Jesus the Good Shepherd

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

1'Verily, verily, I say to you, He who is not entering through the door to the fold of the sheep, but is going up from another side, that one is a thief and a robber; 2and he who is entering through the door is shepherd of the sheep; 3to this one the doorkeeper doth open, and the sheep hear his voice, and his own sheep he doth call by name, and doth lead them forth; 4and when his own sheep he may put forth, before them he goeth on, and the sheep follow him, because they have known his voice; 5and a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, because they have not known the voice of strangers.' 6This similitude spake Jesus to them, and they knew not what the things were that he was speaking to them;

7Jesus said therefore again to them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you -- I am the door of the sheep; 8all, as many as came before me, are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them; 9I am the door, through me if any one may come in, he shall be saved, and he shall come in, and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief doth not come, except that he may steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

11'I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd his life layeth down for the sheep; 12and the hireling, and not being a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, doth behold the wolf coming, and doth leave the sheep, and doth flee; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep; 13and the hireling doth flee because he is an hireling, and is not caring for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and am known by mine, 15according as the Father doth know me, and I know the Father, and my life I lay down for the sheep, 16and other sheep I have that are not of this fold, these also it behoveth me to bring, and my voice they will hear, and there shall become one flock -- one shepherd. 17'Because of this doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life, that again I may take it; 18no one doth take it from me, but I lay it down of myself; authority I have to lay it down, and authority I have again to take it; this command I received from my Father.'

19Therefore, again, there came a division among the Jews, because of these words, 20and many of them said, 'He hath a demon, and is mad, why do ye hear him?' 21others said, 'These sayings are not those of a demoniac; is a demon able blind men's eyes to open?'

The Unbelief of the Jews

22And the dedication in Jerusalem came, and it was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the porch of Solomon, 24the Jews, therefore, came round about him, and said to him, 'Till when our soul dost thou hold in suspense? if thou art the Christ, tell us freely.' 25Jesus answered them, 'I told you, and ye do not believe; the works that I do in the name of my Father, these testify concerning me; 26but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep, 27according as I said to you: My sheep my voice do hear, and I know them, and they follow me, 28and life age-during I give to them, and they shall not perish -- to the age, and no one shall pluck them out of my hand; 29my Father, who hath given to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of the hand of my Father; 30I and the Father are one.'

31Therefore, again, did the Jews take up stones that they may stone him; 32Jesus answered them, 'Many good works did I shew you from my Father; because of which work of them do ye stone me?' 33The Jews answered him, saying, 'For a good work we do not stone thee, but for evil speaking, and because thou, being a man, dost make thyself God.' 34Jesus answered them, 'Is it not having been written in your law: I said, ye are gods? 35if them he did call gods unto whom the word of God came, (and the Writing is not able to be broken,) 36of him whom the Father did sanctify, and send to the world, do ye say -- Thou speakest evil, because I said, Son of God I am? 37if I do not the works of my Father, do not believe me; 38and if I do, even if me ye may not believe, the works believe, that ye may know and may believe that in me is the Father, and I in Him.' 39Therefore were they seeking again to seize him, and he went forth out of their hand,

Many across the Jordan Believe

40and went away again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John was at first baptizing, and remained there, 41and many came unto him, and said -- 'John, indeed, did no sign, and all things, as many as John said about this one were true;' 42and many did believe in him there.