John Chapter 10 Back Next{10:1} "Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn't enter by the door into the sheep
fold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
{10:2} But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
{10:3} The gatekeeper opens the
gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
{10:4} Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
{10:5} They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don't know the voice of strangers."
{10:6}
Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn't understand what he was telling them.
{10:7} Jesus therefore said to them again, "Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep's door.
{10:8} All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them.
{10:9} I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.
{10:10} The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.
{10:11} I am the good shepherd.[
Ref] The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
{10:12} He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn't own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep, and scatters them.
{10:13} The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand, and doesn't care for the sheep.
{10:14} I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I'm known by my own;
{10:15} even as the
Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.
{10:16} I have other sheep, which are not of this fold.[
Ref] I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.
{10:17} Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life,[
Ref] that I may take it again.
{10:18} No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father."
{10:19} Therefore a division arose again among the
Jews because of these words.
{10:20} Many of them said, "He has a
demon, and is insane! Why do you listen to him?"
{10:21} Others said, "These are not the sayings of one possessed by a demon. It isn't possible for a demon to open the eyes of the
blind, is it?"[
Ref]
{10:22} It was the
Feast of the Dedication at
Jerusalem.
{10:23} It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon's porch.
{10:24} The Jews therefore came around him and said to him, "How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the
Christ, tell us plainly."
{10:25} Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you don't believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, these testify about me.
{10:26} But you don't believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you.
{10:27} My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
{10:28} I give
eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
{10:29} My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand.
{10:30} I and the Father are one."
{10:31} Therefore Jews took up stones again to stone him.
{10:32} Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?"
{10:33} The Jews answered him, "We don't stone you for a good work, but for
blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God."
{10:34} Jesus answered them, "Isn't it written in your
law, 'I said, you are gods?'[
Ref]
{10:35} If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can't be broken),
{10:36} do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You blaspheme,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God?'
{10:37} If I don't do the works of my Father, don't believe me.
{10:38} But if I do them, though you don't believe me, believe the works; that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."
{10:39} They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand.
{10:40} He went away again beyond the
Jordan into the place where
John was baptizing at first, and there he stayed.
{10:41} Many came to him. They said, "John indeed did no sign, but everything that John said about this man is true."
{10:42} Many believed in him there.
John Chapter 10 Back Next