JHN 10:1-21

Jesus the Good Shepherd

1"Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who does not enter through the gate into the fold of the sheep but climbs up by some other way — that one is a thief and a robber. [10:2] But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. [10:3] The gatekeeper opens to this one, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [10:4] When he has sent out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. [10:5] They will never follow a stranger; rather, they will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." [10:6] This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. [10:7] So Jesus said again: "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the gate of the sheep. [10:8] All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. [10:9] I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved and will go in and go out and find pasture. [10:10] The thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly. [10:11] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [10:12] The hired hand — not being a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not — sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and flees; and the wolf seizes them and scatters them. [10:13] This happens because he is a hired hand and the sheep are of no concern to him. [10:14] I am the good shepherd, and I know my own and my own know me — [10:15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. [10:16] And I have other sheep which are not from this fold; those too I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd. [10:17] This is why the Father loves me: because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. [10:18] 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 commandment I received from my Father." [10:19] A division arose again among the Jews because of these words. [10:20] Many of them were saying: "He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why do you listen to him?" [10:21] Others were saying: "These are not the words of one who is demon-possessed. A demon is not able to open the eyes of the blind, is it?"

In the world it was spoken into

In 1st-century Palestine, shepherding was a common but low-status occupation, often associated with marginality and suspicion. Sheepfolds were communal enclosures where multiple flocks were kept overnight, guarded by a gatekeeper. The shepherd’s role was not just to protect but to lead sheep to pasture, calling them by name—a practice reflecting intimate familiarity. The metaphor of the shepherd was deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, evoking figures like Moses and David, as well as prophetic promises of God’s care for Israel (e.g., Ezekiel 34). The mention of thieves and robbers would resonate with listeners familiar with banditry, a persistent issue in rural areas, often tied to political unrest. Jesus’ claim to be the 'good shepherd' contrasts with hired hands who abandon the flock, invoking ideals of sacrificial leadership and moral excellence. The imagery of sheep recognizing their shepherd’s voice underscores trust and belonging, themes central to Jesus’ teaching about his relationship with his followers.

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How other translations render this

JHN 10:1

KJV: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
BSB: “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.
Koinōnos: Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who does not enter through the gate into the fold of the sheep but climbs up by some other way — that one is a thief and a robber.

JHN 10:2

KJV: But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
BSB: But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
Koinōnos: But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

JHN 10:3

KJV: To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
BSB: The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
Koinōnos: The gatekeeper opens to this one, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

JHN 10:4

KJV: And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
BSB: When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
Koinōnos: When he has sent out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

JHN 10:5

KJV: And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
BSB: But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.”
Koinōnos: They will never follow a stranger; rather, they will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.

JHN 10:6

KJV: This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
BSB: Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them.
Koinōnos: This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

JHN 10:7

KJV: Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
BSB: So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
Koinōnos: So Jesus said again: "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the gate of the sheep.

JHN 10:8

KJV: All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
BSB: All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
Koinōnos: All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them.

JHN 10:9

KJV: I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
BSB: I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture.
Koinōnos: I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved and will go in and go out and find pasture.

JHN 10:10

KJV: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
BSB: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.
Koinōnos: The thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly.

JHN 10:11

KJV: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
BSB: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
Koinōnos: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

JHN 10:12

KJV: But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
BSB: The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock.
Koinōnos: The hired hand — not being a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not — sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and flees; and the wolf seizes them and scatters them.

JHN 10:13

KJV: The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
BSB: The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.
Koinōnos: This happens because he is a hired hand and the sheep are of no concern to him.

JHN 10:14

KJV: I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
BSB: I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me,
Koinōnos: I am the good shepherd, and I know my own and my own know me —

JHN 10:15

KJV: As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
BSB: just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep.
Koinōnos: just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep.

JHN 10:16

KJV: And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
BSB: I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.
Koinōnos: And I have other sheep which are not from this fold; those too I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.

JHN 10:17

KJV: Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
BSB: The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again.
Koinōnos: This is why the Father loves me: because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again.

JHN 10:18

KJV: No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
BSB: No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”
Koinōnos: 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 commandment I received from my Father.

JHN 10:19

KJV: There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
BSB: Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesusʼ message.
Koinōnos: A division arose again among the Jews because of these words.

JHN 10:20

KJV: And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
BSB: Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
Koinōnos: Many of them were saying: "He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why do you listen to him?

JHN 10:21

KJV: Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
BSB: But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Koinōnos: Others were saying: "These are not the words of one who is demon-possessed. A demon is not able to open the eyes of the blind, is it?

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

JHN 10:1

fold:The word translated 'fold' refers to an open courtyard or enclosure, often for livestock, but could also refer to a palace courtyard or a house built around a central court.
a robber;:The term translated 'a robber' here often referred to a bandit or pirate, someone who used violence, and was distinct from a common thief.

JHN 10:6

allegory:The word translated 'allegory' here is more accurately understood as a proverb, a maxim, or a figure of speech, rather than a complex allegorical narrative.

JHN 10:11

good;:The word translated 'good' here carries a sense of beauty, excellence, and nobility, not just moral uprightness. It describes something that is admirable and fit for its purpose.