John 10

Jesus as the Good Shepherd

1 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter through the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up at some other place—that one is a thief and a robber.2 But the one who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3 For this one the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4 Whenever he sends out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.5 And they will never follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

6 Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what it was that he was saying to them.
7 Then Jesus said to themt again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.8 All those who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep do not listen to them.9 I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will come in and will go out and will find pasture.

10 The thief comes onlyt so that he can steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf approaching and abandons the sheep and runs away—and the wolf seizes them and scatters them—

13 because he is a hired hand and he is not concernedt about the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me,15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.16 And I have other sheep which are not from this fold. I must bring these also, and they will hear my voice, and they will become one flock—one shepherd.17 Because of this the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take possession of it again.

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down voluntarily.t I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take possession of it again. This commandment I received from my Father.”
19 Again there was a division among the Jews because of these words.20 And many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind! Why do you listen to him?”

21 Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who is possessed by a demon! A demon is not able to open the eyes of the blind, is it?”

Jesus at the Feast of the Dedication

22 Then the feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,23 and Jesus was walking in the temple in the Portico of Solomon.24 So the Jews surrounded him and began to say to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense?t If you are the Christ, tell us plainly!”25 Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe! The deeds that I do in the name of my Father, these testify about me.26 But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep!27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.28 And I give them eternal life, and they will never perish forever,t and no one will seize them out of my hand.29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can seize them from the Father’s hand.

30 The Father and I are one.”
31 Thent the Jews picked up stones again so that they could stone him.32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?”33 The Jews answered him, “We are not going to stone you concerning a good deed, but concerning blasphemy, and because you, although you are a man, make yourself to be God!”34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’?t35 If he called them ‘gods’ to whom the word of God came—and the scripture cannot be broken—36 do you say about he whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?37 If I do not do the deeds of my Father, do not believe me.38 But if I am doing them, even if you do not believe me, believe the deeds, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

39 So they were seeking again to seize him, and he departed out of their hand.
40 And he went away again on the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John was baptizing at an earlier time, and he stayed there.41 And many came to him and began to say, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true!”

42 And many believed in him there.

John 10

1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.4 When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.7 Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.8 All that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.9 I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture.10 The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep.12 He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth them:13 he fleeth because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.14 I am the good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me,15 even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and they shall become one flock, one shepherd.17 Therefore doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.18 No one taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment received I from my Father.19 There arose a division again among the Jews because of these words.20 And many of them said, He hath a demon, and is mad; why hear ye him?21 Others said, These are not the sayings of one possessed with a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?22 And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem:23 it was winter; and Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s porch.24 The Jews therefore came round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou hold us in suspense? If thou art the Christ, tell us plainly.25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, these bear witness of me.26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep.27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:28 and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.29 My Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.30 I and the Father are one.31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him.32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from the Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?33 The Jews answered him, For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods?35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken),36 say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.38 But if I do them, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.39 They sought again to take him: and he went forth out of their hand.40 And he went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was at the first baptizing; and there be abode.41 And many came unto him; and they said, John indeed did no sign: but all things whatsoever John spake of this man were true.42 And many believed on him there.