John

Focuses on the divinity of Jesus, presenting Him as the Word made flesh and emphasizing His miraculous signs.

Chapter 10

1 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.

*I tell you truly, anyone who doesn't enter through the main entrance of the sheep pen but finds another way, that person is a thief and a criminal.

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

*But the one who comes in through the door is the leader of the sheep.

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

*The doorkeeper opens for him, and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his sheep by name and guides them out.

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

*When he sends out his sheep, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.

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

*Strangers won't be followed; instead, they'll run away because they don't recognize their voices.

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

*Jesus told a story to the people, but they didn't understand what it meant.

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

*Then Jesus told them, "I truly tell you, I am the gate for the sheep."

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

*Everyone who was here before me is a thief and robber, but the sheep didn't listen to them.

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

*I am the entrance: through me, anyone who comes in will be safe and can come and go freely, finding nourishment.

10 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.

*The thief doesn't arrive to help; instead, he steals, kills, and destroys. I arrived to give life and to give it in abundance.

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

*I am the kind leader: The kind leader sacrifices their life for the protected animals.

12 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.

*But the person who isn't a true shepherd and doesn't own the sheep sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep to run away. The wolf then grabs the sheep and scatters them.

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

*The worker runs away, since he's just getting paid, and doesn't care about the animals.

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

*I am the caring leader, and I understand my followers, and they recognize me too.

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

*Just like the Father knows me, I also know the Father. And I give up my life to protect the sheep.

16 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.

*I have more sheep that aren't part of this group, and I will bring them here. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one group of sheep and one shepherd for all.

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

*So my Father loves me because I give up my life, so I can get it back later.

18 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.

*Someone doesn't force me to do this; I choose to do it by myself. I can stop doing it whenever I want, and I can start doing it again too. My dad told me to do this.

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

*The Jews argued again because of these statements.

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

*Many people said he's crazy and possessed, so why listen to him?

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

*Others replied, "These aren't the words of someone possessed by a demon. Can a demon give sight to blind people?"

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

*This verse says that in Jerusalem, there was a festival called "the dedication," and it happened during wintertime.

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

*Jesus strolled through the temple area near Solomon's porch.

24 Then 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.

*Then, the Jewish people gathered around him and asked, "For how long will you keep us uncertain? If you are the Messiah, just tell us clearly."

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

*Jesus replied, "I warned you, but you didn't believe. The things I do are proof that I am working for my Father."

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

*But you don't believe, since you're not my sheep, like I told you before.

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

*My sheep listen to my voice, and I recognize them, and they stay with me:

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

*I give them everlasting life, and they won't be destroyed. No one can take them away from me.

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

*My Father, who sent me, is more powerful than everyone; and nobody can take them away from my Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are one.

*I and my Dad are the same.

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

*Then, the Jews picked up stones once more to try and kill him.

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

*Jesus replied, "I've shown you many good things from my Father. So, why are you trying to hurt me for them?"

33 The 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.

*The Jews replied, "We're not stoning you for doing something good. It's because of blasphemy - you're claiming to be God even though you're just a human."

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

*Jesus replied, "Doesn't your own scripture say that I called you 'gods'?"

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

*If he said they were gods, it's because God's message came to them, and the Bible can't be broken.

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

*Tell about the person the Father has set apart and sent to the world, that you accuse him of blasphemy. Why do you say this? Because he claimed to be the Son of God?

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

*If I don't do my Father's work, don't believe me.

38 But 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.

*But if I do it, even if you don't believe me, believe the actions. This way, you can know and understand that the Father is within me and I am within Him.

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

*So they tried once more to capture him, but he managed to escape from their grasp.

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

*He returned to the area beyond the Jordan River, where John originally baptized people, and stayed there.

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

*Many people went to him and said, "John didn't perform any miracles, but everything he said about this man was true."

42 And many believed on him there.

*Many people there believed in him.

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