John 10:11-18

Expanded Bible

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd [contrast Zech. 11:17]. The good shepherd ·gives [lays down] his life for the sheep. ¹² The ·worker who is paid to keep the sheep [^Lhired hand] is different from the shepherd who owns them. When the worker sees a wolf coming, he runs away and leaves the sheep alone. Then the wolf ·attacks [or snatches; seizes] the sheep and scatters them. ¹³ The man runs away because he is only a ·paid worker [hired hand] and does not really care about the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd. I know my ·sheep [^Lown], and my ·sheep [^Lown] know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I ·give [lay down] my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not in this ·flock [fold; pen; ^Ca reference to future Gentile followers of Christ], and I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷ The Father loves me because I ·give [lay down] my life so that I can ·take [receive] it back again. ¹⁸ No one takes it away from me; I ·give [lay down] my own life ·freely [voluntarily; of my own free will]. I have the ·right [power; authority] to ·give [lay down] my life, and I have the ·right [power; authority] to ·take [receive] it back. This is what my Father commanded me to do.”