The Nature of Wisdom

Peter in Lydda and Joppa

³⁶ Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas.^[a] She was devoted to good works and acts of charity.^{(A) 37} At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs.^{(B) 38} Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.”^{(C) 39} So Peter got up and went with them, and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them.^{(D) 40} Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.^{(E) 41} He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive.^{(F) 42} This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ Meanwhile, he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.^(G)

⁷ So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me^[a] are thieves and bandits, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.^(A)

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(B) 12} The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.^{(C) 13} The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. 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 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.^{(D) 17} For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes^[b] it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

¹⁹ Again the Jews were divided because of these words.^{(E) 20} Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?”^{(F) 21} Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”^(G)

Jesus Is Rejected by the Jews

²² At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.^{(H) 24} So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah,^[c] tell us plainly.” ²⁵ Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me,^{(I) 26} but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep.^{(J) 27} My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.^{(K) 28} I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.^{(L) 29} My Father, in regard to what he has given me, is greater than all,^[d] and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.^{(M) 30} The Father and I are one.”