John 10
1 “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.
In truth I tell you, whoever does not go into the sheepfold through the door, but climbs up at some other place, that person is a thief and a robber;
2 But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
but the person who goes in through the door is shepherd to the sheep.
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
For him the watchman opens the door; and the sheep listen to his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
When he has brought them all out, he walks in front of them, and his sheep follow him, because they know his voice.
5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.”
They will not follow a stranger, but will run away from him; because they do not know a stranger’s voice.’
6 Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them.
This was the allegory that Jesus told them, but they did not understand of what he was speaking.
7 So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
So he continued, ‘In truth I tell you, I am the door for the sheep.
8 All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
All who came before me were thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not listen to them.
9 I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture.
I am the door; he who goes in through me will be safe, and he will go in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.
The thief comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it in greater fullness.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.
12 The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock.
The hired man who is not a shepherd, and who does not own the sheep, when he sees a wolf coming, leaves them and runs away; then the wolf seizes them, and scatters the flock.
13 The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.
He does this because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me,
I am the good shepherd; and I know my sheep, and my sheep know me –
15 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep.
Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.
I have other sheep besides, which do not belong to this fold; I must lead them also, and they will listen to my voice; and they will become one flock under one shepherd.
17 The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again.
This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life – to receive it again.
18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”
No one took it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to receive it again. This is the command which I received from my Father.’
19 Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message.
In consequence of these words a difference of opinion again arose among the people.
20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
Many of them said, ‘He is possessed by a demon and is mad; why do you listen to him?’
21 But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Others said, ‘This is not the teaching of one who is possessed by a demon. Can a demon give sight to the blind?’
22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,
Soon after this the Festival of the Rededication was held at Jerusalem.
23 and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade.
It was winter; and Jesus was walking in the Temple Courts, in the Colonnade of Solomon,
24 So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
when the people gathered round him, and said, ‘How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so frankly.’
25 “I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf.
‘I have told you so,’ replied Jesus, ‘and you do not believe me. The work that I am doing in my Father’s name bears testimony to me.
26 But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.
But you do not believe me, because you are not of my flock.
27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me;
29 My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
What my Father has entrusted to me is more than all else; and no one can snatch anything out of the Father’s hands.
30 I and the Father are one.”
The Father and I are one.’
31 At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.
Some of the people again brought stones to throw at him;
32 But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”
and seeing this, Jesus said, ‘I have done before your eyes many good actions, inspired by the Father; for which of them would you stone me?’
33 “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.”
‘It is not for any good action that we would stone you,’ they answered, ‘but for blasphemy; and because you, who are only a man, make yourself out to be God.’
34 Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’?
‘Are there not,’ replied Jesus, ‘these words in your Law – “I said, You are gods”?
35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—
If those to whom God’s word were addressed were said to be “gods” – and scripture cannot be set aside –
36 then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God?
do you say of one whom the Father has consecrated and sent as his messenger to the world “You are blaspheming,” because I said “I am God’s Son”?
37 If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me.
If I am not doing the work that my Father is doing, do not believe me;
38 But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”
if I am doing it, even though you do not believe me, believe what that work shows; so that you may understand, and understand more and more clearly, that the Father is in union with me, and I with the Father.’
39 At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.
The authorities again sought to arrest him; but he escaped their hands.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, and He stayed there.
Then Jesus again crossed the Jordan to the place where John used to baptize at first, and stayed there some time, during which many people came to see him.
41 Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.”
‘John gave no sign of his mission,’ they said. ‘But everything that he said about this man was true.’
42 And many in that place believed in Jesus.
And many learned to believe in Jesus there.
