John 10
1 "In most solemn truth I tell you that the man who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs over 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 he who enters 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 To him the porter opens the door, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by their names 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 his own sheep--all of them--he walks at the head of 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 But a stranger they will by no means follow, but will run away from him, because they do not know 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 to them in this figurative language, but they did not understand what He meant.
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 Again therefore Jesus said to them, "In most solemn truth I tell 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 who have come before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep would 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 Door. If any one enters by me, he will find safety, and will go in and 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 may have it in abundance.
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. A good shepherd lays down his very 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 servant--one who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep--no sooner sees the wolf coming than he leaves the sheep and runs away; and the wolf worries and scatters them.
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 For he is only a hired servant and cares nothing 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. And 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 am laying 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 also other sheep--which do not belong to this fold. Those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under 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 For this reason my Father loves me, because I am laying down my life in order to receive it back 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 is taking it away from me, but I myself am laying it down. I am authorized to lay it down, and I am authorized to receive it back again. This is the command I 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 arose a division among the Jews because of these words.
After hearing these words [that Jesus said], the Jews were divided again.
20 Many of them said, "He is possessed by a demon and is mad. Why do 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 Others argued, "That is not the language of a demoniac: and can a demon open blind men's eyes?"
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 The Dedication Festival came on 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 in Solomon's Portico,
Jesus was in the Temple [courtyard], walking in [the place that people called King] Solomon’s porch.
24 when the Jews gathered round Him and kept asking Him, "How long do you mean to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so 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 have told you," answered Jesus, "and you do not believe. The deeds that I do in my Father's name--they give testimony 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 you do not believe, because you are not my sheep.
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, 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 What my Father has given me is more precious than all besides; and no one is able to wrest anything from 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 Again the Jews brought stones with which 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 Jesus remonstrated with them. "Many good deeds," He said, "have I shown you as coming from the Father; for which of them are you going to 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 "For no good deed," the Jews replied, "are we going to stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, who are only a man, are making yourself out 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 "Does it not stand written in your Law," replied Jesus, "'I 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 those to whom God's word was addressed are called gods (and the Scripture cannot be annulled),
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 how is it that you say to one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am God's Son'?
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 the deeds I do are not my Father's deeds, 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 they are, then even if you do not believe me, at least believe the deeds, that you may know and see clearly that the Father is in me, and that 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 This made them once more try to arrest Him, but He withdrew out of their power.
After they heard that, they tried to seize him again, but he got away from them.
40 Then He went away again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John had been baptizing at first; and there He stayed.
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 Large numbers of people also came to Him. Their report was, "John did not work any miracle, but all that John said about this Teacher 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 became believers in Him there.
Many people [who came] there believed ([that Jesus was the Messiah/that Jesus truly had come from God]).
