John 10:13 (DRB)

Passage

And the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep.

Nearby Context

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.

John 10:12 But the hireling and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and flieth: and the wolf casteth and scattereth the sheep,

John 10:13 And the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep.

John 10:14 I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me.

John 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sheep", "hireling", "flieth", "hath", and "care". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sheep" and "hireling", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "But the hireling and he that is..." into verse 14's "I am the good shepherd and I...", so "sheep" and "hireling" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sheep" and "hireling" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.