[1] "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; [2]
but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] To him the
gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by
name and leads them out. [4] When he has brought out all his own, he goes
before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. [5] A
stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not
know the voice of strangers." [6] This figure Jesus used with them, but
they did not understand what he was saying to them. [7] So Jesus again said
to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. [8] All
who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed
them. [9] I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and
will go in and 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.
[11] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep. [12] He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep
are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf
snatches them and scatters them. [13] He flees because he is a hireling and
cares nothing for the sheep. [14] I am the good shepherd; I know my own and
my own know me, [15] as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I
lay down my life for the sheep. [16] And I have other sheep, that are not
of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there
shall be one flock, one shepherd. [17] For this reason the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. [18] No one takes 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 again; this charge I have received from my
Father." [19] There was again a division among the Jews because of these
words. [20] Many of them said, "He has a demon, and he is mad; why listen
to him?" [21] Others said, "These are not the sayings of one who has a
demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" [22] It was the feast of
the Dedication at Jerusalem; [23] it was winter, and Jesus was walking in
the temple, in the portico of Solomon. [24] So the Jews gathered round him
and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the
Christ, tell us plainly." [25] Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do
not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to
me; [26] but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.
[27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; [28] and
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall
snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is
greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's
hand. [30] I and the Father are one." [31] The Jews took up stones again to
stone him. [32] Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from
the Father; for which of these do you stone me?" [33] The Jews answered
him, "It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy;
because you, being a man, make yourself God." [34] Jesus answered them, "Is
it not written in your law, `I said, you are gods'? [35] If he called them
gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken), [36] do
you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, `You
are blaspheming,' because I said, `I am the Son of God'? [37] If I am not
doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; [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 am in the Father." [39]
Again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. [40] He
went away again across the Jordan to the place where John at first
baptized, and there he remained. [41] And many came to him; and they said,
"John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true."
[42] And many believed in him there.
