John 10:1–30

The Ideal Shepherd

10 “* I assure you: Anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. o 2 The one who enters by the door is the shepherd p of the sheep. q 3 The doorkeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.”

6 Jesus gave them this illustration, but they did not understand r what He was telling them.

The Good Shepherd

7 So Jesus said again, “I assure you: I am s the door of the sheep. t 8 All who came before Me u are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal v and to kill and to destroy. w I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

11 “I am the good shepherd. x The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. y 12 The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them z and runs away when he sees a wolf a coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13 This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. b I lay down My life c for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep d that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. e 17 This is why the Father loves Me, f because I am laying down My life g so I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from My Father.” h

19 Again a division i took place among the * Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon j and He’s crazy! Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These aren’t the words of someone demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” k

Jesus at the Festival of Dedication

22 Then the Festival of Dedication l took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 Jesus was walking in the * temple complex in Solomon’s Colonnade. m n 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and asked, “How long are You going to keep us in suspense? o If You are the * Messiah, p tell us plainly.” q r

25 “I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them. “The works s that I do in My Father’s name testify about Me. 26 But you don’t believe because you are not My sheep. t u 27 My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, v and they will never perish w—ever! No one will snatch x them out of My hand. 29 My Father, y who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.” z a