John
Chapter 10
Overview
John 10 opens with Jesus speaking to people divided over who he is and what authority he has. He uses the everyday world of sheep, gates, hired workers, and wolves to distinguish a true protector from a dangerous impostor. The quiet pasture becomes the setting for a fierce argument. Jesus calls himself both the gate and the good shepherd, and speaks of God as his Father. Later, during Hanukkah in Jerusalem, people press him to say plainly whether he is the Messiah, God’s chosen king. His answer sharpens the conflict, yet beyond the Jordan others find his words trustworthy.
1Jesus said, “I assure you: Anyone who does not enter the sheep pen through the gate, but climbs in another way, is a thief and a robber.
2Jesus continued, “But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4When he has brought all his own sheep outside, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice.
5They will never follow a stranger. Instead, they will run away because they do not recognize the voices of strangers.”
6Jesus gave them this word picture, but they did not understand what he meant.
7So Jesus explained further, “I assure you: I am the gate for the sheep.
8Everyone who came before me was a thief and a robber, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be rescued. They will come in and go out and find pasture.
10A thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I came so that they may have life—life in all its fullness.
11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12A hired worker is not the shepherd, and the sheep do not belong to him. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. The wolf attacks them and scatters them.
13The hired worker runs away because he works only for pay and does not care about the sheep.
14I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me.
15Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, I lay down my life for the sheep.
16I also have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen. I must bring them too. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
17This is why the Father loves me: I lay down my life so that I may take it up again.
18No one takes it from me. I lay it down by my own choice. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again. I received this command from my Father.”
19These words again divided the Jewish people who heard him.
20Many of them said, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?”
21Others said, “These are not the words of someone controlled by a demon. A demon cannot open the eyes of blind people, can it?”
22At that time, the Festival of Dedication, known as Hanukkah, took place in Jerusalem. It was winter.
23Jesus was walking in the temple complex along Solomon’s Colonnade, a covered walkway.
24The Jewish people gathered around him and asked, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25Jesus answered them, “I already told you, but you do not believe. The works I do by my Father’s authority show who I am.
26But you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.
27My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
28I give them life that lasts forever. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
29My Father, who gave me this flock, is greater than everyone, and no one can snatch the sheep from the Father’s hand.
30The Father and I are one.”
31The Jewish people again picked up stones to kill Jesus with them.
32Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which of those works are you going to stone me for?”
33They answered him, “We are not going to stone you for any good work, but because you insult God. You are human, yet you make yourself out to be God.”
34Jesus replied, “Isn’t it written in your own Law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’?
35If the Law called those people ‘gods’ because God’s message came to them—and what Scripture says cannot be set aside—
36then how can you say to the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are insulting God,’ simply because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?
37If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me.
38But if I do them, then even if you do not believe me, believe what the works show. Then you may recognize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
39They tried again to seize Jesus, but he escaped from their grasp.
40Jesus went back across the Jordan River to the place where John had first been baptizing people, and he stayed there.
41Many people came to Jesus. They said, “John never performed a miraculous sign, but everything John said about Jesus was true.”
42Many people there put their trust in Jesus.