The True Shepherd and the Sheep

1. Truly, truly, I say to you, the one not entering through the door into the sheepfold, but climbing up some other way, that one is a thief and a robber.
2. But the one entering through the door is shepherd of the sheep.
3. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and his own sheep he calls by name and leads them out.
4. When he has put out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.
5. But a stranger they will never follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.
6. This parable Jesus spoke to them, but they did not know what the things were which he was speaking to them.

Jesus the Door of the Sheep

7. So Jesus again said, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9. I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out, and shall find pasture.
10. The thief comes only that he might steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

The Good Shepherd Who Lays Down His Life

11. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12. The hired hand, not being a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf seizes them and scatters them,
13. because he is a hired hand and does not care for the sheep.
14. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine, and mine 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 other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; those also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one flock, one shepherd.
17. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down from myself; authority I have to lay it down, and authority I have to take it again. This command I received from my Father.

Division Among the Jews

19. A division again arose among the Jews because of these words.
20. And many of them were saying, He has a demon and is mad; why do you listen to him.
21. Others were saying, These are not the words of one being demon-possessed; a demon is not able to open the eyes of the blind, is it.

Jesus at the Feast of Dedication

22. Then came the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem; it was winter.
23. And Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s Colonnade.
24. So the Jews surrounded him and said to him, How long do you keep our souls in suspense. If you are the Christ, tell us openly.
25. Jesus answered them, I told you, and you do not believe; the works which I do in my Father’s name, these bear witness of me,
26. but you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep.
27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
28. And I give to them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.
29. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch out of the Father’s hand.
30. I and the Father are one.

Accusation of Blasphemy

31. Again the Jews took up stones that they might stone him.
32. Jesus answered them, Many good works I have shown you from my Father; for which work of them do you stone me.
33. The Jews answered him, For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God.
34. Jesus answered them, Is it not 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,
36. do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, You blaspheme, because I said, I am Son of God.
37. If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me.
38. But if I do, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I in the Father.
39. Therefore they were seeking again to seize him, and he went out of their hand.

Retreat Beyond the Jordan

40. And he departed again across the Jordan to the place where John first was baptising, and there he remained.
41. And many came to him and said, John indeed did no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.
42. And many believed in him there.