Yochanan 10

1 Omein, omein, I say to you, the one not entering through the derech hasha'ar (way of the entrance) into the mikhla haTzon (fold [enclosure] of the sheep) but going up another derech, that one is a ganav and a shoded (robber) [Rev 13:4].2 But the one entering through the derech hasha'ar is Ro'eh haTzon (Shepherd of the flock [of sheep]).3 To this one the doorkeeper opens, and the tzon hears the Ro'eh's voice and the Ro'eh calls b'shem (by name) each of his own tzon and leads them out. [TEHILLIM 95:7]4 When the Ro'eh has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the tzon follow the Ro'eh, because they have da'as of the Ro'eh's voice.5 But a zar (stranger, foreigner) they will never follow, but will flee from him, because they do not have da'as of the voice of zarim (strangers, foreigners).6 This figure of speech Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach told them. But those ones did not have binah (understanding) of what he was saying to them.7 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, therefore, again, Omein, omein, I say to you, Ani Hu the derech hasha'ar (way of the entrance) of the tzon.8 All who came before me are ganavim (thieves) and shodedim (robbers), but the tzon did not listen to them. [YIRMEYAH 23:1,2; YECHEZKEL 34:2-3]9 I am the derech hasha'ar. Through me, if anyone enters, he will come to yeshu'at Eloheinu and will go in and will go out and will find mir'eh (pasture) [BAMIDBAR 27:17; TEHILLIM 118:20; 23:2]10 The ganav does not come except in order that he may steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have Chayyim (Life) and that they may have it more abundantly. [TEHILLIM 65:11]11 I am the Ro'eh HaTov (the Good Shepherd). The Ro'eh HaTov lays down his neshamah for the tzon. [TEHILLIM 23:1; YESHAYAH 40:11; YECHEZKEL 34:11-16,23; YESHAYAH 53:7,8,10]12 The hireling, the one who is not the Ro'eh--the hireling, the one to whom the tzon does not belong--this hireling sees the ze'ev (wolf) coming and abandons the tzon and runs for his life and the ze'ev seizes them and scatters them. [ZECHARYAH 11:16]13 This happens because he is a hireling and the tzon means nothing to him.14 Ani Hu the Ro'eh HaTov, and I have da'as of my tzon and my tzon has da'as of me. [SHEMOT 33:12]15 Just as HaAv has da'as of me and I have da'as of HaAv, so I lay down my neshamah for the tzon.16 And another tzon I have which is not of this mikhla (fold [enclosure]); those also it is necessary for me to bring, and my voice they will hear, and they will become eder echad with Ro'eh echad (One flock with one Shepherd). [YESHAYAH 56:8; YECHEZKEL 34:23; 37:24]17 Therefore, HaAv has ahavah for me, because I lay down my neshamah that I may take it up again.18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have samchut (authority) to lay it down, and I have samchut to receive it again. This mitzvah I received from HaAv of me. [YESHAYAH 52:13-53:12]19 There was a machloket (division of dissension) again among those of Yehudah, because of these dvarim of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.20 And many of them were saying, He has a shed (demon), and He is meshugga --why do you listen to him? [MELACHIM BAIS 9:11; YIRMEYAH 29:26]21 Others said, These dvarim are not of one being possessed of shedim. Surely a shed (demon) is not able to open the eyes of an ivver (blind man)? [SHEMOT 4:11]22 Then the Chag (Festival) of Channukah took place in Yerushalayim. It was winter.23 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was walking around in the Beis Hamikdash in the area called Ulam Shlomo (Solomon's Colonnade).24 Then those of Yehudah encircled Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and were saying to him, How much longer are you going to hold our neshamot in suspense? If you are the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, tell us openly.25 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, I did tell you and you do not have emunah. The pe'ulot which I do b'Shem Avi, these pe'ulot give solemn edut (testimony, see Yn 8:18) about me.26 But you do not have emunah (faith), because you do not belong to my Tzon.27 My Tzon hear my voice, and I have da'as of them, and they follow me.28 And I give to them Chayyei Olam, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. [YESHAYAH 66:22]29 That which HaAv of me has given me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch out of the hand of HaAv.30 I and HaAv are echad. [DEVARIM 6:4; TEHILLIM 33:6; BERESHIS 2:24]31 Again those of Yehudah took up stones that they might stone him.32 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Many ma'asim tovim I showed you from HaAv. Because of which ma'aseh do you stone me?33 In reply, those of Yehudah said to him, For a ma'aseh tov we do not stone you, but for Chillul Hashem and because you, being a man, make yourself G-d. [VAYIKRA 24:16]34 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered them, Has it not been written in your Torah, ANI AMARTI ELOHIM ATEM (I said you are g-ds.) [TEHILLIM 82:6] [SHEMOT 7:1; 22:27 TARGUM HASHIVIM]35 If those ones he called g-ds, to whom the Dvar Hashem came and lo tufar Kitvei Hakodesh (and the Kitvei Hakodesh cannot be broken, TEHILLIM 119:89,142)36 Can you say of the One whom HaAv set apart as HaKadosh and sent into the Olam Hazeh that he commits Chillul Hashem because I said, Ben HaElohim Ani Hu? [YIRMEYAH 1:5]37 If I do not accomplish the pe'ulot of Avi, do not regard me with bitachon.38 But if I do, even if you do not have emunah in me, chotsh have emunah in the pe'ulot, so that you may continue to have da'as and binah that HaAv is in me and I am in HaAv.39 They were seeking, therefore, again to seize him, and he eluded their hand.40 And he went away again beyond the Yarden to the place where Yochanan was in the beginning giving the mikveh mayim's tevilah of teshuvah, and he remained there.41 And many came to him and were saying, Yochanan indeed did no ot (miraculous sign), but everything Yochanan said about this man was HaEmes.42 And many put their emunah (faith) in him [as Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach] there.

JOHN 10

A Story about Sheep

1 Jesus said:
I tell you for certain only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen.

2-3 But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd's voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.
4 When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice.

5 The sheep will not follow strangers. They don't recognize a stranger's voice, and they run away.

6 Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.

Jesus Is the Good Shepherd

7 Jesus said:
I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. 8 Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them.

9 I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.
10 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully. 11 t I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. 12 Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don't own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock.

13 Hired workers run away because they don't care about the sheep.
14  t I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. 15 t Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep.

16 I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must also bring them together, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.
17 The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so I may receive it back again.

18 No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.
19 The people took sides because of what Jesus had told them.

20 Many of them said, “He has a demon in him! He is crazy! Why listen to him?”

21 But others said, “How could anyone with a demon in him say these things? No one like this could give sight to a blind person!”

Jesus Is Rejected

24 and the people gathered all around him. They said, “How long are you going to keep us guessing? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly!”

25 Jesus answered:
I have told you, and you refused to believe me. The things I do by my Father's authority show who I am. 26 But since you are not my sheep, you don't believe me. 27 My sheep know my voice, and I know them. They follow me, 28 and I give them eternal life, so that they will never be lost. No one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 t My Father gave them to me, and he is greater than all others.t No one can snatch them from his hands,

30 and I am one with the Father.
31 Once again the people picked up stones in order to kill Jesus.

32 But he said, “I have shown you many good things my Father sent me to do. Which one are you going to stone me for?”

33 They answered, “We are not stoning you because of any good thing you did. We are stoning you because you did a terrible thing. You are just a man, and here you are claiming to be God!”

34  t Jesus replied:
In your Scriptures doesn't God say, “You are gods”? 35 You can't argue with the Scriptures, and God spoke to those people and called them gods. 36 So why do you accuse me of a terrible sin for saying that I am the Son of God? After all, it is the Father who prepared me for this work. He is also the one who sent me into the world. 37 If I don't do as my Father does, you should not believe me.

38 But if I do what my Father does, you should believe because of that, even if you don't have faith in me. Then you will know for certain that the Father is one with me, and I am one with the Father.
39 Again they wanted to arrest Jesus. But he escaped 40 t and crossed the Jordan to the place where John had earlier been baptizing. While Jesus was there, 41 many people came to him. They were saying, “John didn't work any miracles, but everything he said about Jesus is true.” 42 A lot of those people also put their faith in Jesus.