Discovery BoxJohn 10:1-2 
Context10:1 “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. 10:2 The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
John 10:12
Context10:12 The hired hand, 4 who is not a shepherd and does not own sheep, sees the wolf coming and abandons 5 the sheep and runs away. 6 So the wolf attacks 7 the sheep and scatters them.
1 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
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).
3 tn Or “entrance.”
4 sn Jesus contrasts the behavior of the shepherd with that of the hired hand. This is a worker who is simply paid to do a job; he has no other interest in the sheep and is certainly not about to risk his life for them. When they are threatened, he simply runs away.
5 tn Grk “leaves.”
6 tn Or “flees.”
7 tn Or “seizes.” The more traditional rendering, “snatches,” has the idea of seizing something by force and carrying it off, which is certainly possible here. However, in the sequence in John 10:12, this action precedes the scattering of the flock of sheep, so “attacks” is preferable.
