In Greek these two verses are one sentence, which undergoes some restructuring in Good News Translation. The opening statement, I am the good shepherd, is followed in Greek by “and I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.” Good News Translation inverts the order of comparison by placing first the comparative clause as the Father knows me and I know the Father and then introducing the main clause (in the same way I know my sheep and they know me). In this clause Good News Translation translates the first Greek “my own” as my sheep, and the second by the pronoun they. This change is legitimate, since in the last clause in Greek sheep are explicitly referred to (literally “and I give my life for the sheep”). Good News Translation introduces earlier the information that those whom Jesus calls his own are his sheep; therefore, Good News Translation is able to render the second reference to sheep by the pronoun them. In this context the verb translated know should be understood in the sense of “intimate acquaintance with.” The meaning is not “knowing about,” but personal knowledge, based upon acquaintance and familiarity.

I am willing to die for them is similar in construction to the Greek of verse 11 (the good shepherd is willing to die for the sheep). The element of willingness, which Good News Translation includes, finds its basis in verse 18 (I give it up of my own free will). To die for them must be expressed in some languages as “to die in order to protect them.” However, in others it is possible to employ a kind of benefactive, for example, “to die for their benefit” or “to die in order to help them.” In one language the expression to die for them is rendered literally “to give my heart for them,” indicating not only death, but also emotional concern.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .