John 10
1 “Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up 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 one who enters in by the door 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 to 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 Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for 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 They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.”
They will not follow a stranger, but will run away from him; because they do not know a stranger’s voice.”
6 Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t 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 Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door.
So he continued, “In truth I tell you, I am the door for the sheep.
8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.
All who came before me were thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not listen to them.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will 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 only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.
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 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
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 hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care 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 own, and I’m known by my own;
I am the good shepherd; and I know my sheep, and my sheep know me –
15 even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. 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 which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with 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 Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.
This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life – to receive it again.
18 No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment 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 Therefore a division arose again among the Jews because of these words.
In consequence of these words a difference of opinion again arose among the people.
20 Many of them said, “He has a demon and is insane! Why do you listen to him?”
Many of them said, “He is possessed by a demon and is mad; why do you listen to him?”
21 Others said, “These are not the sayings of one possessed by a demon. It isn’t possible for a demon to open the eyes of the blind, is it?”
Others said, “This is not the teaching of one who is possessed by a demon. Can a demon give sight to the blind?”
22 It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem.
Soon after this the Festival of the Rededication was held at Jerusalem.
23 It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.
It was winter; and Jesus was walking in the Temple Courts, in the Colonnade of Solomon,
24 The Jews therefore came around him and said to him, “How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
when the people gathered around him, and said, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so frankly.”
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you don’t believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, these testify about me.
“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 you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you.
But you do not believe me, because you are not of my flock.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and 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 is able to 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 Therefore the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
Some of the people again brought stones to throw at him;
32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works 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 The Jews answered him, “We don’t stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself 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 answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, ‘I 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 can’t be broken),
If those to whom God’s word were addressed were said to be ‘gods’ – and scripture cannot be set aside –
36 do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘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 don’t do the works of my Father, don’t believe me.
If I am not doing the work that my Father is doing, do not believe me;
38 But if I do them, though you don’t believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I 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 They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand.
The authorities again sought to arrest him; but he escaped their hands.
40 He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was baptizing at first, 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. They said, “John indeed did no sign, but everything that John said about this man is true.”
“John gave no sign of his mission,” they said. “But everything that he said about this man was true.”
42 Many believed in him there.
And many learned to believe in Jesus there.
