John 10:1

Jesus as the Good Shepherd

10:1 “I tell you the solemn truth, ¹  the one who does not enter the sheepfold ²  by the door, ³  but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.

John 10:16

10:16 I have ⁴  other sheep that do not come from ⁵  this sheepfold. ⁶  I must bring them too, and they will listen to my voice, ⁷  so that ⁸  there will be one flock and ⁹  one shepherd.

[10:1]  ¹ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[10:1]  ² sn There was more than one type of sheepfold in use in Palestine in Jesus’ day. The one here seems to be a courtyard in front of a house (the Greek word used for the sheepfold here, αὐλή [aulh] frequently refers to a courtyard), surrounded by a stone wall (often topped with briars for protection).

[10:1]  ³ tn Or “entrance.”

[10:16]  ⁴ tn Grk “And I have.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:16]  ⁵ tn Or “that do not belong to”; Grk “that are not of.”

[10:16]  ⁶ sn The statement I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold almost certainly refers to Gentiles. Jesus has sheep in the fold who are Jewish; there are other sheep which, while not of the same fold, belong to him also. This recalls the mission of the Son in 3:16-17, which was to save the world – not just the nation of Israel. Such an emphasis would be particularly appropriate to the author if he were writing to a non-Palestinian and primarily non-Jewish audience.

[10:16]  ⁷ tn Grk “they will hear my voice.”

[10:16]  ⁸ tn Grk “voice, and.”

[10:16]  ⁹ tn The word “and” is not in the Greek text, but must be supplied to conform to English style. In Greek it is an instance of asyndeton (omission of a connective), usually somewhat emphatic.