Discovery BoxJohn 10:11 
Context10:11 “I am the good 1 shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life 2 for the sheep.
John 10:15-18
Context10:15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life 3 for 4 the sheep. 10:16 I have 5 other sheep that do not come from 6 this sheepfold. 7 I must bring them too, and they will listen to my voice, 8 so that 9 there will be one flock and 10 one shepherd. 10:17 This is why the Father loves me 11 – because I lay down my life, 12 so that I may take it back again. 10:18 No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down 13 of my own free will. 14 I have the authority 15 to lay it down, and I have the authority 16 to take it back again. This commandment 17 I received from my Father.”
1 tn Or “model” (see R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:386, who argues that “model” is a more exact translation of καλός [kalos] here).
2 tn Or “The good shepherd dies willingly.”
sn Jesus speaks openly of his vicarious death twice in this section (John 10:11, 15). Note the contrast: The thief takes the life of the sheep (10:10), the good shepherd lays down his own life for the sheep. Jesus is not speaking generally here, but specifically: He has his own substitutionary death on the cross in view. For a literal shepherd with a literal flock, the shepherd’s death would have spelled disaster for the sheep; in this instance it spells life for them (Compare the worthless shepherd of Zech 11:17, by contrast).
3 tn Or “I die willingly.”
4 tn Or “on behalf of” or “for the sake of.”
5 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.
6 tn Or “that do not belong to”; Grk “that are not of.”
7 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.
8 tn Grk “they will hear my voice.”
9 tn Grk “voice, and.”
10 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.
11 tn Grk “Because of this the Father loves me.”
12 tn Or “die willingly.”
13 tn Or “give it up.”
14 tn Or “of my own accord.” “Of my own free will” is given by BDAG 321 s.v. ἐμαυτοῦ c.
15 tn Or “I have the right.”
16 tn Or “I have the right.”
17 tn Or “order.”
