John 10 · Verse 11

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
John 10:11, King James Version

John 10:11 in other translations

BSBI am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
WEB“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
ASVI am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep.
YLT‘I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd his life layeth down for the sheep;
DARBYI am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep:
BBEI am the good keeper of sheep: the good keeper gives his life for the sheep.
WebsterI am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

What does John 10:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 10:7-14

7-14. I am the door of the sheep--that is, the way in to the fold, with all blessed privileges, both for shepherds and sheep (compare Joh 14:6; Ep 2:18).

Read the full comment on John 10:7-14 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. The good shepherd. The faithful and true shepherd, willing to do all that is necessary to defend and save the flock.

Giveth his life. A shepherd that regarded his flock would hazard his own life to defend them. When the wolf comes, he would still remain to protect them. To give his life, here, means the same as not to fly, or to forsake his flock; to be willing to expose his life, if necessary, to defend them. Comp. Jud 12:3 "I put my life in my hands and passed over," &c.; 1Sam 19:5, 28:21. See Jn 10:15. The Messiah was often predicted under the character of a shepherd.

(i) "I am the good shepherd" Heb 13:20, 1Pet 2:25

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 I am the good shepherd - Whose character is the very reverse of that which has already been described. In Joh 10:7, Joh 10:9, our Lord had called himself the door of the sheep, as being the sole way to glory, and entrance into eternal life; here he changes the thought, and calls himself the shepherd, because of what he was to do for them that believe in him, in order to prepare them for eternal glory. Giveth his life for the sheep - That is, gives up his soul as a sacrifice to save them from eternal death. Some will have the phrase here only to mean hazarding his life in order to protect others; but the 15th, 17th, and 18th verses, as well as the whole tenor of the new covenant, sufficiently prove that the first sense is that in which our Lord's words should be understood.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 10:10-18

Christ is a good Shepherd; many who were not thieves, yet were careless in their duty, and by their neglect the flock was much hurt. Bad principles are the root of bad practices. The Lord Jesus knows whom he has chosen, and is sure of them; they also know whom they have trusted, and are sure of Him. See here the grace of Christ; since none could demand his life of him, he laid it down of himself for our redemption…

Read the full comment on John 10:10-18 →

John 10:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐγώegōI myselfG1473
εἰμιeimiamG1510
ὁhotheG3588
ποιμὴνpoimēnshepherdG4166
ὁho<the>G3588
καλός·kalosgood;G2570
ὁhoTheG3588
ποιμὴνpoimēnshepherdG4166
ὁho<the>G3588
καλὸςkalosgoodG2570
τὴνtēntheG3588
ψυχὴνpsuchēnlifeG5590
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
τίθησινtithēsinlays downG5087
ὑπὲρhuperforG5228
τῶνtōntheG3588
προβάτων.probatōnsheep.G4263

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 10:11

  • Psalms 23:1

    A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

  • John 10:14-15

    I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

  • John 15:13

    Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

  • Revelation 7:17

    For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

  • Isaiah 40:11

    He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

  • 1 Peter 2:24-25

    Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

  • 1 John 3:16

    Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

  • Hebrews 13:20

    Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

  • Ezekiel 34:23

    And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

  • 2 Samuel 24:17

    And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.

  • 1 Peter 5:4

    And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

  • Ezekiel 37:24

    And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the good.
14; Ps 23:1; 80:1; Isa 40:11; Eze 34:12,23; 37:24; Mic 5:4; Zec 13:7
Heb 13:20; 1Pe 2:25; 5:4
giveth.
Ge 31:39,40; 1Sa 17:34,35; 2Sa 24:17; Isa 53:6; Eph 5:2; Tit 2:14
1Pe 2:24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 10:10

    The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

  • John 10:11

    I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

  • John 10:12

    But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

Read all of John 10

John 10:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Yo soy el buen pastor: el buen pastor su vida da por las ovejas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Moi, je suis le bon berger: le bon berger met sa vie pour les brebis;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Ich bin der gute Hirte; der gute Hirte läßt sein Leben für die Schafe.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Ego sum pastor bonus. Bonus pastor animam suam dat pro ovibus suis.