John 10:13
What does John 10:13 mean?
A plain-English look at John 10:13 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 10:13 means
The hireling flees “because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.” The issue is affection, not only employment status. Without love, duty collapses under pressure. This diagnosis reaches the heart of failed leadership: absence of genuine concern. Jesus implies that His steadfastness flows from a different heart—a shepherd’s heart joined to divine mission. Where mercenaries calculate risk, He embraces the cross. Love, not wages, secures the flock. The verse thus invites self-examination in all care for souls: true shepherding flows from ownership in love, not pay or prestige. Christ embodies that perfect, unfailing care.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000he fleeth because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901he fleeth because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Because he is a servant he has no interest in the sheep.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and the hireling doth flee because he is an hireling, and is not caring for the sheep.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Now he who serves for wages flees because he serves for wages, and is not himself concerned about the sheep.
Context
Verse 13 explains the motive behind the abandonment described in verse 12: the hireling lacks love for the sheep. This prepares the return in verses 14–15 to Jesus’ identity as the Good Shepherd, marked by intimate knowledge of His own and by laying down His life. The flow keeps the contrast sharp—faithless, loveless hirelings versus the faithful, loving Shepherd—so that the subsequent promise of a united flock in verse 16 rests on His steadfast, sacrificial commitment.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 18:17
And they all laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things.
- Philippians 2:20
For I have no man likeminded, who will care truly for your state.
- John 12:6
Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein.
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