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John 10:14

ESV I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
NIV I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--
NASB I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me,
CSB "I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me,
NLT I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,
KJV I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

What does John 10:14 mean?

Jesus repeats that He is "the Good Shepherd" (John 10:11). A main point of this analogy, which began in verse 10, is contrasting Jesus' spiritual leadership with that of others. Jesus is especially criticizing the hypocritical and self-serving religious leaders who have betrayed Israel in the past. At worst, they are like robbers who cause mayhem in order to profit from the sheep (John 10:10). In other cases, they are like employees who abandon their duties when faced with personal risk; they are only concerned for the sheep when it's convenient and comfortable (John 10:12–13).

Jesus also reiterates a point made in His first analogy related to shepherding (John 10:1–6). Ancient shepherds spent considerable time with their flocks, from the moment of a lamb's birth. As such, sheep were acutely tuned to the voice of their shepherd, and only theirs. Sheep would instinctively ignore—or even flee from—the voice of a stranger. Jesus' sheep, on the other hand, know His voice and respond to it. And, as a "good shepherd," He knows every detail about those for whom He cares.
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