Chapter 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 .
2 But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of 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 .
4 Whenever he brings out his own sheep , he goes before them ; and the sheep follow him , for 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."
6 Jesus spoke this parable to them , but they didn’ t understand what he was telling them .
7 Jesus therefore said to them again , "Most certainly, I tell you , I am the sheep ’s door .
8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers , but the sheep didn’ t 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 .
10 The thief only comes to steal , kill , and destroy. I came that they may have life , and may have it abundantly .
11 " I am the good shepherd . The good shepherd lays down his life for the 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 .
13 The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’ t care for the sheep .
14 I am the good shepherd . I know my own , and I ’m known by my own ;
15 even as the Father knows me , and I know the Father . 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 .
17 Therefore the Father loves me , because I lay down my life , that I may take 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 ."
19 Therefore a division arose again amongst the Jews because of these words .
20 Many of them said , " He has a demon and is insane ! 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 ?"
22 It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem .
23 It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple , in Solomon ’s porch .
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 ."
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 .
26 But you don’ t believe , because you are not of my sheep , as I told you .
27 My sheep hear my voice , and I know them , and they follow me .
28 I give eternal life to them . They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand .
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 .
30 I and the Father are one ."
31 Therefore the Jews took up stones again 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 don’ t stone you for a good work , but for blasphemy, because you , being a man , make yourself God ."
34 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 can ’ t be broken ),
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 ’?
37 If I don’ t do the works of my Father , don’ t 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 ."
39 They sought again to seize him , and he went out of their hand .
40 He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was baptising at first , and he stayed there .
41 Many came to him . They said , " John indeed did no sign , but everything that John said about this man is true."
42 Many believed in him there .