John 10
10
The good shepherd and his sheep
1 ‘Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognise a stranger’s voice.’ 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.#10:9 Or kept safe They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. 18No-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 command I received from my Father.’
19The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20Many of them said, ‘He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?’
21But others said, ‘These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’
Further conflict over Jesus’ claims
22Then came the Festival of Dedication#10:22 That is, Hanukkah at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24The Jews who were there gathered round him, saying, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’
25Jesus answered, ‘I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all#10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.’
31Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32but Jesus said to them, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?’
33‘We are not stoning you for any good work,’ they replied, ‘but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.’
34Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not written in your Law, “I have said you are ‘gods’ ”#10:34 Psalm 82:6? 35If he called them “gods”, to whom the word of God came – and Scripture cannot be set aside – 36what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, “I am God’s Son”? 37Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.’ 39Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
40Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptising in the early days. There he stayed, 41and many people came to him. They said, ‘Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.’ 42And in that place many believed in Jesus.
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John 10: NIVUK
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® (Anglicised), NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
John 10
10
1 "Amen, amen, I say to you, he who does not enter through the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up by another way, he is a thief and a robber.
2 But he who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out.
4 And when he has sent out his sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.
5 But they do not follow a stranger; instead they flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers."
6 Jesus spoke this proverb to them. But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 Therefore, Jesus spoke to them again: "Amen, amen, I say to you, that I am the door of the sheep.
8 All others, as many as have come, are thieves and robbers, and the sheep did not listen to them.
9 I am the door. If anyone has entered through me, he will be saved. And he shall go in and go out, and he shall find pastures.
10 The thief does not come, except so that he may steal and slaughter and destroy. I have come so that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd gives his life for his sheep.
12 But the hired hand, and whoever is not a shepherd, to whom the sheep do not belong, he sees the wolf approaching, and he departs from the sheep and flees. And the wolf ravages and scatters the sheep.
13 And the hired hand flees, because he is a hired hand and there is no concern for the sheep within him.
14 I am the good Shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me,
15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for my sheep.
16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold, and I must lead them. They shall hear my voice, and there shall be one sheepfold and one shepherd.
17 For this reason, the Father loves me: because I lay down my life, so that I may take it up again.
18 No one takes it away from me. Instead, I lay it down of my own accord. And I have the power to lay it down. And I have the power to take it up again. This is the commandment that I have received from my Father."
19 A dissension occurred again among the Jews because of these words.
20 Then many of them were saying: "He has a demon or he is insane. Why do you listen him?"
21 Others were saying: "These are not the words of someone who has a demon. How would a demon be able to open the eyes of the blind?"
22 Now it was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem, and it was winter.
23 And Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.
24 And so the Jews surrounded him and said to him: "How long will you hold our souls in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
25 Jesus answered them: "I speak to you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in the name of my Father, these offer testimony about 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 them eternal life, and they shall not perish, for eternity. And no one shall seize them from my hand.
29 What my Father gave to me is greater than all, and no one is able to seize from the hand of my Father.
30 I and the Father are one."
31 Therefore, the Jews took up stones, in order to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them: "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?"
33 The Jews answered him: "We do not stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy and because, though you are a man, you make yourself God."
34 Jesus responded to them: "Is it not written in your law, 'I said: you are gods?'
35 If he called those to whom the word of God was given gods, and Scripture cannot be broken,
36 why do you say, about him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, 'You have blasphemed,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God?'
37 If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe in me.
38 But if I do them, even if you are not willing to believe in me, believe the works, so that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father."
39 Therefore, they sought to apprehend him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 And he went again across the Jordan, to that place where John first was baptizing. And he lodged there.
41 And many went out to him. And they were saying: "Indeed, John accomplished no signs.
42 But all things whatsoever that John said about this man were true." And many believed in him.
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