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John 10

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Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

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But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

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To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

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And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

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And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

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This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

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Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

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All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

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I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

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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.

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

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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.

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The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

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I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

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As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

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And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

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Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

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No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

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There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

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And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

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Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

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And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

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And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

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Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

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Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.

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But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

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My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

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And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

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My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

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I and my Father are one.

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Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

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Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

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The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

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Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

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If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

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Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

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If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

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But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

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Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

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And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

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And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

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And many believed on him there.

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John 10

The Good Shepherd discourse (chs. 10:1-18) unfolds through two interconnected ego eimi statements: "I am the gate of the sheep" and "I am the good shepherd," establishing Jesus as both the exclusive entrance to salvation and the one who sacrifices himself for the flock. The gatekeeper opens to the shepherd, and the sheep listen to his voice and follow him because they know him—a portrait of intimate communion and recognition between Christ and believers that contrasts sharply with thieves and robbers who climb in another way. Jesus emphasizes that he is the gate: whoever enters through him will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture, a metaphor for the full life of discipleship. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (tithenai psychē), a voluntary self-offering that distinguishes him from the hired hand who abandons the sheep when the wolf comes; Jesus claims authority to lay down his life and to take it up again. The discourse then extends beyond the immediate Jewish flock: "I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd"—an early vision of the Church that transcends ethnic and geographic boundaries. At the Feast of Dedication, Jesus' claim "I and the Father are one" (hen esmen) provokes a second attempt at stoning for blasphemy, which Jesus parries by citing Psalm 82, where judges are called gods, before withdrawing beyond the Jordan.

John 10:13

The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep — the hired hand's flight is attributed not to cowardice but to fundamental indifference (ou melei auto, 'it is no concern to him'). The verse emphasizes that false leadership is characterized by lack of genuine care for God's people. This indifference is the opposite of the intimate knowledge and personal calling established in verse 3.

John 10:1

I tell you the truth, the one who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber — Jesus begins the Good Shepherd discourse by establishing the fundamental distinction between the legitimate shepherd (who enters through the authorized gate) and the thief or robber (who sneaks in by climbing over the wall). The contrast immediately establishes authority, legitimacy, and the difference between one who leads God's people according to covenant and one who exploits them. The 'gate' (hē pylē) represents the proper channel of access to God's people, alluding to Israel's shepherds in Ezekiel 34 who came not by the Father's appointment but by their own ambition. This opening image sets the stage for Jesus' self-revelation as the true shepherd of Israel.

John 10:14

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me — the fourth I-Am statement emphasizes the reciprocal, intimate relationship between Christ and His people: mutual knowledge (ginōskō, experiential, relational knowledge, not mere information). This mutuality is rooted in love and covenant; the sheep know the shepherd's voice, and the shepherd knows each sheep by name. The knowledge is not abstract but personal and transformative, parallel to Jesus' claim of knowing the Father intimately.

John 10:2

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep — the authorized leader enters properly, with permission and appointment, establishing the criterion for authentic pastoral ministry. John distinguishes sharply between methods: legitimate shepherds enter through established authority, not through deception or force. The shepherd has a right to the sheep and the sheep have a right to a true shepherd. This reflects the OT expectation of Israel's rightful king and priest coming through proper channels, fulfilling what the false shepherds of Ezekiel's time failed to do.

John 10:3

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out — the gatekeeper (ho thyroros) is a figure of divine authority who recognizes and permits the true shepherd's entrance, suggesting the Father's validation of Jesus' authority. The sheep recognize their shepherd's voice (a Hebrew concept from Psalm 23 and Isaiah 40:11), demonstrating that authentic leadership is recognized by the flock through relationship, not coercion. Jesus calling the sheep by name indicates intimate, personal knowledge — the shepherd knows each sheep individually, as God knows His people by name (Isaiah 43:1). This personal calling contrasts with the impersonal control of thieves and robbers.

John 10:4

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice — the true shepherd leads from the front, going ahead rather than driving from behind, demonstrating sacrificial leadership and personal investment in the flock's welfare. The sheep follow not from obligation but from recognition and trust (they know his voice), establishing the voluntary nature of authentic discipleship. This image echoes Moses leading Israel through the wilderness and the Davidic messianic expectation of a king who would shepherd his people with care and wisdom.

John 10:5

But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice — the sheep's instinctive rejection of false voices emphasizes the spiritual discernment of those who truly belong to God's flock. The Greek word for 'stranger' (allotrios) suggests someone foreign to the flock, without legitimate relationship to it. This verse warns against the danger of deception and emphasizes that authentic spiritual community is built on genuine relationship and voice recognition, not on charisma or claims of authority.

John 10:6

Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them — John notes that the Pharisees to whom Jesus speaks do not grasp the parabolic teaching, marking another moment in John's theme of spiritual blindness among Israel's leaders. The 'figure of speech' (paroimia) is a veiled teaching that requires spiritual perception to understand. This incomprehension sets up Jesus' more direct I-Am statements that follow, moving from parable to explicit self-declaration.

John 10:7

Therefore Jesus said again, 'I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep' — Jesus now abandons the parable form and makes an explicit I-Am statement (Ego eimi, the divine name formula in John), moving from the shepherd metaphor to an even more radical claim: He Himself is the gate through which all legitimate access to God comes. This is the first of two I-Am statements in this chapter and represents a fundamental Christological claim: there is no approach to God's people except through Him. The shift from shepherd to gate repositions Jesus as the necessary point of entry, not merely a leader within the community but the boundary-marker and pathway itself.

John 10:8

All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them — this stark declaration applies to false messiahs and fraudulent leaders who claimed to be Israel's savior but came seeking their own glory rather than God's. Jesus distinguishes between all who came claiming salvific authority outside of the Father's appointment (the thieves and robbers of verse 1) and the true shepherd. The sheep's failure to follow these imposters demonstrates that God's people, when spiritually attuned, recognize the voice of the true shepherd.

John 10:9

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture — the second occurrence of the I-Am statement emphasizes salvation coming exclusively through Jesus as the gate. To 'come in and go out' (a Hebrew idiom for complete freedom and safety) and to find pasture (sustenance and provision) are marks of the saved life under Christ's care. The pastoral imagery of finding pasture echoes Psalm 23 and the OT expectation of the Messiah as provider and protector. This salvation is both entry (coming in) and ongoing freedom (going out), suggesting the complete liberation that Christ offers.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full — the contrast between the thief's destructive intent and Jesus' life-giving mission defines the fundamental opposition between Satan and Christ. The thief represents every force that exploits and destroys God's people; Jesus represents restoration, abundance, and fullness of life (zōē, eternal life quality). 'To the full' (perisson, abundantly or overflowing) suggests that Christ's salvation is not merely rescue from death but an active, rich, complete existence in relationship with God. This echoes the Father's desire for His people's flourishing stated in John 10:10b as the purpose of Jesus' entire redemptive work.

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep — the third I-Am statement in this discourse presents Jesus as the fulfillment of Psalm 23 and Ezekiel 34's messianic shepherd promises, with the crucial addition that this shepherd's goodness is demonstrated through self-sacrifice. The laying down of life (tithēmi tēn psychēn) is not passive death but an active, voluntary offering — Christ chooses to give His life as ransom for the sheep. The adjective 'good' (kalos) suggests both moral excellence and beauty; the shepherd's character is proven through willingness to die for the flock.

John 10:12

The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters them — in contrast to the good shepherd, the hired hand (misthōtos, one working for wages) has no genuine investment in the sheep's welfare because they are not his own. When danger comes (the wolf represents both literal predators and spiritual enemies, including the Pharisees and death itself), the hired hand flees, exposing the sheep to destruction. This distinction between the shepherd who owns and loves the sheep and the mercenary leader reflects criticism of Israel's actual religious leaders (John 10:40-42 context), who prioritized their positions over the people's spiritual welfare.

John 10:15

Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep — Jesus establishes a parallel between His knowledge of the Father and His knowledge of His sheep, suggesting that the same intimate, self-sacrificial love that characterizes the Father-Son relationship extends to the flock. The laying down of life is presented as the ultimate expression of this knowledge and love. This verse reveals the trinitarian depth of Christ's redemptive work: the Father's love generates the Son's sacrificial love for the sheep.

John 10:16

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them too. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd — this verse speaks to the inclusion of Gentiles in God's redemptive plan, breaking down the barrier between Jewish and non-Jewish believers. The 'other sheep not of this fold' represent all who will come to faith through Christ, regardless of ethnicity. The goal is 'one flock and one shepherd' (mia poimnē kai heis poimēn), a unified community under Christ's authority, transcending ethnic and religious boundaries. This anticipates the fulfillment of Isaiah 56:8 and the inclusion of all nations in God's salvation.

John 10:17

The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again — Jesus establishes that His voluntary death is the basis for the Father's love (specifically the giving of His life) and grounds His authority to resurrect Himself. The laying down and taking up of life demonstrate the Son's complete obedience and the Father's vindication of His sacrifice. This is not passive suffering but active obedience to the Father's mission, and the resurrection is inseparable from the sacrifice.

John 10:18

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father — Jesus emphasizes the voluntary nature of His death (no one takes His life by force) and His inherent authority (exousia) to give and take life. Though He lays down His life by His own choice, He does so in obedience to the Father's command (entolē), establishing perfect alignment between the Father's will and the Son's willing submission. This reconciles divine election with human agency in Christ's passion.

John 10:19

The Jews were divided because of these words — the discourse on the good shepherd creates division among listeners, some responding in faith and others in skepticism or hostility. This division (schisma) is characteristic of John's account; Jesus' revelation always produces judgment, separating believers from unbelievers. The same word that draws sheep produces hardening in those who reject it.

John 10:20

Many of them said, 'He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?' — some attribute Jesus' claims to demonic possession (daimonizō), a charge that will recur throughout John's Gospel, particularly as Jesus' authority over death becomes more evident. The accusation of madness (mainesthai) reflects the offense taken by those unwilling to accept Jesus' claims. This parallels the charge brought against John the Baptist (3:29-30) and represents the world's attempt to discredit prophetic claims that challenge its authority.

John 10:21

But others said, 'These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?' — the defenders of Jesus appeal to His signs, particularly the healing of the blind man (John 9), as evidence that His words come from God, not from demonic deception. The rhetorical question assumes that demonic powers work to blind and destroy, not to restore sight and give life. This appeal to works as validation of Jesus' claims is significant throughout John's Gospel.

John 10:22

Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter — John shifts from the Good Shepherd discourse to the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah, Chanukkah), celebrated in December, marking the cleansing of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus in 165 BC. The winter setting and the Jerusalem location move the narrative forward chronologically. This feast celebrated Jewish rededication and resistance to pagan oppression, a context that makes Jesus' next claims about His unity with the Father even more politically charged.

John 10:23

And Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon's Colonnade — Solomon's Colonnade (Stoa tou Solomōnos), a covered portico on the eastern side of the Temple, was a gathering place for teaching and discussion. Jesus' public teaching location and the formal setting of a major Jewish feast create a solemn context for His most explicit claim of unity with the Father.

John 10:24

The Jews gathered around him, saying, 'How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.' — the question itself reflects growing pressure on Jesus to make an explicit messianic claim, giving His opponents clear grounds for accusation if He does so. The phrase 'keep us in suspense' (arti psychē, literally 'our soul in suspense') suggests agitation and demand for clarity. Jesus' audience wants a straightforward declaration, but He will respond not with a simple affirmation but with a statement that goes beyond messianic claims to claims of divine unity.

John 10:25

Jesus answered, 'I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me — instead of a new declaration, Jesus points to His previous teachings and especially to His signs (erga) as evidence of His identity. Works done 'in my Father's name' are authenticated revelations of the Father's character and purposes. The problem is not lack of clarity but lack of faith: they have been told through word and deed, but they refuse to believe.

John 10:26

But you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep — Jesus moves from the accusation of disbelief to the deeper reality: these opponents do not believe because they are not part of His flock. This verse reflects Johannine election theology — that faith is not ultimately a human achievement but is rooted in belonging to Christ's flock, called by His voice. This does not excuse their unbelief but identifies its root cause.

John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me — Jesus repeats the theme from verse 3, establishing that the sheep (those who belong to Him) are characterized by their responsiveness to His voice, their recognition of His intimate knowledge of them, and their voluntary followership. This describes the pattern of discipleship: hearing, knowing, and following are inseparable marks of belonging to Christ.

John 10:28

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand — the promise here is the security of salvation: Jesus gives eternal life (zōē aiōnios), and this gift cannot be taken or lost. The image of the sheep in His hand (a metaphor for divine care and protection) assures both the permanence and the security of salvation. 'Never perish' (ou mē apollyntai) is emphatic, using a double negative construction in Greek to express absolute certainty of preservation.

John 10:29

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand — Jesus escalates the assurance by appealing to the Father's greater power and authority (ho pater mou ho megistoteros panton, 'my Father is greater than all'). The sheep are given to the Son by the Father, establishing that salvation rests on the Father's sovereign choice and the Father's power, which exceeds all other forces. The reiteration of the hand-image (out of the Father's hand) establishes double security: both Father and Son hold the sheep in their care.

John 10:30

I and the Father are one — this is the most explicit claim of unity with God in the Gospels, using the neuter 'one' (hen, suggesting unity of essence or being, not merely agreement of will). This statement represents the climax of John's Christology: the Son and the Father are one. This claim of divine unity is the direct cause of the Pharisees' attempt to stone Jesus in the following verse.

John 10:31

Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him — the attempted stoning (lithazō) is the Jewish penalty for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16), confirming that Jesus' hearers understood His claim 'I and the Father are one' as a claim to deity. This is the first of two stoning attempts in this chapter and represents escalating hostility as Jesus' claims become more explicit.

John 10:32

Jesus said to them, 'I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?' — Jesus appeals to His works (erga kalos, good or beautiful works) as evidence of His origin and identity, questioning why His deeds of healing and restoration would provoke execution. The works are attributed to the Father, establishing their divine source and purpose.

John 10:33

We are not stoning you for any good work,' they replied, 'but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God' — the opponents explicitly identify the charge: Jesus, being human (anthrōpos), claims to be God (theios), which they regard as blasphemy. This shows they understood perfectly the implication of Jesus' claim. Their use of 'mere man' does not negate the seriousness with which they took His claim; rather, it emphasizes their judgment that His claim exceeds what any human has the right to assert.

John 10:34

Jesus answered, 'Is it not written in your Law, "I have said you are gods"?' — Jesus responds with a quotation from Psalm 82:6, where human judges in Israel are called 'gods' (elohim) because they serve as God's representatives in administering justice. If human judges can be called gods in the biblical text, Jesus argues, why would it be blasphemous for Him (whom the Father has set apart and sent into the world) to claim this title? The argument is not that Jesus is merely another judge but that He uses Scripture to question the premises of the charge.

John 10:35

If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came — and Scripture cannot be set aside — Jesus grounds His argument in the inviolability of Scripture (he graphē ou dynatai lythēnai, Scripture cannot be broken), using this principle to defend His own claim. Scripture stands; those to whom God's word came were rightly called gods. The authority of Scripture validates the divine language applied to those who represent God, and by extension, validates Jesus' claim.

John 10:36

What about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's son'? — Jesus shifts from the Psalm 82 argument to His own unique status: He has been consecrated and sent by the Father with a specific mission (aposteluō, sent as an apostle). His claim is not identical to that of the judges in Psalm 82 but exceeds it, having unique status and mission. He identifies Himself as 'God's son' (huios tou theou), and the question implicitly asks why this claim, given His unique commission, would be considered blasphemous.

John 10:37

Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father — Jesus makes faith contingent on evidence: if He does not perform the Father's works, there is no obligation to believe in Him. His works are the visible manifestation of His identity and mission, and they authenticate His claims.

John 10:38

But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father — if the works are genuine expressions of God's power (healing the blind, raising the dead, etc.), then these works provide grounds for believing, even if personal faith in Jesus' words is withheld. The works evidence the Father-Son unity: the Father dwelling in the Son and the Son dwelling in the Father (meinō, abide or dwell) indicates an intimate, inseparable relationship. The works both demonstrate and manifest this indwelling unity.

John 10:39

Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp — the second attempt to apprehend Jesus (following the stoning attempt) shows escalating hostility and Jesus' freedom from their grasp, suggesting divine protection and the timing of His hour (which has not yet come according to John's narrative). His escape demonstrates that no one can arrest Him before the appointed time.

John 10:40

Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed — Jesus withdraws from Jerusalem and its hostile leadership, returning to the region of John the Baptist's ministry on the eastern side of the Jordan River. This retreat to the location of His own baptism and the site of John's prophetic ministry represents a return to the beginning and marks a transition in the narrative.

John 10:41

And all that John said about this man was true.' — the people at this location recall John the Baptist's testimony about Jesus (particularly from John 1:29-34, where John identified Jesus as the Lamb of God and the Son of God), affirming that John's witness has been validated by Jesus' subsequent works and teachings.

John 10:42

And in that place many believed in Jesus — while Jerusalem's leaders reject Jesus and attempt to arrest Him, others beyond Jordan's safe distance believe in Him based on John the Baptist's testimony and Jesus' own works. This creates a contrast: rejection in the center of religious authority, belief in the periphery, setting up the transition to John 11's account of Lazarus.