John 10
10
Jesus, the Good Shepherd
1“I can guarantee this truth: The person who doesn’t enter the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in somewhere else is a thief or a robber. 2But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out of the pen. 4After he has brought out all his sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5They won’t follow a stranger. Instead, they will run away from a stranger because they don’t recognize his voice.” 6Jesus used this illustration as he talked to the people, but they didn’t understand what he meant.
7Jesus emphasized, “I can guarantee this truth: I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before I did were thieves or robbers. However, the sheep didn’t respond to them. 9I am the gate. Those who enter the sheep pen through me will be saved. They will go in and out of the sheep pen and find food. 10A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have everything they need.
11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 12A hired hand isn’t a shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep. When he sees a wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and quickly runs away. So the wolf drags the sheep away and scatters the flock. 13The hired hand is concerned about what he’s going to get paid and not about the sheep.
14“I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep as the Father knows me.#10:14 The first part of verse 15 (in Greek) has been moved to verse 14 to express the complex Greek sentence structure more clearly in English. My sheep know me as I know the Father. 15So I give my life for my sheep. 16I also have other sheep that are not from this pen. I must lead them. They, too, will respond to my voice. So they will be one flock with one shepherd. 17The Father loves me because I give my life in order to take it back again. 18No one takes my life from me. I give my life of my own free will. I have the authority to give my life, and I have the authority to take my life back again. This is what my Father ordered me to do.”
19The Jews were divided because of what Jesus said. 20Many of them said, “He’s possessed by a demon! He’s crazy! Why do you listen to him?” 21Others said, “No one talks like this if he’s possessed by a demon. Can a demon give sight to the blind?”
The Jews Reject Jesus
22The Festival of the Dedication of the Temple took place in Jerusalem during the winter. 23Jesus was walking on Solomon’s porch in the temple courtyard.
24The Jews surrounded him. They asked him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25Jesus answered them, “I’ve told you, but you don’t believe me. The things that I do in my Father’s name testify on my behalf. 26However, you don’t believe because you’re not my sheep. 27My sheep respond to my voice, and I know who they are. They follow me, 28and I give them eternal life. They will never be lost, and no one will tear them away from me. 29My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than everyone else, and no one can tear them away from my Father. 30The Father and I are one.”
31The Jews had again brought some rocks to stone Jesus to death. 32Jesus replied to them, “I’ve shown you many good things that come from the Father. For which of these good things do you want to stone me to death?”
33The Jews answered Jesus, “We’re going to stone you to death, not for any good things you’ve done, but for dishonoring God. You claim to be God, although you’re only a man.”
34Jesus said to them, “Don’t your Scriptures say, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35The Scriptures cannot be discredited. So if God calls people gods (and they are the people to whom he gave the Scriptures), 36why do you say that I’m dishonoring God because I said, ‘I’m the Son of God’? God set me apart for this holy purpose and has sent me into the world. 37If I’m not doing the things my Father does, don’t believe me. 38But if I’m doing those things and you refuse to believe me, then at least believe the things that I’m doing. Then you will know and recognize that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father.”
39The Jews tried to arrest Jesus again, but he got away from them. 40He went back across the Jordan River and stayed in the place where John first baptized people.
41Many people went to Jesus. They said, “John didn’t perform any miracles, but everything John said about this man is true.” 42Many people there believed in Jesus.
Currently Selected:
John 10: GW
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
John 10
10
1‘Verily, verily, I say to you, He who is not entering through the door to the fold of the sheep, but is going up from another side, that one is a thief and a robber;
2and he who is entering through the door is shepherd of the sheep;
3to this one the doorkeeper doth open, and the sheep hear his voice, and his own sheep he doth call by name, and doth lead them forth;
4and when his own sheep he may put forth, before them he goeth on, and the sheep follow him, because they have known his voice;
5and a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, because they have not known the voice of strangers.’
6This similitude spake Jesus to them, and they knew not what the things were that he was speaking to them;
7Jesus said therefore again to them, ‘Verily, verily, I say to you — I am the door of the sheep;
8all, as many as came before me, are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them;
9I am the door, through me if any one may come in, he shall be saved, and he shall come in, and go out, and find pasture.
10‘The thief doth not come, except that he may steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they may have life, and may have [it] abundantly.
11‘I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd his life layeth down for the sheep;
12and the hireling, and not being a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, doth behold the wolf coming, and doth leave the sheep, and doth flee; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep;
13and the hireling doth flee because he is an hireling, and is not caring for the sheep.
14‘I am the good shepherd, and I know my [sheep], and am known by mine,
15according as the Father doth know me, and I know the Father, and my life I lay down for the sheep,
16and other sheep I have that are not of this fold, these also it behoveth me to bring, and my voice they will hear, and there shall become one flock — one shepherd.
17‘Because of this doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life, that again I may take it;
18no one doth take it from me, but I lay it down of myself; authority I have to lay it down, and authority I have again to take it; this command I received from my Father.’
19Therefore, again, there came a division among the Jews, because of these words,
20and many of them said, ‘He hath a demon, and is mad, why do ye hear him?’
21others said, ‘These sayings are not those of a demoniac; is a demon able blind men's eyes to open?’
22And the dedication in Jerusalem came, and it was winter,
23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the porch of Solomon,
24the Jews, therefore, came round about him, and said to him, ‘Till when our soul dost thou hold in suspense? if thou art the Christ, tell us freely.’
25Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and ye do not believe; the works that I do in the name of my Father, these testify concerning me;
26but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep,
27according as I said to you: My sheep my voice do hear, and I know them, and they follow me,
28and life age-during I give to them, and they shall not perish — to the age, and no one shall pluck them out of my hand;
29my Father, who hath given to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of the hand of my Father;
30I and the Father are one.’
31Therefore, again, did the Jews take up stones that they may stone him;
32Jesus answered them, ‘Many good works did I shew you from my Father; because of which work of them do ye stone me?’
33The Jews answered him, saying, ‘For a good work we do not stone thee, but for evil speaking, and because thou, being a man, dost make thyself God.’
34Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not having been written in your law: I said, ye are gods?
35if them he did call gods unto whom the word of God came, (and the Writing is not able to be broken,)
36of him whom the Father did sanctify, and send to the world, do ye say — Thou speakest evil, because I said, Son of God I am?
37if I do not the works of my Father, do not believe me;
38and if I do, even if me ye may not believe, the works believe, that ye may know and may believe that in me [is] the Father, and I in Him.’
39Therefore were they seeking again to seize him, and he went forth out of their hand,
40and went away again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John was at first baptizing, and remained there,
41and many came unto him, and said — ‘John, indeed, did no sign, and all things, as many as John said about this one were true;’
42and many did believe in him there.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society