John 10
1 [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.
“Most assuredly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 The man who enters [the pen] through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.
3 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].
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 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.
And whenever he takes out his own sheep he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.
5 But they will never follow a stranger. Instead, they will run away from him, because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
But they will not follow a stranger; rather they will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”
6 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.
Jesus gave them this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them.
7 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].
Then Jesus addressed them again: “Most assuredly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 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.
All who ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9 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].
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 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].
The thief comes only in order to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
11 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].
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life on behalf of the sheep.
12 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.
But the hired man, not being the shepherd and not owning the sheep, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep, and runs away; and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
13 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].
Now the hired man runs away because he is a hired man and it does not matter to him about the sheep.
14 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
“I am the good shepherd, and I know my own sheep, and I am known by them.
15 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].
Just as the Father knows me, I also know the Father, and I lay down my life on behalf of the sheep.
16 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.
I also have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
17 The reason [my] Father loves me is that I will sacrifice my life. But [after I do that], I will become alive again.
“Because of this the Father loves me, in that I lay down my life so that I may take it up again.
18 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.”
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”
19 After hearing these words [that Jesus said], the Jews were divided again.
Therefore there was another division among the Jews because of these words.
20 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]”
Many of them were saying: “He has a demon and is raving mad. Why do you listen to him?”
21 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]”
Others were saying: “These are not the sayings of someone who is demonized. A demon cannot open blind people's eyes, can it?”
22 Then it was time for the celebration [to remember when our ancestors] rededicated [the Temple in Jerusalem]. It was in winter.
Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem; and it was winter.
23 Jesus was in the Temple [courtyard], walking in [the place that people called King] Solomon’s porch.
And Jesus was walking about in the temple, in Solomon's porch.
24 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!”
Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him: “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 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].
Jesus answered them: “I did tell you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name—these testify concerning me.
26 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].
But you do not believe because you are not among my sheep, just like I told you.
27 [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.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
29 [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].
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch out of my Father's hand.
30 [My] father and I are equal.”
I and the Father are one.”
31 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].
Therefore the Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.
32 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?”
Jesus answered them: “Many good works I have shown you from my Father. For which one of them are you stoning me?”
33 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!”
The Jews answered Him saying, “It is not for a good work that we are stoning you, but for blasphemy; precisely because you, being a man, make yourself God!”
34 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.’
Jesus answered them: “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’?
35 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}.
If He called them ‘gods’ to whom the Word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—
36 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]
do you say ‘You are blaspheming’ to the One the Father sanctified and sent into the world because I said, ‘I am God's Son’?
37 If I were not doing the miracles that my Father [told me to do, I would not expect] you to believe in me.
If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me.
38 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.”
But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in Him.”
39 After they heard that, they tried to seize him again, but he got away from them.
So they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped from their hand.
40 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].
He went away again across the Jordan, to the place where John was baptizing at first; and He remained there.
41 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!”
And many came to Him and said, “Though John did not perform any sign, everything John said about this man was true.”
42 Many people [who came] there believed ([that Jesus was the Messiah/that Jesus truly had come from God]).
And many of the people there believed into Him.
