John 10
10
Jesus the Good Shepherd
1“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own 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 do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes#10.18 Other ancient authorities read has taken it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
19Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?” 21Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Jesus Is Rejected by the Jews
22At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah,#10.24 Or the Christ tell us plainly.” 25Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; 26but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand.#10.29 Other ancient authorities read My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father's hand 30The Father and I are one.”
31The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” 33The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” 34Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law,#10.34 Other ancient authorities read in the law ‘I said, you are gods’? 35If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— 36can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God's Son’? 37If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. 38But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand#10.38 Other ancient authorities lack and understand; others read and believe that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.
40He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. 41Many came to him, and they were saying, “John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42And many believed in him there.
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John 10: NRSV
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
John 10
10
1‘Verily, verily, I say to you, He who is not entering through the door to the fold of the sheep, but is going up from another side, that one is a thief and a robber;
2and he who is entering through the door is shepherd of the sheep;
3to this one the doorkeeper doth open, and the sheep hear his voice, and his own sheep he doth call by name, and doth lead them forth;
4and when his own sheep he may put forth, before them he goeth on, and the sheep follow him, because they have known his voice;
5and a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, because they have not known the voice of strangers.’
6This similitude spake Jesus to them, and they knew not what the things were that he was speaking to them;
7Jesus said therefore again to them, ‘Verily, verily, I say to you — I am the door of the sheep;
8all, as many as came before me, are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them;
9I am the door, through me if any one may come in, he shall be saved, and he shall come in, and go out, and find pasture.
10‘The thief doth not come, except that he may steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they may have life, and may have [it] abundantly.
11‘I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd his life layeth down for the sheep;
12and the hireling, and not being a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, doth behold the wolf coming, and doth leave the sheep, and doth flee; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep;
13and the hireling doth flee because he is an hireling, and is not caring for the sheep.
14‘I am the good shepherd, and I know my [sheep], and am known by mine,
15according as the Father doth know me, and I know the Father, and my life I lay down for the sheep,
16and other sheep I have that are not of this fold, these also it behoveth me to bring, and my voice they will hear, and there shall become one flock — one shepherd.
17‘Because of this doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life, that again I may take it;
18no one doth take it from me, but I lay it down of myself; authority I have to lay it down, and authority I have again to take it; this command I received from my Father.’
19Therefore, again, there came a division among the Jews, because of these words,
20and many of them said, ‘He hath a demon, and is mad, why do ye hear him?’
21others said, ‘These sayings are not those of a demoniac; is a demon able blind men's eyes to open?’
22And the dedication in Jerusalem came, and it was winter,
23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the porch of Solomon,
24the Jews, therefore, came round about him, and said to him, ‘Till when our soul dost thou hold in suspense? if thou art the Christ, tell us freely.’
25Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and ye do not believe; the works that I do in the name of my Father, these testify concerning me;
26but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep,
27according as I said to you: My sheep my voice do hear, and I know them, and they follow me,
28and life age-during I give to them, and they shall not perish — to the age, and no one shall pluck them out of my hand;
29my Father, who hath given to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of the hand of my Father;
30I and the Father are one.’
31Therefore, again, did the Jews take up stones that they may stone him;
32Jesus answered them, ‘Many good works did I shew you from my Father; because of which work of them do ye stone me?’
33The Jews answered him, saying, ‘For a good work we do not stone thee, but for evil speaking, and because thou, being a man, dost make thyself God.’
34Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not having been written in your law: I said, ye are gods?
35if them he did call gods unto whom the word of God came, (and the Writing is not able to be broken,)
36of him whom the Father did sanctify, and send to the world, do ye say — Thou speakest evil, because I said, Son of God I am?
37if I do not the works of my Father, do not believe me;
38and if I do, even if me ye may not believe, the works believe, that ye may know and may believe that in me [is] the Father, and I in Him.’
39Therefore were they seeking again to seize him, and he went forth out of their hand,
40and went away again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John was at first baptizing, and remained there,
41and many came unto him, and said — ‘John, indeed, did no sign, and all things, as many as John said about this one were true;’
42and many did believe in him there.
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