10:16a

I have other sheep that are not of this fold: Jesus continued his extended metaphor about sheep-farming, comparing himself to a shepherd, a sheep-farmer. Here, Gentile believers are compared to sheep belonging to the same shepherd but living in a different fold (pen). However, you should not mention Gentiles in your translation. Here are some ways that the other sheep and Gentile believers are similar:

• These believers also belong to Jesus, as these other sheep belong to the same shepherd.

• Until that time they were separated from the others, with different homes.

• Jesus intended to include or unite the groups, as a shepherd might combine different groups of sheep that he owns.

Here are other ways to translate this figure of speech:

I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold. (NET Bible Bible)
-or-
There are other sheep belonging to me that are not in this sheep pen. (Good News Translation)
-or-
I also have other sheep that are not from this pen. (God’s Word)

It is good to keep the main images of this metaphor. However, it may be possible to help your readers understand that it is a figure of speech. You may be able to use a word that can refer to where people live as well as sheep. For example:

I have other sheep with a different home

this fold: This phrase refers to the sheep pen where the sheep stayed at night and were safe. The Greek word translated as fold is the same word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “sheepfold” in 10:1b. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

this sheep pen (New International Version)
-or-
this pen (God’s Word)

10:16b

I must bring them in as well: The phrase as well here means “in addition to the sheep belonging to this fold.” Jesus used this figure of speech to say that he had to bring Gentiles to know him as Savior. It was what God wanted him to do, and so he needed to do it. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I must bring them also (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
I must lead these too (New Jerusalem Bible)

10:16c

they will listen to My voice: This clause indicates that these other sheep will follow Jesus as their shepherd. They will trust and obey him as their shepherd. In some languages it may be natural to say:

they will listen to what I say
-or-
they will listen to me

10:16d

Then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then here introduces the final result of Jesus bringing other sheep. Here are other ways to translate this conjunction:

and (Good News Translation)
-or-
So (New Revised Standard Version)

there will be one flock: The word flock here means “group of sheep.” There is a textual problem here:

(1) Some manuscripts say there will be. For example:

there will be one flock of sheep (Contemporary English Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, NET Bible Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)

(2) Some manuscripts say “they will become.” For example:

they will become one flock (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, probably God’s Word)

The two options mean almost the same thing, that all the sheep that follow Jesus will be united in one group. This is a figurative way of saying that all nations and peoples who believe in Jesus will belong together. It is recommended that you say this in the way that is most natural in your language. If both options are acceptable, you may want to follow the major-language translation used in your area.

one flock: A flock is a group of one kind of animals, here sheep. Use the word that describes a group of sheep that live and belong together, that one shepherd cares for (looks after). It may be natural to say:

only one flock (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
one flock of sheep (Contemporary English Version)

one shepherd: This phrase is a short way of saying “and there will be one shepherd.” Jesus will be that one shepherd. He will guide and care for believers from every people group and nation. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

and one shepherd (NET Bible Bible)
-or-
with one shepherd (Good News Translation)

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.