God’s Word Translation
John 10:2
2But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd.
John 10:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
- New International Version (NIV)The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Context of John 10:2
1“I can guarantee this truth: The person who doesn’t enter the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in somewhere else is a thief or a robber. But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out of the pen. 4After he has brought out all his sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.
Read all of John 10John 10:2 word by word
ὁ δὲ εἰσερχόμενος διὰ τῆς θύρας ποιμήν ἐστιν τῶν προβάτων.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for John 10:2
- John 10:7Jesus emphasized, “I can guarantee this truth: I am the gate for the sheep.
- Acts 20:28Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood.
- 1 Timothy 3:2A bishop must have a good reputation. He must have only one wife, be sober, use good judgment, be respectable, be hospitable, and be able to teach.
- 1 Timothy 4:14Don’t neglect the gift which you received through prophecy when the spiritual leaders placed their hands on you ⌞to ordain you⌟.
- Revelation 1:20The hidden meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches.
- Revelation 2:1“To the messenger of the church in Ephesus, write: The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lamp stands, says:
- John 10:11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
- Psalms 23:1The Lord is my shepherd. I am never in need.
- Psalms 80:1Open your ears, O Shepherd of Israel, the one who leads ⌞the descendants of⌟ Joseph like sheep, the one who is enthroned over the angels.
- Ecclesiastes 12:11Words from wise people are like spurs. Their collected sayings are like nails that have been driven in firmly. They come from one shepherd.
- Isaiah 40:11Like a shepherd he takes care of his flock. He gathers the lambs in his arms. He carries them in his arms. He gently helps the sheep and their lambs.
- Isaiah 63:11Then his people remembered Moses and the distant past. Where is the one who brought them out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is the one who put his Holy Spirit in them?
- Ezekiel 34:23Then I will place one shepherd over them, my servant David, and he will take care of them. He will take care of them and be their shepherd.
- Micah 5:5This man will be their peace. When the Assyrians invade our land and trample our palaces, we will attack them with seven shepherds and eight leaders.
- Zechariah 11:3Listen! The shepherds are crying, because their rich pastures are destroyed. Listen! The young lions are roaring, because the lush banks of the Jordan are destroyed.
- Zechariah 13:7“Arise, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my friend,” declares the Lord of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. Then I will turn my hand against the little ones.”
Commentaries on John 10:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2He that entereth in by the door - Observe here the marks, qualities, and duties of a good pastor; The first mark is, that he has a lawful entrance into the ministry by the internal call of Christ, namely, by an impulse proceeding from his Spirit, upon considerations which respect only his glory, and upon motives which aim at nothing but the good of his Church, the salvation of souls, the doing the will of God, and the sacrificing himself entirely to his…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2He that entereth by the door - This was the way in which a shepherd had access to his flock. In John 10:7 Jesus says he is the door. In this place he refers to those who by him - that is, in accordance with his spirit and law become ministers of religion. Is the shepherd of the sheep - Christ does not here refer to himself, for he is the way or door by which others enter; but he refers to all the ministers of the gospel who have access to the church by…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-21This illustration of a shepherd and his sheep comes from a Middle Eastern perspective of shepherding and Old Testament traditions in first-century AD Jewish culture. God was the shepherd of Israel (Genesis 49:24; Psalms 23; 78:52–53; Isaiah 40:10–11). Spiritual and political leaders of Israel were also shepherds of God’s people, the flock of God (Isaiah 56:9–12; Jeremiah 23:1–4; Ezekiel 34). Jesus spoke these words during the Feast of Dedication (see John…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-21This discourse seems plainly to be a continuation of the closing verses of the ninth chapter. The figure was familiar to the Jewish ear (from Jr 23:1-40; Eze 34:1-31; Zec 11:1-17, &c.). "This simple creature [the sheep] has this special note among all animals, that it quickly hears the voice of the shepherd, follows no one else, depends entirely on him, and seeks help from him alone--cannot help itself, but is shut up to another's aid" [Luther in Stier]…Read the comment
Topics related to John 10:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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