1 “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 The one who comes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 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 After bringing them out, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They won't follow strangers. In fact they run away from a stranger because they don't recognize the voice of strangers.” 6 When Jesus gave this illustration those who were listening to him didn't understand what he meant. 7 So Jesus explained again, “I tell you the truth: I am the gate of the sheep. 8 All those who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them. 9 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 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. 12 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 for the man is only working for pay and doesn't care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know who are mine, and they know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know him. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 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 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 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 The Jews were again divided in their opinion about Jesus over these words. 20 Many of them said, “He's demon-possessed! He's mad! Why are you listening to him?” 21 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 winter, and the time of the Festival of Dedication in Jerusalem. 23 Jesus was walking in the Temple through Solomon's Porch. The Jews surrounded him, asking, 24 “How long are you going to keep us hanging in suspense? If you are the Messiah then tell us plainly!” 25 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 You don't believe me because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life; they shall never be lost, and no one can snatch them from me. 29 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.” 31 Once again the Jews picked up stones to stone him. 32 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 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’? 35 He called those people ‘gods,’ the people to whom the word of God came—and Scripture can't be altered. 36 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'm not doing what my Father does, then don't believe me. 38 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 Once again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from them. 40 He went back across the Jordan River to the place where John had begun baptizing, and he stayed there. 41 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 who were there put their trust in Jesus.
John 10 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (41)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Matthew 7:15; John 10:8–10; 1 John 4:1; Romans 16:18; Hebrews 5:4
- 2 John 10:14; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:4; Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 40:11
- 3 Ezekiel 34:11–16; 2 Timothy 2:19; John 10:4; John 10:16; Revelation 3:20
- 4 Deuteronomy 1:30; John 10:16; John 12:26; John 18:37; John 10:8
- 5 1 John 4:5–6; Colossians 2:6–10; Proverbs 19:27; Mark 4:24; 1 Peter 2:1–3
- 6 Isaiah 56:11; Psalm 82:5; Proverbs 28:5; John 16:25; Isaiah 6:9–10
- 7 John 14:6; Ephesians 2:18; John 10:1; John 10:9; Ezekiel 34:31
- 8 Ezekiel 34:2; Jeremiah 23:1; John 10:1; Ezekiel 22:25–28; Isaiah 56:10–12
- 9 John 14:6; Ephesians 2:18; John 10:7; John 10:1; Romans 5:1–2
- 10 Luke 19:10; John 6:51; John 12:47; John 3:17; John 6:33
- 11 Psalm 23:1; John 10:14–15; John 15:13; Revelation 7:17; Isaiah 40:11
- 12 2 Peter 2:3; Acts 20:29; Zechariah 11:16–17; Ezekiel 34:2–6; Matthew 10:16
- 13 Philippians 2:20; John 12:6; Acts 18:17
- 14 John 10:27; 2 Timothy 2:19; John 10:11; Ephesians 1:17; 1 John 5:20
- 15 Galatians 1:4; John 10:11; Matthew 11:27; 1 John 2:2; Isaiah 53:10
- 16 Isaiah 56:8; John 11:52; 1 Peter 2:25; Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 37:24
- 17 John 10:18; John 10:15; John 10:11; Hebrews 2:9; John 15:9–10
- 18 Titus 2:14; Hebrews 2:9; John 10:17; John 2:19–21; Isaiah 53:10–12
- 19 John 9:16; 1 Corinthians 3:3; John 7:40–43; Acts 23:7–10; Acts 14:4
- 20 John 7:20; Mark 3:21; John 8:52; John 8:47–48; Matthew 9:34
- 21 Exodus 4:11; Isaiah 35:5–6; Psalm 94:9; Matthew 11:5; Exodus 8:19
- 23 Acts 5:12; Acts 3:11
- 24 John 1:19; Luke 22:67–70; John 8:53; John 8:25; Matthew 11:3
- 25 John 10:38; John 8:58; Hebrews 2:3; John 5:17–43; John 14:11
- 26 John 8:47; 2 Corinthians 4:3–4; John 12:37–40; John 6:65; John 10:27
- 27 John 10:16; John 10:14; Revelation 3:20; 1 Corinthians 8:3; John 10:3–4
- 28 John 6:39–40; John 6:37; John 3:15–16; Hebrews 7:25; John 18:9
- 29 John 6:37; John 17:2; John 17:9; John 14:28; John 17:6
- 30 John 1:1–2; John 14:9; John 17:21–23; John 5:23; John 8:58
- 31 John 5:18; John 8:59; 1 Samuel 30:6; John 11:8; Exodus 17:4
- 32 Acts 2:22; 1 John 3:12; Ecclesiastes 4:4; John 5:36; Psalm 109:4–5
- 33 John 5:18; John 10:30; Leviticus 24:16; Philippians 2:6; Psalm 82:6
- 34 Psalm 82:6–7; Exodus 7:1; Psalm 82:1; Exodus 4:16; Psalm 138:1
- 35 Matthew 24:35; Romans 13:1; Luke 16:17; Luke 24:44–46; Genesis 15:1
- 36 John 3:17; John 5:17–18; Jeremiah 1:5; John 6:27; John 10:30–33
- 37 John 15:24; John 10:25; John 10:32; John 5:31; Matthew 11:20–24
- 38 John 14:20; John 10:30; John 10:25; John 14:9–11; John 17:21–23
- 39 John 7:30; John 8:59; John 7:44; Luke 4:29–30; John 10:31
- 40 John 1:28; John 11:54; John 7:1; John 3:26
- 41 John 1:33–34; John 1:29–30; John 1:27; Matthew 14:2; Mark 1:37
- 42 John 4:41; John 12:42; John 2:23; John 11:45; John 8:30
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
We have heard the Lord Jesus setting forth to us the office of a good shepherd. And herein He hath doubtless given us to know, as we may understand it, that there are good shepherds.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
Our Lord's discourse to the Jews began in connection with the man who was born blind and was restored to sight. Your Charity therefore ought to know and be advised that today's lesson is interwoven with that one.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
A great matter, beloved, a great matter it is to preside over a Church: a matter needing wisdom and courage as great as that of which Christ speaketh, that a man should lay down his life for the sheep, and never leave them deserted or naked; that he should stand against the wolf nobly.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
… loved us, for whom He, who thought it no robbery to be equal with Thee, "became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross;" He alone "free among the dead," that had power to lay down His life, and power to take it again; for us was He unto Thee both Victor and Victim, and the Victor as being …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
And not here only, but also in another case again, when they were saying, "For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God," neither in that instance did He put down this opinion, but again confirmed it, saying, "If I do not the works of my Father, believe …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)