John 10:1–30

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.^{g 2}The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.^{h 3}The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.ⁱ He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.^{j 4}When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.^{k 5}But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶Jesus used this figure of speech,^l but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.^m

⁷Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I amⁿ the gate^o for the sheep. ⁸All who have come before me^p are thieves and robbers,^q but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^a They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,^r and have it to the full.^s

¹¹“I am^t the good shepherd.^u The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{v 12}The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.^w Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴“I am the good shepherd;^x I know my sheep^y and my sheep know me—¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^z—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^{a 16}I have other sheep^b that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock^c and one shepherd.^{d 17}The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^e—only to take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^f I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”^g

¹⁹The Jews who heard these words were again divided.^{h 20}Many of them said, “He is demon-possessedⁱ and raving mad.^j Why listen to him?”

²¹But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.^k Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”^l

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

²²Then came the Festival of Dedication^b at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.^{m 24}The Jewsⁿ who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”^o

²⁵Jesus answered, “I did tell you,^p but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,^{q 26}but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.^{r 27}My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,^s and they follow me.^{t 28}I give them eternal life,^u and they shall never perish;^v no one will snatch them out of my hand.^{w 29}My Father, who has given them to me,^x is greater than all^c;^y no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰I and the Father are one.”^z