.”

19 Once again there was a division among the Jews[f] because of what Jesus had been saying. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why bother listening to him?”

21 Others were saying, “These are not the words of a man who is demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can it?”

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Footnotes

  1. John 10:1 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
  2. John 10:7 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
  3. John 10:8 Other mss. lack before me
  4. John 10:11 Other mss. read gives
  5. John 10:15 Other mss. read give
  6. John 10:19 I.e. Judean leaders

10  I tell legō you hymeis the solemn amēn truth amēn, the ho one who does not enter eiserchomai the ho sheepfold aulē through dia the ho gate thura, · ho but alla climbs anabainō in by some other way allachothen, is eimi a thief kleptēs and kai a robber lēstēs. But de the ho one who enters eiserchomai by dia the ho gate thura is eimi the shepherd poimēn of the ho sheep probaton. The ho watchman thurōros allows him houtos to enter anoigō, and kai the ho sheep probaton pay attention to akouō · ho his autos voice phōnē; · kai he calls phōneō · ho his idios own sheep probaton by kata name onoma and kai leads exagō them autos out. When hotan he has brought out ekballō all pas · ho his idios own , he walks poreuō on ahead emprosthen of them autos, and kai the ho sheep probaton follow akoloutheō him autos because hoti they know oida · ho his autos voice phōnē. They will akoloutheō never ou follow akoloutheō a stranger allotrios, · de but alla will run pheugō away from apo him autos, because hoti they do not ou know oida the ho voice phōnē of ho strangers allotrios.” Jesus Iēsous told legō them autos this houtos · ho figurative paroimia story , · ho but de they ekeinos did not ou understand ginōskō what tis he was saying laleō to them autos.

So oun Jesus Iēsous said legō once again palin, · ho I tell legō you hymeis the solemn truth amēn, I egō am eimi the ho gate thura for the ho sheep probaton. All pas who hosos came erchomai before pro me egō were eimi thieves kleptēs and kai robbers lēstēs, but alla the ho sheep probaton did not ou listen akouō to them autos. I egō am eimi the ho gate thura. If ean anyone tis enters eiserchomai through dia me egō, he will be saved sōzō; · kai he will come eiserchomai in and kai go exerchomai out and kai find heuriskō pasture nomē. 10 The ho thief kleptēs comes erchomai only ei mē to hina steal kleptō and kai slaughter thuō and kai destroy apollymi; I egō have come erchomai that hina they may have echō life zōē, and kai have echō it abundantly perissos.

11  I egō am eimi the ho good kalos shepherd poimēn; · ho the ho good kalos shepherd poimēn · ho lays down tithēmi · ho his autos life psychē for hyper the ho sheep probaton. 12 The ho hired misthōtos hand , since kai he is eimi not ou a shepherd poimēn and the ho sheep probaton do not ou belong eimi to him idios, sees theōreō a ho wolf lykos coming erchomai and kai abandons aphiēmi the ho sheep probaton and kai runs pheugō away and kai the ho wolf lykos attacks harpazō the flock autos and kai scatters them. 13 He does this because hoti he is eimi simply a hired misthōtos hand and kai has no ou real concern melei for peri the ho sheep probaton. 14 I egō am eimi the ho good kalos shepherd poimēn. · ho · kai I know ginōskō · ho my emos own and kai they emos know ginōskō me egō, · ho 15 just kathōs as the ho Father patēr knows ginōskō me egō and kagō I know ginōskō the ho Father patēr; and kai I lay down tithēmi · ho my egō life psychē for hyper my ho sheep probaton. 16 · kai I have echō other allos sheep probaton which hos are eimi not ou of ek · ho this houtos fold aulē. These kakeinos too I egō must dei bring agō. · kai They will listen to akouō · ho my egō voice phōnē, and kai there will be ginomai one heis flock poimnē, with one heis shepherd poimēn. 17 Therefore dia houtos the ho Father patēr loves agapaō me egō, because hoti I egō lay tithēmi down · ho my egō life psychē in order hina that I may take lambanō it autos back again palin. 18 No oudeis one takes airō it autos away from apo me egō, but alla I egō lay tithēmi it autos down of apo my emautou own free will. I have echō the power exousia to lay tithēmi it autos down , and kai I have echō the power exousia to take lambanō it autos back again palin. This houtos · ho command entolē I received lambanō from para · ho my egō Father patēr.”

19 Once again palin there was ginomai a division schisma among en the ho Jews Ioudaios because dia of · ho these houtos words logos. 20 Many polys of ek them autos were saying legō, · de He is demon-possessed daimonion and kai out of control mainomai. Why tis are you listening to akouō him autos?” 21 Others allos were saying legō, “ These houtos are eimi not ou the ho words rhēma of a man possessed by a demon daimonizomai. Can dynamai a demon daimonion open anoigō the eyes ophthalmos of the blind typhlos?”

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