Veritable King James Version
1“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.
2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
6This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what He was saying to them.
7So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14I am the good shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me,
15just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
16And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
17For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it up again.
18No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”
19There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.
20Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to Him?”
21Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Truly, truly” (amēn amēn) emphatic, rendered modernly.
“Sheepfold” (aulēn tōn probatōn) enclosure, translated as “sheepfold.”
“Door” (thyra) metaphor for entry, retained.
“Thief and robber” (kleptēs kai lēstēs) intruders, translated as “thief and a robber.”
“Gatekeeper” (thyrōros) doorkeeper, translated as “gatekeeper.”
“Calls...by name” (phōnei kata onoma) personal call, translated as “calls...by name.”
“Figure of speech” (paroimian) proverb/parable, translated as “figure of speech.”
“I am the door” (egō eimi hē thyra) third “I am” statement, translated literally.
“I am the good shepherd” (egō eimi ho poimēn ho kalos) fourth “I am,” with “good” (kalos) implying noble, translated as “good shepherd.”
“Lays down his life” (tithēsin tēn psychēn autou) sacrificial, repeated for emphasis.
“Hired hand” (misthōtos) mercenary, translated as “hired hand.”
“Wolf” (lykos) predator metaphor, retained.
“Other sheep...not of this fold” (alla probata...ek tēs aulēs tautēs) Gentiles, translated as “other sheep...not of this fold.”
“One flock, one shepherd” (mia poimnē heis poimēn) unity, translated literally.
“Loves Me” (philei me) affectionate love, translated as “loves.”
“Lay down...take it up” (theinai...labein) voluntary, translated as “lay down...take it up.”
“Authority” (exousian) power, translated as “authority.”
“Charge...from My Father” (entolēn...para tou patros mou) command, translated as “charge.”
“Division” (schisma) repeats from 7:43, translated as “division.”
“He has a demon” (daimonion echei) accusation, translated directly (cf. 7:20).
“Oppressed by a demon” (daimonizomenou) possession, translated as “oppressed by a demon.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His,” “I,” “Me,” “My,” “You,” “Father” capitalized per VKJV deity convention.
“He,” “him,” “his” for shepherd/thief/hired hand (*autos*, masculine) gender-neutral in metaphor for any person, but specific to Jesus as shepherd.
“They,” “them,” “many,” “others” (*autoi*, *polloi*, *tines*) gender-neutral for Jews/people.
“Whoever,” “one” (*hos*, *tis*) gender-neutral for followers.
22At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter,
23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.
24So the Jews gathered around Him and said to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name bear witness about Me,
26but you do not believe because you are not among My sheep.
27My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
29My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
30I and the Father are one.”
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Feast of Dedication” (ta enkainia) Hanukkah, translated as “Feast of Dedication” for clarity.
“Winter” (cheimōn) season, translated as “winter.”
“Colonnade of Solomon” (stoa tou Solomonos) temple area, retained.
“Gathered around Him” (ekyklōsan auton) encircled, translated as “gathered around.”
“Keep us in suspense” (air eis hēmas tēn psychēn) literally “lift our souls,” idiom for uncertainty, translated as “keep us in suspense.”
“Tell us plainly” (eipe hēmin parrēsia) demand for clarity, translated as “tell us plainly.”
“Works...bear witness” (erga...martyrei) miracles as testimony, translated as “works...bear witness.”
“My sheep” (ta probata ta ema) metaphor for believers, retained.
“Hear My voice...follow Me” (akouousin tēs phōnēs mou...akolouthousin moi) obedience, translated directly.
“Eternal life...never perish” (zōēn aiōnion...ou mē apolōntai eis ton aiōna) assurance, translated as “eternal life...never perish.”
“Snatch...out of My hand...Father’s hand” (arpasei ek tēs cheiros mou...ek tēs cheiros tou patros) security, translated as “snatch...out of...hand.”
“I and the Father are one” (egō kai ho patēr hen esmen) unity, translated literally for theological depth.
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His,” “I,” “Me,” “My,” “You,” “Father” capitalized per VKJV deity convention.
“They,” “them,” “us,” “we” (autoi, hēmas) gender-neutral for Jews.
“No one” (oudeis) gender-neutral.
31The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.
32Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone Me?”
33The Jews answered Him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone You but for blasphemy, because You, being a man, make Yourself God.”
34Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— do you say of Him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father.”
39Again they sought to arrest Him, but He escaped from their hands.
40He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there He remained.
41And many came to Him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.”
42And many believed in Him there.
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Picked up stones again” (palin ēran lithous) repeats 8:59, translated as “picked up stones again.”
“Many good works” (polla erga kala) miracles, translated as “many good works.”
“Blasphemy” (blasphēmias) charge, translated as “blasphemy.”
“Make Yourself God” (poieis seauton theon) deification accusation, translated as “make Yourself God.”
“Is it not written in your Law” quotes Psalm 82:6 (egō eipa theoi este), with “Law” broad for Scriptures.
“Gods” (theoi) judges/leaders, translated as “gods” for quote.
“Scripture cannot be broken” (hē graphē ou dynatai lythēnai) unbreakable, translated as “cannot be broken.”
“Consecrated” (hēgiasen, aorist) set apart, translated as “consecrated.”
“Father is in Me and I in the Father” (ho patēr en emoi kagō en tō patri) mutual indwelling, translated literally.
“Escaped from their hands” (exēlthen ek tēs cheiros autōn) miraculous, translated as “escaped from their hands.”
“Across the Jordan” (peran tou Iordanou) Perea, retained.
“John did no sign” (Iōannēs men sēmeion epoiēsen ouden) contrasts, translated as “did no sign.”
“Everything...was true” (panta...alēthē ēn) John’s testimony, translated as “was true.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His,” “I,” “Me,” “My,” “You,” “Father,” “God,” “Son of God” capitalized per VKJV deity convention.
“They,” “them,” “we” for Jews (*autoi*, *hēmeis*) gender-neutral as group.
“Who,” “them,” “he” (*hoi*, *autoi*, masculine) gender-neutral for recipients/judges.
“Many” (*polloi*) gender-neutral for believers.
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