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.
Verily, verily, I say unto you: —He that entereth not, through the door, into the fold of the sheep, but goeth up from another place, that man, is, a thief, and, a robber.
2 The man who enters [the pen] through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
But, he that entereth through the door, is, 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 porter openeth, and, the sheep, unto his voice, hearken: and, his own sheep, he calleth by name, and leadeth them forth.
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.
As soon as, all his own, he hath put forth, before them, he moveth on, 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, a stranger, will they in nowise follow, but will flee from him, because they know not 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.
This similitude, spake Jesus unto them; but, those men, understood not what the things were which he was speaking unto 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].
Jesus, therefore, said, again—Verily, verily, I say unto 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, as many as came before me, are thieves, and, robbers: but the sheep hearkened nor unto 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: through me, if anyone enter, he shall be saved, and shall come in and go out, and, pasture, shall find.
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, cometh not, save that he may thieve and slay and destroy: I, came, that, life, they might have, and, above measure, might have.
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, his life, layeth down, for 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.
The hireling, even because he is no shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, vieweth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, —and, the wolf, seizeth them and scattereth, —
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].
Because, a hireling, he is, and hath no care for 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 know my own, and, my own, know me, —
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, knoweth me, and, I, know, the Father; and, my life, I lay down for 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.
And, other sheep, have I, which are not of this fold: those also, I must needs bring, and, unto my voice, will they hearken, and there shall come to 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.
Therefore, doth the Father, love, me, because, I, lay down my life, that, again, I may receive it: —
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, forced it from me, but, I, lay it down, of myself, —Authority, have I, to lay it down, and, authority, have I, again, to receive it: This commandment, received I, from my Father.
19 After hearing these words [that Jesus said], the Jews were divided again.
A division, again, took place 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]”
But many from among them were saying—A demon, he hath, and is raving, —Why, unto him, do ye hearken?
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, said—These sayings, are not those of one demonized, —Can, a demon, open the eyes of, the blind?
22 Then it was time for the celebration [to remember when our ancestors] rededicated [the Temple in Jerusalem]. It was in winter.
The feast of dedication took place at that time, in Jerusalem: 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 in the temple, in the porch of Solomon.
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!”
The Jews, therefore, surrounded him, and were saying unto him—How long, holdest thou, our lives, in suspense? If, thou, art 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 told you, and ye believe not: The works which, I, am doing in the name of my Father, the same, bear witness 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, ye, believe not, because ye are not of my sheep.
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, unto my voice, hearken, —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].
What, my Father, hath given me, is, something greater than all, and, no one, can carry off out of the hand of my Father: —
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].
The Jews again lifted up stones, that they might 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 works, have I showed you, noble ones, from my Father: For which of those works are ye 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—Concerning a noble work, are we not stoning thee; but concerning profane speech, —and because, thou, being, a man, art making thyself, 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, Ye 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, those, he called gods, unto 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]
Of him whom, the Father, hallowed and sent forth into the world, are, ye, saying—Thou speakest profanely, because I said, Son of God, I am?
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 in 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, in me, ye believe not, in the works, believe, —that ye may get to know and go on to know, that the Father is, in me, and, I, am, in the Father.
39 After they heard that, they tried to seize him again, but he got away from them.
They were [therefore] again seeking to take him; and he went forth out of 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].
And he went away again, beyond the Jordan, unto the place where John was at the first, immersing; and he abode 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 unto him, and were saying—John, indeed, did not so much as, one sign; but, all things, whatsoever John said concerning this one, were, true.
42 Many people [who came] there believed ([that Jesus was the Messiah/that Jesus truly had come from God]).
And, many, believed on him there.
