John 10
1 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter in by the door into the fold of the sheep, but goes up some other way, that man is a thief and a robber.
[Jesus continued by saying to us], “Listen carefully to what I say. Anyone who does not enter [the sheep pen] through the gate, if he climbs in some other way, he is a thief or a bandit.
2 But he who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
The man who enters [the pen] through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 The gatekeeper opens to this man. And the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
The man who watches the gate at [night] opens the gate for him. The sheep recognize the shepherd’s voice. He summons his own sheep by [calling out] the names [he has given] them. Then he leads them outside [the pen].
4 And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them. And the sheep follow him because they know his voice.
After he has brought out all his own [sheep], he goes in front of them. His sheep follow him because they recognize [and pay attention to] his voice.
5 And they will, no, not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.
But they will never follow a stranger. Instead, they will run away from him, because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
6 Jesus spoke this allegory to them, but those men did not understand what it was that he spoke to them.
Jesus said that [MET] [to illustrate the difference between himself and the Pharisees, who were deceiving the people]. But they did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Jesus therefore said to them again, Truly, truly, I say to you, that I am the door of the sheep.
So Jesus spoke to them again. He said, “Listen carefully to what I am saying. I am [like] [MET] a gate for the sheep [to enter the sheepfold, because I am the one who allows people to enter God’s presence].
8 All, as many as came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
All of [your religious leaders] who have come previously [without my authority] are [like] [MET] thieves and bandits [because they act violently and dishonestly for their own benefit]. But [just like] sheep do not [obey strangers, God’s people do not] pay attention to them.
9 I am the door. If any man enters in by me, he will be saved, and will come in and go out, and will find pasture.
I am [like] a gate. Those will be saved {[God] will save all those} who come [to God] by [trusting in] me. [Just like sheep] go in and out [through the gate safely] to find pasture [MET], [I will provide for them and protect them].
10 The thief comes not, except that he might steal and kill and destroy. I came so that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.
Thieves come [to a sheep pen] only to steal or kill or destroy [sheep] [MET]. [Similarly, your religious leaders injure God’s people spiritually]. But I have come in order that people may have [eternal/spiritual] life, and that they may have abundantly [all they need to sustain them spiritually].
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
I am [like] a good shepherd. A good shepherd [is willing to] die to save the sheep [MET]. [Similarly, I am ready to sacrifice myself to save those who belong to me].
12 But the hired man, and not being the shepherd, whose sheep are not his own, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep.
A worker whom someone has hired [to look after the sheep] is not [like] the shepherd or the one who owns the sheep. So when he sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock of sheep and [seizes one sheep and] causes [the others] to scatter.
13 But the hireling flees because he is a hireling, and it is no care to him about the sheep.
The worker runs away because he is [only] a man whom someone has hired. He is not [really] concerned about [what happens to] the sheep [MET]. [Similarly, your religious teachers do not really care what happens to you].
14 I am the good shepherd, and I know mine, and I am known by mine.
I am [like] a good shepherd. [Just like a good shepherd knows his] sheep [MET], I know those who belong to me, and they know me
15 Just as the Father knows me, I also know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.
in the same way as [my] Father knows me and I know [my] Father. Furthermore, I am [ready to] sacrifice myself for [those who belong to me].
16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring those also, and they will hear my voice. And there will become one flock, one shepherd.
And I have other people [who are not Jews] who [will some day] belong to me. They will be [like] [MET] sheep from another sheep pen. I must bring them [to God/myself] also. They will pay attention to what I say, and eventually [all those who belong to me] will be [like] one flock, and [I] will be [like] [MET] their one shepherd.
17 Because of this the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, so that I may take it again.
The reason [my] Father loves me is that I will sacrifice my life. But [after I do that], I will become alive again.
18 No man takes it from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.
No one is causing me to die. Instead, I [have chosen to] sacrifice myself. I have authority to sacrifice myself and I have authority to become alive again. That is what my Father has commanded me to do.”
19 Therefore again there became a division among the Jews because of these words.
After hearing these words [that Jesus said], the Jews were divided again.
20 And many of them said, He has a demon, and is mad. Why do ye listen to him?
Many of them said, “A demon is [controlling] him and has caused him to become crazy. (It is useless to listen to him!/Why should we listen to him?) [RHQ]”
21 Others said, These are not the sayings of a man possessed with a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?
But others said, “What he is saying is not something a man whom a demon is controlling would say. (No demon could enable a blind man to see [like he did!/] How could a demon enable a blind man to see [like he did]?) [RHQ]”
22 And the feast of the dedication happened at Jerusalem, and it was winter.
Then it was time for the celebration [to remember when our ancestors] rededicated [the Temple in Jerusalem]. It was in winter.
23 And Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon's porch.
Jesus was in the Temple [courtyard], walking in [the place that people called King] Solomon’s porch.
24 The Jews therefore surrounded him, and said to him, When do thou lift up our soul? If thou are the Christ, tell us plainly.
The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] gathered around him and said, “How long will you keep us from knowing for sure [if you are the Messiah]? If you are the Messiah, tell us clearly!”
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye did not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, these testify about me.
Jesus answered them, “I have told you [that I am the Messiah], but you do not believe me! You should know who I am because of the miracles I do with my Father’s authority [MTY].
26 But ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep, as I said to you.
But instead, you do not believe in me because you do not belong to [me. You are like] [MET] sheep [who belong to a different shepherd].
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
[Just like sheep] heed the voice [of their true shepherd] [MET], my [people pay attention to what I say]. I know them, and they have become my disciples.
29 My Father who has given to me, is greater than all, and not one is able to snatch out of my Father's hand.
[Those] that my Father has given to me are more precious than anything else (OR, My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than anything that opposes them). So no one can pull them away from belonging to him [MTY].
30 I and the Father are one.
[My] father and I are equal.”
31 Therefore again the Jews took up stones so that they might stone him.
The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] again picked up stones to throw at Jesus [and kill him because they were angry at his saying that he was equal with God].
32 Jesus answered them, I have shown you many good works from my Father. Because of them, which work do ye stone me?
But Jesus said to them, “You have seen me perform many miracles that my Father [told me to do. You should realize from seeing them that I am equal with God]. So, because of which of these miracles [IRO] are you wanting to [kill me by] throwing stones at me?”
33 The Jews answered him, saying, We stone thee not about a good work, but about blasphemy, and because thou, being a man, make thyself God.
The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] replied, “We are [wanting to] throw stones at you not because you performed a great miracle. Instead, [we are wanting to do it] because you are dishonoring God. You are just a man, but you are saying that you are God!”
34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods?
Jesus replied to them, “In the Scriptures it is written {([someone/the Psalmist]) has written} [RHQ] [what God said to the rulers whom he had appointed], ‘I have said that you are [like] gods.’
35 If he designated those men gods, for whom the word of God came to be (and the scripture cannot be broken),
God said that [to those leaders when he appointed them. No one objected to that]. And nothing that is in Scripture can be set aside {no one can set aside anything that is in Scripture}.
36 whom the Father made holy and sent into the world, do ye say, Thou blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God?
But I am the one [my] Father set apart to completely belong to him. He sent me here into this world. So (why are you angry with me for saying that [I am equal with God when I say] that I am the man who is also God?/you should not be angry with me for saying that [I am equal with God when I say] that I am the person who is both God and man!) [RHQ]
37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me.
If I were not doing the miracles that my Father [told me to do, I would not expect] you to believe in me.
38 But if I am doing them, even though ye do not believe me, believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him.
But because I perform these miracles, believe [what] these miracles [show about me], even though you do not believe what I [say]. If you do that, then you will know and understand that [my] Father has a close relationship with me, and I have a close relationship with [my] Father.”
39 Therefore they sought again to take him, and he went forth out of their hand.
After they heard that, they tried to seize him again, but he got away from them.
40 And he departed again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was first immersing, and he stayed there.
Then Jesus went, along [with us], back across [to the east side of] the Jordan [River]. We went to the place where John was previously baptizing [people]. He/We stayed there [for a few weeks].
41 And many came to him, and they said, John indeed did not one sign, but all, as many things as John spoke about this man, were true.
Many people came to Jesus. They were saying, “John never performed a miracle, [but this man has performed many miracles]! Everything that John said about this man is true!”
42 And many believed in him there.
Many people [who came] there believed ([that Jesus was the Messiah/that Jesus truly had come from God]).
