Chapter 10

The Good Shepherd. ^1 [a]“Amen, amen, I say to you,^(A) whoever does not enter a sheepfold^[b] through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. ² But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ^4 [c]When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,^(B) because they recognize his voice. ⁵ But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Although Jesus used this figure of speech,^[d] they did not realize what he was trying to tell them.

^7 [e]So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. ^8 [f]All who came [before me] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰ A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(C) 12} A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them.^{(D) 13} This is because he works for pay and has no concern 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 will lay down my life for the sheep.^{(E) 16} I have other sheep^[g] that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.^{(F) 17} This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.^{(G) 18} No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.^[h] This command I have received from my Father.”^(H)

¹⁹ Again there was a division among the Jews because of these words.^{(I) 20} Many of them said, “He is possessed and out of his mind; why listen to him?”^{(J) 21} Others said, “These are not the words of one possessed; surely a demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?”^(K)

Feast of the Dedication. ²² The feast of the Dedication^[i] was then taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter.^{(L) 23 [j]}And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. ²⁴ So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense?^[k] If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”^{(M) 25} Jesus answered them, “I told you^[l] and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.^{(N) 26} But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.^{(O) 27} My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.^{(P) 29} My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,^[m] and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.^{(Q) 30 [n]}The Father and I are one.”^(R)

³¹ The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him.^{(S) 32} Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” ³³ The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.”^{(T) 34 [o]}Jesus answered them,^(U) “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? ³⁵ If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, ³⁶ can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated^[p] and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?^{(V) 37} If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; ³⁸ but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize [and understand] that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”^{(W) 39} [Then] they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power.

⁴⁰ He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.^{(X) 41} Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign,^[q] but everything John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And many there began to believe in him.^(Y)