John10
New American Standard
1“Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.
2But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.
3To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.
5However, a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”
6Jesus told them this figure of speech, but they did not understand what the things which He was saying to them meant.
7So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.
11“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
12He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the flock.
13He flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep.
14I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me,
15just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
16And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd.
17For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it back.
18No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. This commandment I received from My Father.”
19Dissension occurred again among the Jews because of these words.
20Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?”
21Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who is demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of those who are blind, can it?”
22At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem;
23it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area, in the portico of Solomon.
24The Jews then surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.
26But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep.
27My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
28and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
29My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
30I and the Father are one.”
31The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.
32Jesus replied to them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?”
33The Jews answered Him, “We are not stoning You for a good work, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”
34Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law: ‘I said, you are gods’?
35If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified),
36are you saying of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
37If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
38but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”
39Therefore they were seeking again to arrest Him, and He eluded their grasp.
40And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He stayed there.
41Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this Man was true.”
42And many believed in Him there.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for John 10.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The parable of the good shepherd. (1–5). Christ the Door. (6–9). Christ the good Shepherd. (10–18). The Jews' opinion concerning Jesus. (19–21). His discourse at the feast of dedication. (22–30). The Jews attempt to stone Jesus. (31–38). He departs from Jerusalem. (39–42).
vv1-5
Here is a parable or similitude, taken from the customs of the East, in the management of sheep. Men, as creatures depending on their Creator, are called the sheep of his pasture. The church of God in the world is as a sheep-fold, exposed to deceivers and persecutors. The great Shepherd of the sheep knows all that are his, guards them by his providence, guides them by his Spirit and word, and goes before them, as the Eastern shepherds went before their sheep, to set them in the way of his steps. Ministers must serve the sheep in their spiritual concerns. The Spirit of Christ will set before them an open door. The sheep of Christ will observe their Shepherd, and be cautious and shy of strangers, who would draw them from faith in him to fancies about him.
vv6-9
Many who hear the word of Christ, do not understand it, because they will not. But we shall find one scripture expounding another, and the blessed Spirit making known the blessed Jesus. Christ is the Door. And what greater security has the church of God than that the Lord Jesus is between it and all its enemies? He is a door open for passage and communication. Here are plain directions how to come into the fold; we must come in by Jesus Christ as the Door. By faith in him as the great Mediator between God and man. Also, we have precious promises to those that observe this direction. Christ has all that care of his church, and every believer, which a good shepherd has of his flock; and he expects the church, and every believer, to wait on him, and to keep in his pasture.
vv10-18
Christ is a good Shepherd; many who were not thieves, yet were careless in their duty, and by their neglect the flock was much hurt. Bad principles are the root of bad practices. The Lord Jesus knows whom he has chosen, and is sure of them; they also know whom they have trusted, and are sure of Him. See here the grace of Christ; since none could demand his life of him, he laid it down of himself for our redemption. He offered himself to be the Saviour; Lo, I come. And the necessity of our case calling for it, he offered himself for the Sacrifice. He was both the offerer and the offering, so that his laying down his life was his offering up himself. From hence it is plain, that he died in the place and stead of men; to obtain their being set free from the punishment of sin, to obtain the pardon of their sin; and that his death should obtain that pardon. Our Lord laid not his life down for his doctrine, but for his sheep.
Key Words
ἀμήν (amḗn): properly, firm, i.e. (figuratively) trustworthy; adverbially, surely (often as interjection, so be it)
λέγω (légō): properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 (ἔπω) and G5346 (φημί) generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 (ῥέω) is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 (λαλέω) means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean
ὑμῖν (hymîn): to (with or by) you
μή (mḗ): (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 (οὐ) expects an affirmative one)) whether
εἰσέρχομαι (eisérchomai): to enter (literally or figuratively)
εἰς (eis): to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
πρόβατον (próbaton): something that walks forward (a quadruped), i.e. (specially), a sheep (literally or figuratively)
διά (diá): through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
ἀλλά (allá): properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations)
ἀναβαίνω (anabaínō): to go up (literally or figuratively)
Cross References
John 10Directly quoted by Jesus ('I said, Ye are gods') to defend His claim as Son of God.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Messianic prophecy of the one Shepherd whom God would set up over His flock.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
Prophecy of the Shepherd of the Lord (His Fellow) being smitten for the sheep.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Explains 'other sheep' as gathering together in one the children of God scattered abroad.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Parallels the Jews' reaction to Christ's claims of divine oneness, charging Him with blasphemy.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Old Testament background condemning false shepherds who feed themselves and scatter the flock.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Expounds the metaphor of 'the door' as Jesus being the exclusive way to the Father.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The classic Old Testament identification of Jehovah as the personal, caring Shepherd.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Prophetic portrait of the Messiah gently feeding, gathering, and leading His flock.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Apostolic designation of Jesus as 'that great Shepherd of the sheep' through His blood.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel on God's secure, mutual knowledge: 'The Lord knoweth them that are his.'
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Fulfillment of making 'one fold' by breaking down the middle wall of partition.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
Refers back to the division among the Pharisees concerning Jesus' miracles.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Previous instance where the Jews took up stones to stone Jesus for claiming divinity.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Instruction to under-shepherds to feed the church of God, purchased with His blood.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Describes believers returning unto the 'Shepherd and Bishop' of their souls.
Supported by John Calvin
Locates the post-resurrection ministry of the apostles in the same 'Solomon's porch' location.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jesus prays for the keeping of His sheep, grounded in their oneness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Mosaic law commanding stoning as the legal penalty for blasphemy.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies the place 'beyond Jordan' where John originally baptized.
Supported by Matthew Poole