Jesus the Good Shepherd

(Psalm 23:1-6; Ezekiel 34:11-24)

1Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not in by the door to the fold of the sheep, but mounts up elsewhere, he is a thief and a robber; 2but he that enters in by the door is [the] shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. 4When he has put forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5But they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they know not the voice of strangers. 6This allegory spoke Jesus to them, but they did not know what it was [of] which he spoke to them.

7Jesus therefore said again to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All whoever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door: if any one enter in by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and shall find pasture. 10The thief comes not but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I am come that they might have life, and might have [it] abundantly.

11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep: 12but he who serves for wages, and who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf seizes them and scatters the sheep. 13Now he who serves for wages flees because he serves for wages, and is not himself concerned about the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd; and I know those that are mine, and am known of those that are mine, 15as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And I have other sheep which are not of this fold: those also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one flock, one shepherd. 17On this account the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it again. I have received this commandment of my Father.

19There was a division again among the Jews on account of these words; 20but many of them said, He has a demon and raves; why do ye hear him? 21Others said, These sayings are not [those] of one that is possessed by a demon. Can a demon open blind people's eyes?

The Unbelief of the Jews

22Now the feast of the dedication was celebrating at Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23And Jesus walked in the temple in the porch of Solomon. 24The Jews therefore surrounded him, and said to him, Until when dost thou hold our soul in suspense? If thou art the Christ, say [so] to us openly. 25Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye do not believe. The works which I do in my Father's name, these bear witness concerning me: 26but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep, as I told you. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28and I give them life eternal; and they shall never perish, and no one shall seize them out of my hand. 29My Father who has given [them] to me is greater than all, and no one can seize out of the hand of my Father. 30I and the Father are one.

31The Jews therefore again took stones that they might stone him. 32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewn you of my Father; for which work of them do ye stone me? 33The Jews answered him, For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, and because thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken), 36do ye say of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am Son of God? 37If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; 38but if I do, even if ye believe not me, believe the works, that ye may know [and believe] that the Father is in me and I in him. 39They sought therefore again to take him; and he went away from out of their hand

Many across the Jordan Believe

40and departed again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptising at the first: and he abode there. 41And many came to him, and said, John did no sign; but all things which John said of this [man] were true. 42And many believed on him there.