JOHANNES 10
Die goeie herder
1 “Dít verseker Ek julle: Wie nie deur die hek in die skaapkraal ingaan nie maar van 'n ander kant af inklim, is 'n dief en 'n rower. 2 Maar hy wat deur die hek ingaan, is die skape se herder; 3 vir hom maak die hekwagter oop. Die skape luister na die herder se stem. Hy roep sy skape op hulle name en lei hulle uit. 4 Wanneer hy al sy skape uitgebring het, loop hy voor hulle uit, en die skape volg hom, omdat hulle sy stem ken. 5 Hulle sal nooit 'n vreemde volg nie maar van hom af weghardloop, omdat hulle nie die stem van vreemdes ken nie.”
6 Deur hierdie beeld het Jesus met hulle gepraat, maar hulle het nie verstaan wat dit was wat Hy vir hulle wou sê nie.
7 Toe het Jesus verder gesê: “Dít verseker Ek julle: Ek is die ingang vir die skape. 8 Almal wat voor My gekom het, is diewe en rowers; maar die skape het nie na hulle geluister nie. 9 Ek is die ingang; as iemand deur My ingaan, sal hy gered word. Hy sal in en uit gaan en weiding kry. 10 'n Dief kom net steel en slag en uitroei; Ek het gekom sodat hulle die lewe kan hê, en dit in oorvloed.
11 “Ek is die goeie herder. Die goeie herder lê sy lewe af vir die skape. 12 'n Huurling is geen herder nie, en dit is nie sy eie skape nie. As hy 'n wolf sien kom, los hy die skape en hardloop weg, en die wolf vang die skape en jaag die trop uitmekaar. 13 Hy is 'n huurling en bekommer hom nie oor die skape nie.
14 “Ek is die goeie herder. Ek ken my skape, en my skape ken My, 15 net soos die Vader My ken en Ek die Vader ken; en Ek lê my lewe af vir die skape. 16 Ek het nog ander skape, wat nie van hierdie kraal is nie. Ek moet hulle ook lei. Hulle sal na my stem luister, en hulle sal een kudde wees met een herder.
17 “Die Vader het My lief omdat Ek my lewe aflê om dit weer op te neem. 18 Niemand neem dit van My af nie, maar Ek lê dit uit my eie af. Ek het die volmag om dit af te lê, en Ek het die volmag om dit weer op te neem. Dit is die opdrag wat Ek van my Vader ontvang het.”
19 Daar het toe verdeeldheid onder die Jode gekom oor hierdie woorde. 20 Baie van hulle het gesê: “Hy is van die duiwel besete, hy is mal! Hoekom luister julle nog na hom?”
21 Ander het gesê: “Dit is nie die woorde van 'n besetene nie. 'n Duiwel kan tog nie blindes se oë genees nie?”
Die Jode is nie van sy skape nie
22 Dit was daardie tyd die fees van die tempelwyding in Jerusalem, en dit was winter. 23 Jesus het in die tempel in die Pilaargang van Salomo geloop. 24 Die Jode het daar om Hom saamgedrom en vir Hom gesê: “Hoe lank gaan u ons nog in onsekerheid hou? As u die Christus is, sê dit reguit vir ons.”
25 Jesus antwoord hulle toe: “Ek het dit vir julle gesê, en tog glo julle nie. Die dade wat Ek in die Naam van my Vader doen, bewys wie Ek is. 26 Maar julle glo nie, omdat julle nie van my skape is nie. 27 My skape luister na my stem; Ek ken hulle, en hulle volg My. 28 Ek gee hulle die ewige lewe, en hulle sal in alle ewigheid nooit verlore gaan nie. Niemand sal hulle uit my hand ruk nie. 29 Dié wat my Vader vir My gegee het, is die belangrikste van almal, en niemand kan hulle uit die hand van die Vader ruk nie. 30 Ek en die Vader is een.”
31 Die Jode het toe weer klippe opgetel om Hom te stenig, 32 maar Jesus sê vir hulle: “Op gesag van die Vader het Ek julle talle goeie dade laat sien. Oor watter een daarvan wil julle My stenig?”
33 “Dis nie oor 'n goeie daad dat ons jou wil stenig nie,” antwoord die Jode Hom, “maar oor godslastering, omdat jy, wat 'n gewone mens is, jou as God voordoen.”
34 Daarop sê Jesus vir hulle: “Staan daar nie in julle wet geskrywe: ‘Ek het gesê: Julle is gode’t nie? 35 God noem hulle tot wie sy woord gekom het, dus ‘gode’, en wat daar geskrywe staan, kan nie verander word nie. 36 Hoe sê julle dan vir My wat deur die Vader afgesonder en na die wêreld toe gestuur is: ‘Jy praat godslasterlik’, omdat Ek gesê het: ‘Ek is die Seun van God’? 37 As Ek nie die werke van my Vader doen nie, moet julle nie in My glo nie. 38 Maar as Ek dit wel doen en julle tog nie in My glo nie, moet julle ten minste aan die werke glo, sodat julle kan insien en weet dat die Vader in My en Ek in die Vader is.”
39 Hulle wou Hom toe weer gevange neem, maar Hy het hulle ontglip. 40 Hy het teruggegaan na die plek oorkant die Jordaan waar Johannes vroeër gedoop het, en daar gebly. 41 Baie mense het na Hom toe gekom. Hulle het gesê: “Johannes het wel geen wonderteken gedoen nie, maar alles wat Johannes oor hierdie man gesê het, is waar.”
42 Baie mense het daar tot geloof in Hom gekom.
John 10
1 I ASSURE you, most solemnly I tell you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way (elsewhere, from some other quarter) is a thief and a robber.2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3 The watchman opens the door for this man, and the sheep listen to his voice and heed it; and he calls his own sheep by name and brings (leads) them out.4 When he has brought his own sheep outside, he walks on before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.5 They will never [on any account] follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they do not know the voice of strangers or recognize their call.6 Jesus used this parable (illustration) with them, but they did not understand what He was talking about.7 So Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that I Myself am the Door for the sheep.8 All others who came [as such] before Me are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not listen to and obey them.9 I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture.10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).11 I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep. 12 But the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters [the flock].13 Now the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep [cares nothing for them].14 I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me--15 Even as [truly as] the Father knows Me and I also know the Father--and I am giving My [very own] life and laying it down on behalf of the sheep.16 And I have other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring and impel those also; and they will listen to My voice and heed My call, and so there will be [they will become] one flock under one Shepherd. 17 For this [reason] the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life--to take it back again.18 No one takes it away from Me. On the contrary, I lay it down voluntarily. [I put it from Myself.] I am authorized and have power to lay it down (to resign it) and I am authorized and have power to take it back again. These are the instructions (orders) which I have received [as My charge] from My Father.19 Then a fresh division of opinion arose among the Jews because of His saying these things.20 And many of them said, He has a demon and He is mad (insane--He raves, He rambles). Why do you listen to Him?21 Others argued, These are not the thoughts and the language of one possessed. Can a demon-possessed person open blind eyes?22 After this the Feast of Dedication [of the reconsecration of the temple] was taking place at Jerusalem. It was winter,23 And Jesus was walking in Solomon’s Porch in the temple area.24 So the Jews surrounded Him and began asking Him, How long are You going to keep us in doubt and suspense? If You are really the Christ (the Messiah), tell us so plainly and openly.25 Jesus answered them, I have told you so, yet you do not believe Me [you do not trust Me and rely on Me]. The very works that I do by the power of My Father and in My Father’s name bear witness concerning Me [they are My credentials and evidence in support of Me].26 But you do not believe and trust and rely on Me because you do not belong to My fold [you are no sheep of Mine].27 The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand.29 My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all [else]; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand.30 I and the Father are One.31 Again the Jews brought up stones to stone Him.32 Jesus said to them, My Father has enabled Me to do many good deeds. [I have shown many acts of mercy in your presence.] For which of these do you mean to stone Me?33 The Jews replied, We are not going to stone You for a good act, but for blasphemy, because You, a mere Man, make Yourself [out to be] God.34 Jesus answered, Is it not written in your Law, I said, You are gods? 35 So men are called gods [by the Law], men to whom God’s message came--and the Scripture cannot be set aside or cancelled or broken or annulled--36 [If that is true] do you say of the One Whom the Father consecrated and dedicated and set apart for Himself and sent into the world, You are blaspheming, because I said, I am the Son of God?37 If I am not doing the works [performing the deeds] of My Father, then do not believe Me [do not adhere to Me and trust Me and rely on Me].38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe Me or have faith in Me, [at least] believe the works and have faith in what I do, in order that you may know and understand [clearly] that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father [One with Him].39 They sought again to arrest Him, but He escaped from their hands.40 He went back again across the Jordan to the locality where John was when he first baptized, and there He remained.41 And many came to Him, and they kept saying, John did not perform a [single] sign or miracle, but everything John said about this Man was true.42 And many [people] there became believers in Him. [They adhered to and trusted in and relied on Him.]