John 10
1 “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, 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 the one who enters by the gate 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 the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. 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 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his 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 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.”
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 to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling 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 So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for 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 who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to 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 gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and 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 only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.
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 The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock.
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 The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for 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. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me,
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 and I 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 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and 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 The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up 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 one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received 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 Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message.
After hearing these words [that Jesus said], the Jews were divided again.
20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you 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 But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by 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 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. 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 courts in Solomon’s Colonnade.
Jesus was in the Temple [courtyard], walking in [the place that people called King] Solomon’s porch.
24 So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You 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 “I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf.
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 because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.
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 listen to My voice; 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 them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them 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 At this, the Jews again picked up stones to 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 But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you 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 “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be 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 replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you 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 called them gods to whom the word of God came—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 then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that 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, then 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 you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”
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 At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.
After they heard that, they tried to seize him again, but he got away from them.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, 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 Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was 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 in that place believed in Jesus.
Many people [who came] there believed ([that Jesus was the Messiah/that Jesus truly had come from God]).
