John 10

New International Version

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) ²The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.^(B) ³The 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) ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.^(E) ⁵But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶Jesus used this figure of speech,^(F) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.^(G)

⁷Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am^(H) the gate^(I) for the sheep. ⁸All who have come before me^(J) are thieves and robbers,^(K) but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰The 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) ¹²The 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. ¹³The 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— ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^(T)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^(U) ¹⁶I 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) ¹⁷The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^(Y)—only to take it up again. ¹⁸No 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)

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

²¹But 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

²²Then came the Festival of Dedication^[b] at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.^(AG) ²⁴The 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)

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

³¹Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,^(AU) ³²but 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)

³⁴Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,^(AW) ‘I have said you are “gods”’^[d]?^(AX) ³⁵If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God^(AY) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside^(AZ)— ³⁶what 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) ³⁷Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.^(BE) ³⁸But 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) ³⁹Again they tried to seize him,^(BG) but he escaped their grasp.^(BH)

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

Footnotes

John 10:9 Or kept safe
John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
John 10:34 Psalm 82:6

Psalm 143

New International Version

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

¹Lord, hear my prayer,^(A)
    listen to my cry for mercy;^(B)
in your faithfulness^(C) and righteousness^(D)
    come to my relief.
²Do not bring your servant into judgment,
    for no one living is righteous^(E) before you.
³The enemy pursues me,
    he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness^(F)
    like those long dead.^(G)
⁴So my spirit grows faint within me;
    my heart within me is dismayed.^(H)
⁵I remember^(I) the days of long ago;
    I meditate^(J) on all your works
    and consider what your hands have done.
⁶I spread out my hands^(K) to you;
    I thirst for you like a parched land.^[a]

⁷Answer me quickly,^(L) Lord;
    my spirit fails.^(M)
Do not hide your face^(N) from me
    or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
⁸Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,^(O)
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way^(P) I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.^(Q)
⁹Rescue me^(R) from my enemies,^(S) Lord,
    for I hide myself in you.
¹⁰Teach me^(T) to do your will,
    for you are my God;^(U)
may your good Spirit
    lead^(V) me on level ground.^(W)

¹¹For your name’s sake,^(X) Lord, preserve my life;^(Y)
    in your righteousness,^(Z) bring me out of trouble.
¹²In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;^(AA)
    destroy all my foes,^(AB)
    for I am your servant.^(AC)

Footnotes

Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Hosea 6-8

New International Version

Israel Unrepentant

6 “Come, let us return^(A) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces^(B)
    but he will heal us;^(C)
he has injured us
    but he will bind up our wounds.^(D)
²After two days he will revive us;^(E)
    on the third day^(F) he will restore^(G) us,
    that we may live in his presence.
³Let us acknowledge the Lord;
    let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
    he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,^(H)
    like the spring rains that water the earth.^(I)”

⁴“What can I do with you, Ephraim?^(J)
    What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
    like the early dew that disappears.^(K)
⁵Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
    I killed you with the words of my mouth^(L)—
    then my judgments go forth like the sun.^[a]^(M)
⁶For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,^(N)
    and acknowledgment^(O) of God rather than burnt offerings.^(P)
⁷As at Adam,^[b] they have broken the covenant;^(Q)
    they were unfaithful^(R) to me there.
⁸Gilead is a city of evildoers,^(S)
    stained with footprints of blood.
⁹As marauders lie in ambush for a victim,^(T)
    so do bands of priests;
they murder^(U) on the road to Shechem,
    carrying out their wicked schemes.^(V)
¹⁰I have seen a horrible^(W) thing in Israel:
    There Ephraim is given to prostitution,
    Israel is defiled.^(X)

¹¹“Also for you, Judah,
a harvest^(Y) is appointed.

“Whenever I would restore the fortunes^(Z) of my people,

7 ¹whenever I would heal Israel,
the sins of Ephraim are exposed
    and the crimes of Samaria revealed.^(AA)
They practice deceit,^(AB)
    thieves break into houses,^(AC)
    bandits rob in the streets;^(AD)
²but they do not realize
    that I remember^(AE) all their evil deeds.^(AF)
Their sins engulf them;^(AG)
    they are always before me.

³“They delight the king with their wickedness,
    the princes with their lies.^(AH)
⁴They are all adulterers,^(AI)
    burning like an oven
whose fire the baker need not stir
    from the kneading of the dough till it rises.
⁵On the day of the festival of our king
    the princes become inflamed with wine,^(AJ)
    and he joins hands with the mockers.^(AK)
⁶Their hearts are like an oven;^(AL)
    they approach him with intrigue.
Their passion smolders all night;
    in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
⁷All of them are hot as an oven;
    they devour their rulers.
All their kings fall,^(AM)
    and none of them calls^(AN) on me.

⁸“Ephraim mixes^(AO) with the nations;
    Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.
⁹Foreigners sap his strength,^(AP)
    but he does not realize it.
His hair is sprinkled with gray,
    but he does not notice.
¹⁰Israel’s arrogance testifies against him,^(AQ)
    but despite all this
he does not return^(AR) to the Lord his God
    or search^(AS) for him.

¹¹“Ephraim is like a dove,^(AT)
    easily deceived and senseless—
now calling to Egypt,^(AU)
    now turning to Assyria.^(AV)
¹²When they go, I will throw my net^(AW) over them;
    I will pull them down like the birds in the sky.
When I hear them flocking together,
    I will catch them.
¹³Woe^(AX) to them,
    because they have strayed^(AY) from me!
Destruction to them,
    because they have rebelled against me!
I long to redeem them
    but they speak about me^(AZ) falsely.^(BA)
¹⁴They do not cry out to me from their hearts^(BB)
    but wail on their beds.
They slash themselves,^[c] appealing to their gods
    for grain and new wine,^(BC)
    but they turn away from me.^(BD)
¹⁵I trained^(BE) them and strengthened their arms,
    but they plot evil^(BF) against me.
¹⁶They do not turn to the Most High;^(BG)
    they are like a faulty bow.^(BH)
Their leaders will fall by the sword
    because of their insolent^(BI) words.
For this they will be ridiculed^(BJ)
    in the land of Egypt.^(BK)

Israel to Reap the Whirlwind

8 “Put the trumpet^(BL) to your lips!
    An eagle^(BM) is over the house of the Lord
because the people have broken my covenant^(BN)
    and rebelled against my law.^(BO)
²Israel cries out to me,
    ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’
³But Israel has rejected what is good;
    an enemy will pursue him.^(BP)
⁴They set up kings without my consent;
    they choose princes without my approval.^(BQ)
With their silver and gold
    they make idols^(BR) for themselves
    to their own destruction.
⁵Samaria, throw out your calf-idol!^(BS)
    My anger burns against them.
How long will they be incapable of purity?^(BT)
⁶    They are from Israel!
This calf—a metalworker has made it;
    it is not God.^(BU)
It will be broken in pieces,
    that calf^(BV) of Samaria.^(BW)

⁷“They sow the wind
    and reap the whirlwind.^(BX)
The stalk has no head;
    it will produce no flour.^(BY)
Were it to yield grain,
    foreigners would swallow it up.^(BZ)
⁸Israel is swallowed up;^(CA)
    now she is among the nations
    like something no one wants.^(CB)
⁹For they have gone up to Assyria^(CC)
    like a wild donkey^(CD) wandering alone.
    Ephraim has sold herself to lovers.^(CE)
¹⁰Although they have sold themselves among the nations,
    I will now gather them together.^(CF)
They will begin to waste away^(CG)
    under the oppression of the mighty king.

¹¹“Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings,
    these have become altars for sinning.^(CH)
¹²I wrote for them the many things of my law,
    but they regarded them as something foreign.^(CI)
¹³Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me,
    and though they eat^(CJ) the meat,
    the Lord is not pleased with them.^(CK)
Now he will remember^(CL) their wickedness
    and punish their sins:^(CM)
    They will return to Egypt.^(CN)
¹⁴Israel has forgotten^(CO) their Maker^(CP)
    and built palaces;
    Judah has fortified many towns.
But I will send fire on their cities
    that will consume their fortresses.”^(CQ)

Footnotes

Hosea 6:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
Hosea 6:7 Or Like Adam; or Like human beings
Hosea 7:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts They gather together