John 10

Riverside^{(i) 1} "TRULY, truly, I tell you, he who does not enter through the gate into the sheepfold, but climbs over somewhere else, that man is a thief and a robber. ² But he who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gate-keeper opens to him and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own sheep, he goes before them and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵ They will not follow a stranger, but will run away from him, for they do not know the voices of strangers." ⁶ This illustration Jesus gave to them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. ⁷ Again Jesus spoke: "Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate of the sheep. ⁸ All that ever came before me were thieves and robbers. But the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate: if any one enters through me he will be saved, and will go 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 and have it abundantly. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hireling, who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, looks on as the wolf comes and leaves the sheep and runs away — and the wolf seizes them and scatters them — ¹³ because he is a hireling and does not care for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ But I have other sheep which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷ For this the Father loves me, because I lay down my life to take it again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down and have power to take it again. This command I received from my Father." ¹⁹ There was again a division among the Jews, on account of these words. ²⁰ Many of them said, "He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to him?" ²¹ Others said, "These words are not those of a demoniac. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" ²² Then came the Feast of Renovation in Jerusalem. It was winter. ²³ Jesus was walking in the Temple courts, in Solomon's Colonnade. ²⁴ The Jews came in a circle around him and said to him, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us frankly." ²⁵ Jesus answered them, "I have told you and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name — these witness for me. ²⁶ But you do not believe because you are not of my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice and I know them and they follow me, ²⁸ and I give to them life eternal, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father who gave them to me is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. ³⁰ I and my Father are one." ³¹ Again the Jews took up stones to stone him. ³² Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from my Father. For which of these works are you stoning me?" ³³ The Jews answered him, "For a good work we are not stoning you, but for profane words, because you, a man, are making yourself God." ³⁴ Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said you are Gods'? ³⁵ If he called those to whom the word of God came Gods — and the authority of Scripture cannot be denied — ³⁶ do you say to him whom the Father made holy and sent into the world, 'You speak profane words,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? ³⁷ if I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me. ³⁸ But if I do, even though you do not believe me, believe the works; that you may perceive and know that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father." ³⁹ Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped from their hands ⁴⁰ and went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was at first when he was baptizing, and he stayed there. ⁴¹ Many came to him and they said, "John did no sign; but all that John said about this man was true." ⁴² Many believed in him there.