translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: JHN

label: NET translator note

text: Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”


text: Or “entrance.”


text: Or “porter” (British English). sn There have been many attempts to identify who the doorkeeper represents, none of which are convincing. More likely there are some details in this parable that are included for the sake of the story, necessary as parts of the overall picture but without symbolic significance.


text: The words “the door” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.


text: Grk “For this one.”


text: Grk “And he.” 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.


text: The word “sheep” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.


text: Grk “because they know.”


text: Or “someone whom they do not know.”


text: Grk “know.”


text: Or “the voice of someone they do not know.”


text: Grk “these.”


text: Or “comprehend.”


text: Or “I am the sheep’s door.”


text: Grk “are” (present tense).


text: Or “the sheep did not hear them.”


text: Since the Greek phrase εἰσέρχομαι καὶ ἐξέρχομαι ( eisercomai kai exercomai , “come in and go out”) is in some places an idiom for living or conducting oneself in relationship to some community (“to live with, to live among” [cf. Acts 1:21 ; see also Num 27:17 ; 2 Chr 1:10 ]), it may well be that Jesus’ words here look forward to the new covenant community of believers. Another significant NT text is Luke 9:4 , where both these verbs occur in the context of the safety and security provided by a given household for the disciples. See also BDAG 294 s.v. εἰσέρχομαι 1.b. β .


text: That is, “to slaughter” (in reference to animals).


text: That is, more than one would normally expect or anticipate.


text: Or “model” (see R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:386, who argues that “model” is a more exact translation of καλός [ kalos ] here).


text: 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).


text: Grk “leaves.”


text: Or “flees.”


text: Or “seizes.” The more traditional rendering, “snatches,” has the idea of seizing something by force and carrying it off, which is certainly possible here. However, in the sequence in John 10:12 , this action precedes the scattering of the flock of sheep, so “attacks” is preferable.


text: Grk “does not have a care for the sheep.”


text: B D L [W] Θ 1 33 1241 al co). Most likely it was added by a later scribe to improve the readability of vv. 12-13 , which is one long sentence in Greek. It has been included in the translation for the same stylistic reasons.


text: Grk “And I.” 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.


text: The direct object is frequently omitted in Greek and must be supplied from the context. Here it could be “sheep,” but Jesus was ultimately talking about “people.”


text: Or “I die willingly.”


text: Or “on behalf of” or “for the sake of.”


text: 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.


text: Or “that do not belong to”; Grk “that are not of.”


text: Grk “they will hear my voice.”


text: Grk “voice, and.”


text: 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.


text: Grk “Because of this the Father loves me.”


text: Or “die willingly.”


text: Or “give it up.”


text: Or “of my own accord.” “Of my own free will” is given by BDAG 321 s.v. ἐμαυτοῦ c.


text: Or “I have the right.”


text: Or “order.”


text: Or perhaps “the Jewish religious leaders”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι ( Ioudaioi ) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase could be taken to refer to the Jewish religious leaders, since the Pharisees were the last to be mentioned specifically by name, in John 9:40 . However, in light of the charge about demon possession, which echoes 8:48 , it is more likely that Jewish people in general (perhaps in Jerusalem, if that is understood to be the setting of the incident) are in view here.


text: Or “is insane.” To translate simply “he is mad” (so KJV, ASV, RSV; “raving mad” NIV) could give the impression that Jesus was angry, while the actual charge was madness or insanity.


text: Or “the sayings.”


text: Grk “open the eyes of the blind” (“opening the eyes” is an idiom referring to restoration of sight).


text: Questions prefaced with μή ( mh ) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “can it?”).


text: That is, Hanukkah or the ‘Festival of Lights.’ The Greek name for the feast, τὰ ἐγκαίνια ( ta enkainia ), literally means “renewal” and was used to translate Hanukkah which means “dedication.” The Greek noun, with its related verbs, was the standard term used in the LXX for the consecration of the altar of the Tabernacle ( Num 7:10-11 ), the altar of the temple of Solomon ( 1 Kgs 8:63 ; 2 Chr 7:5 ), and the altar of the second temple ( Ezra 6:16 ). The word is thus connected with the consecration of all the houses of God in the history of the nation of Israel. sn The feast of the Dedication (also known as Hanukkah) was a feast celebrating annually the Maccabean victories of 165-164 b.c. – when Judas Maccabeus drove out the Syrians, rebuilt the altar, and rededicated the temple on 25 Kislev (1 Macc 4:41-61). From a historical standpoint, it was the last great deliverance the Jewish people had experienced, and it came at a time when least expected. Josephus ends his account of the institution of the festival with the following statement: “And from that time to the present we observe this festival, which we call the festival of Lights, giving this name to it, I think, from the fact that the right to worship appeared to us at a time when we hardly dared hope for it” ( Ant. 12.7.6 [12.325]).


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: Grk “in the temple.”


text: Or “portico,” “colonnade”; Grk “stoa.” sn Solomon ’ s Portico was a covered walkway formed by rows of columns supporting a roof and open on the inner side facing the center of the temple complex.


text: Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. The question they ask Jesus (“Are you the Christ?”) is the same one they sent and asked of John the Baptist in the desert (see John 1:19-34 ). See also the note on the phrase “the Jewish people” in v. 19 .


text: Grk “said to him.” This has been translated as “asked” for stylistic reasons.


text: Grk “How long will you take away our life?” (an idiom which meant to keep one from coming to a conclusion about something). The use of the phrase τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις ( thn yuchn Jhmwn airei" ) meaning “to keep in suspense” is not well attested, although it certainly fits the context here. In modern Greek the phrase means “to annoy, bother.”


text: Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”). sn See the note on Christ in 1:20 .


text: Or “publicly.”


text: Grk “answered them.”


text: Or “the works.”


text: Grk “And I give.”


text: Or “will never die” or “will never be lost.”


text: Or “no one will seize.”


text: Or “is superior to all.”


text: Or “no one can seize.”


text: Grk “I and the Father.” The order has been reversed to reflect English style.


text: The phrase ἕν ἐσμεν ( {en esmen ) is a significant assertion with trinitarian implications. ἕν is neuter, not masculine, so the assertion is not that Jesus and the Father are one person, but one “thing.” Identity of the two persons is not what is asserted, but essential unity (unity of essence).


text: Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See the notes on the phrases “Jewish people” in v. 19 and “Jewish leaders” in v. 24 .


text: Grk “Jesus answered them.”


text: Or “good works.”


text: Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here again the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See the notes on the phrase “Jewish people” in v. 19 and “Jewish leaders” in vv. 24, 31 .


text: Grk “answered him.”


text: Or “good work.”


text: Grk “and because.”


text: Grk “you, a man, make yourself to be God.”


text: Grk “answered them.”


text: Or “dedicated.”


text: Or “do.”


text: Or “works.”


text: Or “works.” sn Jesus says that in the final analysis, the deeds he did should indicate whether he was truly from the Father. If the authorities could not believe in him, it would be better to believe in the deeds he did than not to believe at all.


text: Or “so that you may learn.”


text: and D may have committed haplography, leaving later scribes in the chain to guess at the conjunction needed. In sum, the best reading appears to be ἐζήτουν οὖν .


text: Grk “they were seeking.”


text: Grk “he departed out of their hand.” sn It is not clear whether the authorities simply sought to “arrest” him, or were renewing their attempt to stone him (cf. John 10:31 ) by seizing him and taking him out to be stoned. In either event, Jesus escaped their clutches . Nor is it clear whether Jesus’ escape is to be understood as a miracle. If so, the text gives little indication and even less description. What is clear is that until his “hour” comes, Jesus is completely safe from the hands of men: His enemies are powerless to touch him until they are permitted to do so.


text: Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: The word “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.


text: Grk “formerly.” sn This refers to the city of Bethany across the Jordan River (see John 1:28 ).


text: Grk “And many.” 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.


text: Grk “did.”


text: Grk “this one.”


text: Grk “in him.”