John 10

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.

1Jesus said, "I am telling you the truth. Some men will not come into the sheep pen through the gate. They climb in another way. Those men are thieves and robbers."

NoteA sheep pen, or sheepfold, was a yard with a stone wall around it. Shepherds kept their sheep there at night so animals and thieves could not get them.

2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

2But the man who comes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

3The man who guards the gate opens it for him. The sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

4When he has brought out all his sheep, he walks in front of them. His sheep follow him, because they know his voice.

5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

5They will never follow a stranger. They will run away from him. They do not know a stranger's voice.

6This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

6Jesus told them this picture story. But they did not understand what he meant.

7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

7So Jesus said again, "I am telling you the truth. I am the gate for the sheep."

8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

8Everyone who came before me was a thief and a robber. But the sheep did not listen to them.

9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

9I am the gate. Anyone who comes in through me will be saved. He will go in and out and find grass to eat.

10The 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.

10A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have life, full and rich.

11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives up his life to save the sheep.

12But 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.

12A hired worker is not the shepherd. The sheep are not his own. When he sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs. Then the wolf grabs the sheep and scatters them.

13The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

13He runs away because he only works for pay. He does not really care about the sheep.

14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

14I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me.

15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

15God my Father knows me, and I know the Father, in the same way. And I give up my life for the sheep.

16And 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.

16I have other sheep that are not in this pen. I must bring them too. They will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

17My Father loves me because I give up my life. I give it up so I can take it back again.

18No 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.

18No one takes my life away from me. I give it up because I choose to. I have the right to give it up. I have the right to take it back. My Father told me to do this.

19There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

19The people did not agree about what Jesus said. They argued about him again.

20And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

20Many of them said, "An evil spirit is in him. He is out of his mind. Why do you listen to him?"

21Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

21Others said, "A man with an evil spirit does not talk like this. Can an evil spirit make blind eyes see?"

22And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

22It was winter in Jerusalem, at the Feast of Dedication.

NoteThe Feast of Dedication was a winter holiday. People remembered the time the temple in Jerusalem was cleaned and given back to God.

23And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

23Jesus was walking in the temple, God's house. He was in a covered walkway called Solomon's porch.

24Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

24The people gathered around him and said, "How long will you keep us wondering? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

Note"Christ" means the special king God had promised to send to his people.

25Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.

25Jesus answered, "I already told you, but you did not believe me. The things I do in my Father's name show who I am."

26But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

26But you do not believe me, because you are not my sheep. I told you that before.

27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

27My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me.

28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

28I give them life that lasts forever. They will never be lost. No one can grab them out of my hand.

29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

29My Father gave them to me. He is greater than everyone. No one can grab them out of my Father's hand.

30I and my Father are one.

30I and the Father are one.

31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

31Then the people picked up stones again to throw at Jesus.

32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

32Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. Which one makes you want to stone me?"

33The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

33They answered, "We are not stoning you for a good work. We are stoning you for insulting God. You are only a man, but you call yourself God."

34Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

34Jesus answered, "Your Law, God's book of rules, says this: 'I said, you are gods.'"

35If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

35God called those people gods. They were the ones God's word came to. And what the Scripture says cannot be broken.

36Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

36The Father set me apart and sent me into the world. So why do you say I insult God? All I said was, "I am the Son of God."

37If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

37If I do not do the works my Father does, then do not believe me.

38But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

38But if I do them, believe what I do, even if you will not believe me. Then you will know that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.

39Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

39So they tried to grab him again. But he got away from them.

40And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

40He went back across the Jordan River. He stayed where John first baptized people in the water.

41And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

41Many people came to him there. They said, "John never did a miracle. But everything John said about this man is true."

42And many believed on him there.

42And many people there believed in Jesus.