I Am the Good Shepherd

10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. (A)A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus (B)used with them, but they (C)did not understand what he was saying to them.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, (D)I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, (E)he will be saved and will go in and out and (F)find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and (G)kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 (H)I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd (I)lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is (J)a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and (K)leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and (L)scatters them. 13 He flees because (M)he is a hired hand and (N)cares nothing for the sheep. 14 (O)I am the good shepherd. (P)I know my own and (Q)my own know me, 15 (R)just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and (S)I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And (T)I have other sheep that are not of this fold. (U)I must bring them also, and (V)they will listen to my voice. So there will be (W)one flock, (X)one shepherd. 17 (Y)For this reason the Father loves me, (Z)because (AA)I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 (AB)No one takes it from me, but (AC)I lay it down (AD)of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and (AE)I have authority to take it up again. (AF)This charge I have received from my Father.”

19 (AG)There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, (AH)“He has a demon, and (AI)is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. (AJ)Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

I and the Father Are One

22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, (AK)in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are (AL)the Christ, (AM)tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. (AN)The works that I do (AO)in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but (AP)you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 (AQ)My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 (AR)I give them eternal life, and (AS)they will never perish, and (AT)no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, (AU)who has given them to me,[a] (AV)is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of (AW)the Father's hand. 30 (AX)I and the Father are one.”

31 (AY)The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but (AZ)for blasphemy, because you, being a man, (BA)make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in (BB)your Law, (BC)‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be (BD)broken— 36 do you say of him whom (BE)the Father consecrated and (BF)sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because (BG)I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 (BH)If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, (BI)even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that (BJ)the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 (BK)Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place (BL)where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but (BM)everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And (BN)many believed in him there.

Footnotes

  1. John 10:29 Some manuscripts What my Father has given to me

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) The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.(B) 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) 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) But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech,(F) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.(G)

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am(H) the gate(I) for the sheep. All who have come before me(J) are thieves and robbers,(K) but the sheep have not listened to them. 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)

Footnotes

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