Charles Ellicott Commentary John 10:13

"[he fleeth] because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep." — John 10:13 (ASV)

The hireling fleeth.—These words are again an addition to the text and should be omitted, with the great majority of the best authorities.

If these words are omitted, this verse must be immediately connected with the preceding one. The last clause of that preceding verse is a parenthesis: “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth (and the wolf catcheth them, and maketh havoc), because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.”

The sense is not affected by this omission, as the words were apparently added as a gloss to make the meaning clear.

The thought of the hireling is repeated to express the nature of the man, and to strengthen the contrast with the Good Shepherd, which immediately follows.