1 “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. 2 But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 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. 4 When he has brought out his own sheep, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.” 6 Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them. 7 So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 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. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 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. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, 15 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 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. 17 The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again. 18 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.” 19 Therefore there was again division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?” 21 But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” 22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 “I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf. 26 But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe, just as I said to you. 27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” 31 At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him. 32 But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from My Father. For which of these do you stone Me?” 33 “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.” 34 Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36 then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God? 37 If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me. 38 But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I am in Him.” 39 At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp. 40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, and He stayed there. 41 Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.” 42 And many in that place believed in Jesus.
John · Majority Standard Bible
John 10 Majority Standard Bible
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)