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The Parable of the Shepherd

10 Jesus said, “I am telling you the truth: the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who goes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him; the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. When he has brought them out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice.”

Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he meant.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

So Jesus said again, “I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep. All others who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.

11 (A)“I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. 12 When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep. 14-15 (B)I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them. 16 There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become[a] one flock with one shepherd.

17 “The Father loves me because I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again. 18 No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do.”

19 Again there was a division among the people because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon! He is crazy! Why do you listen to him?”

21 But others were saying, “A man with a demon could not talk like this! How could a demon give sight to blind people?”

Jesus Is Rejected

22 (C)It was winter, and the Festival of the Dedication of the Temple was being celebrated in Jerusalem. 23 Jesus was walking in Solomon's Porch in the Temple, 24 when the people gathered around him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? Tell us the plain truth: are you the Messiah?”

25 Jesus answered, “I have already told you, but you would not believe me. The deeds I do by my Father's authority speak on my behalf; 26 but you will not believe, for you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never die. No one can snatch them away from me. 29 (D)What my Father has given me is greater[b] than everything, and no one can snatch them away from the Father's care. 30 The Father and I are one.”

31 Then the people again picked up stones to throw at him. 32 Jesus said to them, “I have done many good deeds in your presence which the Father gave me to do; for which one of these do you want to stone me?”

33 (E)They answered, “We do not want to stone you because of any good deeds, but because of your blasphemy! You are only a man, but you are trying to make yourself God!”

34 (F)Jesus answered, “It is written in your own Law that God said, ‘You are gods.’ 35 We know that what the scripture says is true forever; and God called those people gods, the people to whom his message was given. 36 As for me, the Father chose me and sent me into the world. How, then, can you say that I blaspheme because I said that I am the Son of God? 37 Do not believe me, then, if I am not doing the things my Father wants me to do. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, you should at least believe my deeds, in order that you may know once and for all that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father.”

39 Once more they tried to seize Jesus, but he slipped out of their hands.

40 (G)Jesus then went back again across the Jordan River to the place where John had been baptizing, and he stayed there. 41 Many people came to him. “John performed no miracles,” they said, “but everything he said about this man was true.” 42 And many people there believed in him.

Footnotes

  1. John 10:16 they will become; some manuscripts have there will be.
  2. John 10:29 What my Father has given me is greater; some manuscripts have My Father, who gave them to me, is greater.

Il buon pastore

10 «In verità, in verità vi dico: chi non entra nel recinto delle pecore per la porta, ma vi sale da un'altra parte, è un ladro e un brigante. Chi invece entra per la porta, è il pastore delle pecore. Il guardiano gli apre e le pecore ascoltano la sua voce: egli chiama le sue pecore una per una e le conduce fuori. E quando ha condotto fuori tutte le sue pecore, cammina innanzi a loro, e le pecore lo seguono, perché conoscono la sua voce. Un estraneo invece non lo seguiranno, ma fuggiranno via da lui, perché non conoscono la voce degli estranei». Questa similitudine disse loro Gesù; ma essi non capirono che cosa significava ciò che diceva loro.

Allora Gesù disse loro di nuovo: «In verità, in verità vi dico: io sono la porta delle pecore. Tutti coloro che sono venuti prima di me, sono ladri e briganti; ma le pecore non li hanno ascoltati. Io sono la porta: se uno entra attraverso di me, sarà salvo; entrerà e uscirà e troverà pascolo. 10 Il ladro non viene se non per rubare, uccidere e distruggere; io sono venuto perché abbiano la vita e l'abbiano in abbondanza. 11 Io sono il buon pastore. Il buon pastore offre la vita per le pecore. 12 Il mercenario invece, che non è pastore e al quale le pecore non appartengono, vede venire il lupo, abbandona le pecore e fugge e il lupo le rapisce e le disperde; 13 egli è un mercenario e non gli importa delle pecore. 14 Io sono il buon pastore, conosco le mie pecore e le mie pecore conoscono me, 15 come il Padre conosce me e io conosco il Padre; e offro la vita per le pecore. 16 E ho altre pecore che non sono di quest'ovile; anche queste io devo condurre; ascolteranno la mia voce e diventeranno un solo gregge e un solo pastore. 17 Per questo il Padre mi ama: perché io offro la mia vita, per poi riprenderla di nuovo. 18 Nessuno me la toglie, ma la offro da me stesso, poiché ho il potere di offrirla e il potere di riprenderla di nuovo. Questo comando ho ricevuto dal Padre mio».

19 Sorse di nuovo dissenso tra i Giudei per queste parole. 20 Molti di essi dicevano: «Ha un demonio ed è fuori di sé; perché lo state ad ascoltare?». 21 Altri invece dicevano: «Queste parole non sono di un indemoniato; può forse un demonio aprire gli occhi dei ciechi?».

5. LA FESTA DELLA DEDICAZIONE (LA DECISIONE DI UCCIDERE GESU')

Gesù si dichiara Figlio di Dio

22 Ricorreva in quei giorni a Gerusalemme la festa della Dedicazione. Era d'inverno. 23 Gesù passeggiava nel tempio, sotto il portico di Salomone. 24 Allora i Giudei gli si fecero attorno e gli dicevano: «Fino a quando terrai l'animo nostro sospeso? Se tu sei il Cristo, dillo a noi apertamente». 25 Gesù rispose loro: «Ve l'ho detto e non credete; le opere che io compio nel nome del Padre mio, queste mi danno testimonianza; 26 ma voi non credete, perché non siete mie pecore. 27 Le mie pecore ascoltano la mia voce e io le conosco ed esse mi seguono. 28 Io do loro la vita eterna e non andranno mai perdute e nessuno le rapirà dalla mia mano. 29 Il Padre mio che me le ha date è più grande di tutti e nessuno può rapirle dalla mano del Padre mio. 30 Io e il Padre siamo una cosa sola».

31 I Giudei portarono di nuovo delle pietre per lapidarlo. 32 Gesù rispose loro: «Vi ho fatto vedere molte opere buone da parte del Padre mio; per quale di esse mi volete lapidare?». 33 Gli risposero i Giudei: «Non ti lapidiamo per un'opera buona, ma per la bestemmia e perché tu, che sei uomo, ti fai Dio». 34 Rispose loro Gesù: «Non è forse scritto nella vostra Legge: Io ho detto: voi siete dei? 35 Ora, se essa ha chiamato dei coloro ai quali fu rivolta la parola di Dio (e la Scrittura non può essere annullata), 36 a colui che il Padre ha consacrato e mandato nel mondo, voi dite: Tu bestemmi, perché ho detto: Sono Figlio di Dio? 37 Se non compio le opere del Padre mio, non credetemi; 38 ma se le compio, anche se non volete credere a me, credete almeno alle opere, perché sappiate e conosciate che il Padre è in me e io nel Padre». 39 Cercavano allora di prenderlo di nuovo, ma egli sfuggì dalle loro mani.

Gesù si ritira oltre il Giordano

40 Ritornò quindi al di là del Giordano, nel luogo dove prima Giovanni battezzava, e qui si fermò. 41 Molti andarono da lui e dicevano: «Giovanni non ha fatto nessun segno, ma tutto quello che Giovanni ha detto di costui era vero». 42 E in quel luogo molti credettero in lui.

10 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are one.

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

42 And many believed on him there.