John 10:11

“I am the good ¹  shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life ²  for the sheep.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary.

I am the good keeper of sheep: the good keeper gives his life for the sheep.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

“I am the good ¹  shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life ²  for the sheep.

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).