The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.^{(A) 2} The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.^{(B) 3} The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.^(C) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.^{(D) 4} When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.^{(E) 5} But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech,^(F) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.^(G)

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am^(H) the gate^(I) for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me^(J) are thieves and robbers,^(K) but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,^(L) and have it to the full.^(M)

¹¹ “I am^(N) the good shepherd.^(O) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(P) 12} The 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.^(Q) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd;^(R) I know my sheep^(S) and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^(T)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^{(U) 16} I have other sheep^(V) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock^(W) and one shepherd.^{(X) 17} The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^(Y)—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^(Z) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”^(AA)

¹⁹ The Jews who heard these words were again divided.^{(AB) 20} Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed^(AC) and raving mad.^(AD) Why listen to him?”

²¹ But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.^(AE) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”^(AF)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication^[b] at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(AG) 24} The Jews^(AH) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”^(AI)

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you,^(AJ) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,^{(AK) 26} but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.^{(AL) 27} My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,^(AM) and they follow me.^{(AN) 28} I give them eternal life,^(AO) and they shall never perish;^(AP) no one will snatch them out of my hand.^{(AQ) 29} My Father, who has given them to me,^(AR) is greater than all^[c];^(AS) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”^(AT)

³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,^{(AU) 32} but 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.”^(AV)

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,^(AW) ‘I have said you are “gods”’^[d]?^{(AX) 35} If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God^(AY) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside^(AZ)— ³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart^(BA) as his very own^(BB) and sent into the world?^(BC) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?^{(BD) 37} Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.^{(BE) 38} But 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.”^{(BF) 39} Again they tried to seize him,^(BG) but he escaped their grasp.^(BH)

⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan^(BI) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, ⁴¹ and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,^(BJ) all that John said about this man was true.”^{(BK) 42} And in that place many believed in Jesus.^(BL)

The Righteous Branch

23 “Woe to the shepherds^(A) who are destroying and scattering^(B) the sheep of my pasture!”^(C) declares the Lord. ² Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds^(D) who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock^(E) and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil^(F) you have done,” declares the Lord. ³ “I myself will gather the remnant^(G) of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture,^(H) where they will be fruitful and increase in number. ⁴ I will place shepherds^(I) over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid^(J) or terrified, nor will any be missing,^(K)” declares the Lord.

⁷ “So then, the days are coming,”^(S) declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’^{(T) 8} but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”^(U)

Lying Prophets

⁹ Concerning the prophets:

¹⁵ Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:

¹⁶ This is what the Lord Almighty says:

²⁵ “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies^(BK) in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream!^(BL) I had a dream!’ ²⁶ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions^(BM) of their own minds?^{(BN) 27} They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget^(BO) my name, just as their ancestors forgot^(BP) my name through Baal worship.^{(BQ) 28} Let the prophet who has a dream^(BR) recount the dream, but let the one who has my word^(BS) speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. ²⁹ “Is not my word like fire,”^(BT) declares the Lord, “and like a hammer^(BU) that breaks a rock in pieces?

³⁰ “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against^(BV) the prophets^(BW) who steal from one another words supposedly from me. ³¹ Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’^{(BX) 32} Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,^(BY)” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray^(BZ) with their reckless lies,^(CA) yet I did not send^(CB) or appoint them. They do not benefit^(CC) these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

False Prophecy

³³ “When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message^(CD) from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake^(CE) you, declares the Lord.’ ³⁴ If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message^(CF) from the Lord,’ I will punish^(CG) them and their household. ³⁵ This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’^(CH) or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁶ But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort^(CI) the words of the living God,^(CJ) the Lord Almighty, our God. ³⁷ This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁸ Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’ ³⁹ Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast^(CK) you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. ⁴⁰ I will bring on you everlasting disgrace^(CL)—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”