Jesus as the Good Shepherd

10 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter through the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up at some other place—that one is a thief and a robber. But the one who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep. For this one the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Whenever he sends out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And they will never follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what it was that he was saying to them.

Then Jesus said to them[a] again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All those who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep do not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will come in and will go out and will find pasture. 10 The thief comes only[b] so that he can steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have it[c] abundantly.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf approaching and abandons the sheep and runs away—and the wolf seizes them and scatters them[d] 13 because he is a hired hand and he is not concerned[e] about the sheep.

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 the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep which are not from this fold. I must bring these also, and they will hear my voice, and they will become one flock—one shepherd. 17 Because of this the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take possession of it again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down voluntarily.[f] I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take possession of it again. This commandment I received from my Father.”

19 Again there was a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 And many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind! Why do you listen to him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who is possessed by a demon! A demon is not able to open the eyes of the blind, is it?”[g]

Jesus at the Feast of the Dedication

22 Then the feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple in the Portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews surrounded him and began to say[h] to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense?[i] If you are the Christ, tell us plainly!” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe! The deeds that I do in the name of my Father, these testify about me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep! 27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they will never perish forever,[j] and no one will seize them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them[k] to me, is greater than all, and no one can seize them[l] from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”

31 Then[m] the Jews picked up stones again so that they could stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not going to stone you concerning a good deed, but concerning blasphemy, and because you, although you[n] are a man, make yourself to be God!” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’?[o] 35 If he called them ‘gods’ to whom the word of God came—and the scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say about he whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the deeds of my Father, do not believe me. 38 But if I am doing them,[p] even if you do not believe me, believe the deeds, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 So they were seeking again to seize him, and he departed out of their hand.

40 And he went away again on the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John was baptizing at an earlier time, and he stayed there. 41 And many came to him and began to say,[q] “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true!” 42 And many believed in him there.

Footnotes

  1. John 10:7 Some manuscripts omit “to them”
  2. John 10:10 Literally “does not come except”
  3. John 10:10 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  4. John 10:12 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  5. John 10:13 Literally “it is not a concern to him”
  6. John 10:18 Literally “from myself”
  7. John 10:21 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here, indicated in the translation by the phrase “is it
  8. John 10:24 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to say”)
  9. John 10:24 Literally “until when will you take away our life”
  10. John 10:28 Literally “for the age”
  11. John 10:29 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  12. John 10:29 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  13. John 10:31 Some manuscripts omit “Then”
  14. John 10:33 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as concessive
  15. John 10:34 A quotation from Ps 82:6 (in common usage “law” could refer to the entire Old Testament)
  16. John 10:38 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  17. John 10:41 *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to say”)

10 `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;

and he who is entering through the door is shepherd of the sheep;

to 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;

and when his own sheep he may put forth, before them he goeth on, and the sheep follow him, because they have known his voice;

and a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, because they have not known the voice of strangers.'

This similitude spake Jesus to them, and they knew not what the things were that he was speaking to them;

Jesus said therefore again to them, `Verily, verily, I say to you -- I am the door of the sheep;

all, as many as came before me, are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them;

I 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;

12 and 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;

13 and 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,

15 according as the Father doth know me, and I know the Father, and my life I lay down for the sheep,

16 and 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;

18 no 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.'

19 Therefore, again, there came a division among the Jews, because of these words,

20 and many of them said, `He hath a demon, and is mad, why do ye hear him?'

21 others said, `These sayings are not those of a demoniac; is a demon able blind men's eyes to open?'

22 And the dedication in Jerusalem came, and it was winter,

23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the porch of Solomon,

24 the 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.'

25 Jesus 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;

26 but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep,

27 according as I said to you: My sheep my voice do hear, and I know them, and they follow me,

28 and 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;

29 my Father, who hath given to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of the hand of my Father;

30 I and the Father are one.'

31 Therefore, again, did the Jews take up stones that they may stone him;

32 Jesus answered them, `Many good works did I shew you from my Father; because of which work of them do ye stone me?'

33 The 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.'

34 Jesus answered them, `Is it not having been written in your law: I said, ye are gods?

35 if them he did call gods unto whom the word of God came, (and the Writing is not able to be broken,)

36 of 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?

37 if I do not the works of my Father, do not believe me;

38 and 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.'

39 Therefore were they seeking again to seize him, and he went forth out of their hand,

40 and went away again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John was at first baptizing, and remained there,

41 and many came unto him, and said -- `John, indeed, did no sign, and all things, as many as John said about this one were true;'

42 and many did believe in him there.