John 10
1 “Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't come in through the gate of the sheepfold but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber.
2 But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
The one who comes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
4 Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
After bringing them out, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.
5 They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.”
They won't follow strangers. In fact they run away from a stranger because they don't recognize the voice of strangers.”
6 Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them.
When Jesus gave this illustration those who were listening to him didn't understand what he meant.
7 Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door.
So Jesus explained again, “I tell you the truth: I am the gate of the sheepfold.
8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.
All those who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture.
I am the gate. Anyone who comes in through me will be healed. They will be able to come and go, and find the food they need.
10 The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.
The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I've come to bring you life, life full to overflowing.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
The man paid to look after the sheep is not the shepherd and he runs away when he sees the wolf coming. He abandons the sheep because they're not his, and the wolf attacks and scatters the flock
13 The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care for the sheep.
for the man is only working for pay and doesn't care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own;
I am the good shepherd. I know who are mine, and they know me,
15 even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.
just as the Father knows me and I know him. I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.
I have other sheep that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
17 Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.
This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so I may take it up again.
18 No one takes it away 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 takes it from me; I choose to lay it down. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is the command my Father gave me.”
19 Therefore a division arose again amongst the Jews because of these words.
The Jews were again divided in their opinion about Jesus over these words.
20 Many of them said, “He has a demon and is insane! Why do you listen to him?”
Many of them said, “He's demon-possessed! He's mad! Why are you listening to him?”
21 Others said, “These are not the sayings of one possessed by a demon. It isn’t possible for a demon to open the eyes of the blind, is it?”
Others said, “These aren't the words of someone who's demon-possessed. Besides, a demon can't open eyes that are blind.”
22 It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem.
It was winter, and the time of the Festival of Dedication in Jerusalem.
23 It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.
Jesus was walking in the Temple through Solomon's porch. The Jews surrounded him, asking,
24 The Jews therefore came around him and said to him, “How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
“How long are you going to keep us hanging in suspense? If you are the Messiah then tell us plainly!”
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you don’t believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, these testify about me.
Jesus replied, “I already told you but you refuse to believe it. The miracles I do in my Father's name prove who I am.
26 But you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you.
You don't believe me because you are not my sheep.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
29 My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
My Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone else; no one can snatch them from him.
30 I and the Father are one.”
I and the Father are one.”
31 Therefore the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
Once again the Jews picked up stones to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?”
Jesus said to them, “You've seen many good deeds that I've done from the Father. Which one are you stoning me for?”
33 The Jews answered him, “We don’t stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
The Jews replied, “We're not stoning you for a good deed, but for blasphemy because you are just a man but you're claiming to be God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’?
Jesus answered them, “Isn't it written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’?
35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken),
He called those people ‘gods,’ the people to whom the word of God came—and Scripture can't be altered.
36 do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
So why are you saying the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said ‘I am the Son of God’?
37 If I don’t do the works of my Father, don’t believe me.
If I'm not doing what my Father does, then don't believe me.
38 But if I do them, though you don’t believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
But if that is what I'm doing, even though you don't believe me, you should believe because of the evidence of what I've done. That way you can know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”
39 They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand.
Once again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from them.
40 He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was baptising at first, and he stayed there.
He went back across the Jordan River to the place where John had begun baptizing, and he stayed there.
41 Many came to him. They said, “John indeed did no sign, but everything that John said about this man is true.”
Many people came to him, and they said, “John didn't perform miracles, but everything he said about this man has come true.”
42 Many believed in him there.
Many who were there put their trust in Jesus.
