10:6a
Jesus spoke to them using this illustration: The words Jesus spoke to them using this illustration here indicate that what Jesus said in 10:1–5 is a figure of speech. An illustration is a form of language in which words do not have their normal or literal meaning. The figure of speech in 10:1–5 is an extended metaphor that Jesus explained in the next verses. Consider how people in your culture would describe such a figure of speech. See the note in the introduction to Section 10:1–42. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
Jesus told the people this story (New Century Version)
-or-
This was a parable that Jesus told them (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Jesus used this figure of speech with them (New Revised Standard Version)
to them: The pronoun them refers to the people there. See the General Comment on 10:6a–b.
10:6b
but: The word but introduces something that is not expected. Even though Jesus spoke to the people, they did not understand what he meant.
they did not understand what He was telling them: The words did not understand indicate that the people did not understand the meaning of the figure of speech. They understood the words and the literal meaning of the shepherd, the sheep, the thieves. and the door of the sheep pen. However, they did not understand that Jesus used those words to represent certain people. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
they did not understand what he was talking about (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
but they did not understand what it meant (New Century Version)
they: The pronoun they refers to the people who were listening to Jesus. See the General Comment on 10:6a–b.
General Comment on 10:6a–b
In some languages it may be natural to make the pronouns “them” and “they” more explicit. They refer to the people who were listening to Jesus. For example:
Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant. (New Living Translation (2004))
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