The Parable of the Shepherd
1 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. 2 The man who goes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 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. 4 When he has brought them out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice.”
6 Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he meant.
Jesus the Good Shepherd
7 So Jesus said again, “I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All others who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 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 “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 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 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 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 What my Father has given me is greater 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 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 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 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.
1 Verely, verely I say vnto you, Hee that entreth not in by the doore into the sheepefolde, but climeth vp another way, he is a theefe and a robber. 2 But he that goeth in by the doore, is the shepheard of the sheepe. 3 To him the porter openeth, and the sheepe heare his voyce, and he calleth his owne sheepe by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when hee hath sent foorth his owne sheepe, he goeth before them, and the sheepe follow him: for they know his voyce. 5 And they will not follow a stranger, but they flee from him: for they know not the voyce of strangers. 6 This parable spake Iesus vnto them: but they vnderstoode not what things they were which he spake vnto them. 7 Then sayd Iesus vnto them againe, Verely, verely I say vnto you, I am that doore of the sheepe. 8 All, that euer came before me, are theeues and robbers: but the sheepe did not heare them. 9 I am that doore: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saued, and shall go in, and go out, and finde pasture. 10 The theefe commeth not, but for to steale, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might haue life, and haue it in abundance. 11 I am that good shepheard: that good shepheard giueth his life for his sheepe. 12 But an hireling, and hee which is not the shepheard, neither the sheepe are his owne, seeth the wolfe comming, and hee leaueth the sheepe, and fleeth, and the wolfe catcheth them, and scattreth the sheepe. 13 So the hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheepe. 14 I am that good shepheard, and knowe mine, and am knowen of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, so know I the Father: and I lay downe my life for my sheepe. 16 Other sheepe I haue also, which are not of this folde: them also must I bring, and they shall heare my voyce: and there shalbe one sheepefolde, and one shepheard. 17 Therefore doeth my Father loue me, because I lay downe my life, that I might take it againe. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it downe of my selfe: I haue power to lay it downe, and haue power to take it againe: this commandement haue I receiued of my Father. 19 Then there was a dissension againe among the Iewes for these sayings, 20 And many of them sayd, He hath a deuill, and is mad: why heare ye him? 21 Other sayd, These are not the wordes of him that hath a deuill: can the deuill open the eyes of the blinde? 22 And it was at Hierusalem the feast of the Dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Iesus walked in the Temple, in Salomons porche. 24 Then came the Iewes round about him, and sayd vnto him, Howe long doest thou make vs dout? If thou be that Christ, tell vs plainely. 25 Iesus answered them, I tolde you, and ye beleeue not: the workes that I doe in my Fathers Name, they beare witnes of me. 26 But ye beleeue not: for ye are not of my sheepe, as I sayd vnto you. 27 My sheepe heare my voyce, and I knowe them, and they follow me, 28 And I giue vnto them eternall life, and they shall neuer perish, neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand. 29 My Father which gaue them me, is greater then all, and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then ye Iewes againe tooke vp stones, to stone him. 32 Iesus answered them, Many good workes haue I shewed you from my Father: for which of these workes doe ye stone me? 33 The Iewes answered him, saying, For the good worke we stone thee not, but for blasphemie, and that thou being a man, makest thy selfe God. 34 Iesus answered them, Is it not written in your Lawe, I sayd, Ye are gods? 35 If hee called them gods, vnto whome the worde of God was giuen, and the Scripture cannot be broken, 36 Say ye of him, whome the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the worlde, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Sonne of God? 37 If I doe not the workes of my Father, beleeue me not. 38 But if I doe, then though ye beleeue not mee, yet beleeue the workes, that ye may knowe and beleeue, that the Father is in me, and I in him. 39 Againe they went about to take him: but he escaped out of their handes, 40 And went againe beyonde Iordan, into the place where Iohn first baptized, and there abode. 41 And many resorted vnto him, and saide, Iohn did no miracle: but all thinges that Iohn spake of this man, were true. 42 And many beleeued in him there.