John 10
1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter through the gate into the sheep pen, but climbs up some other way, that man is a thief and a robber.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't come in through the gate of the sheepfold but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber.
2 He who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The one who comes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 The gatekeeper opens for him. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
After bringing them out, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.
5 They will not follow a stranger but instead they will avoid him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
They won't follow strangers. In fact they run away from a stranger because they don't recognize the voice of strangers.”
6 Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they did not understand what these things were that he was saying to them.
When Jesus gave this illustration those who were listening to him didn't understand what he meant.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the gate of the sheep.
So Jesus explained again, “I tell you the truth: I am the gate of the sheepfold.
8 Everyone who came before me is a thief and a robber, but the sheep did not listen to them.
All those who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them.
9 I am the gate. If anyone enters in through me, he will be saved; he will go in and out and will find pasture.
I am the gate. Anyone who comes in through me will be healed. They will be able to come and go, and find the food they need.
10 The thief does not come if he would not steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they will have life and have it abundantly.
The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I've come to bring you life, life full to overflowing.
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 the sheep.
12 The hired servant is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep. He sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and escapes, and the wolf carries them off and scatters them.
The man paid to look after the sheep is not the shepherd and he runs away when he sees the wolf coming. He abandons the sheep because they're not his, and the wolf attacks and scatters the flock
13 He runs away because he is a hired servant and does not care for the sheep.
for the man is only working for pay and doesn't care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me.
I am the good shepherd. I know who are mine, and they know me,
15 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 him. I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice so that there will be one flock and one shepherd.
I have other sheep that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
17 This is why the Father loves me: I lay down my life so that I may take it again.
This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so I may take it up again.
18 No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
No one takes it from me; I choose to lay it down. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is the command my Father gave me.”
19 A division again occurred among the Jews because of these words.
The Jews were again divided in their opinion about Jesus over these words.
20 Many of them said, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to him?”
Many of them said, “He's demon-possessed! He's mad! Why are you listening to him?”
21 Others said, “These are not the words of a demon-possessed man. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Others said, “These aren't the words of someone who's demon-possessed. Besides, a demon can't open eyes that are blind.”
22 Then it was time for the Festival of the Dedication in Jerusalem.
It was winter, and the time of the Festival of Dedication in Jerusalem.
23 It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the porch of Solomon.
Jesus was walking in the Temple through Solomon's porch. The Jews surrounded him, asking,
24 Then the Jews surrounded him and said to him, “How long will you hold us doubting? If you are the Christ, tell us openly.”
“How long are you going to keep us hanging in suspense? If you are the Messiah then tell us plainly!”
25 Jesus replied to them, “I told you, but you do not believe. The works that I do in the name of my Father, these testify concerning me.
Jesus replied, “I already told you but you refuse to believe it. The miracles I do in my Father's name prove who I am.
26 Yet you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
You don't believe me because you are not my sheep.
27 My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all others, and no one is able to snatch them out of the hand of the Father.
My Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone else; no one can snatch them from him.
30 I and the Father are one.”
I and the Father are one.”
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
Once again the Jews picked up stones to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of those works are you stoning me?”
Jesus said to them, “You've seen many good deeds that I've done from the Father. Which one are you stoning me for?”
33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for any good work, but for blasphemy, because you, a man, are making yourself God.”
The Jews replied, “We're not stoning you for a good deed, but for blasphemy because you are just a man but you're claiming to be God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, 'I said, “You are gods”'?
Jesus answered them, “Isn't it written 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),
He called those people ‘gods,’ the people to whom the word of God came—and Scripture can't be altered.
36 do you say to him whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
So why are you saying the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said ‘I am the Son of God’?
37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me.
If I'm not doing what my Father does, then don't believe me.
38 But if I am doing them, even if you do not believe me, believe in the works so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father.”
But if that is what I'm doing, even though you don't believe me, you should believe because of the evidence of what I've done. That way you can know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”
39 They tried to seize him again, but he went away out of their hand.
Once again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from them.
40 He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, and he stayed there.
He went back across the Jordan River to the place where John had begun baptizing, and he stayed there.
41 Many people came to him and they said, “John indeed did no signs, but all the things that John has said about this man are true.”
Many people came to him, and they said, “John didn't perform miracles, but everything he said about this man has come true.”
42 Many people believed in him there.
Many who were there put their trust in Jesus.
