The Good Shepherd
“In Truth, I say to you: He that enters not through the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way; the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But He that enters in through the entrance, is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To Him the doorkeeper opens; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out.
4 And when He puts forth His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him: because they know His voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not, the voice of strangers.”
6 This parable Jesus spoke to them; but they understood not, what things they were, which He spoke to them.
7 ¶ Then Jesus said to them again: “In Truth, I say to you: I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that came before me, were thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not listen to them.
9 I am the door: through me, if anyone enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief comes not, except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I have come that they have life, and that they have it abundantly.”
11 ¶ “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12 But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd (whose own sheep, they are not), sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf attacks them, and scatters the sheep.
13 The hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of my own.
15 As the Father knows me, so I know the Father: and lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them I must also bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Through this, my Father loves me: because I lay down my life, that I might lay hold of it again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to lay hold of it again. This commandment I have received from my Father.”
19 ¶ Therefore, there was division again among the Jews because of these words.
20 And many of them said: “He has a demon, and is mad; why listen to Him?”
21 Others said: “These are not the words of someone that has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Opposition at the Feast of Dedication
22 ¶ And it was at the feast of the dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.
23 And Jesus walked into the temple, in Solomon’s portico.
24 Then came the Jews around Him, and said to Him: “How long do you keep us in suspense? If you be the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered them: “I told you, and you believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
26 But you believe not, because you are not one of my sheep, as I said to you.
27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give to them eternal life; and they shall never perish, nor shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
30 I and my Father are one.”
31 ¶ Then the Jews took up stones again, to stone Him.
32 Jesus answered them: “Many good works, have I showed you from my Father; for which of these works do you stone me?”
33 The Jews answered Him, saying: “For a good work we do not stone you; but for blasphemy; and 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 the scripture cannot be broken:
36 Do you say of Him whom the Father has made holy, and sent into the world: You blaspheme; because I said: I am the Son of God?
37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
38 But if I do; though you believe not me, believe the works: that you may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in Him.”
39 ¶ Therefore they sought again to lay hands on Him: but He escaped out of their hand;
40 And went away again on the other side of the Jordan, into the place where John at first baptized; and there He stayed.
41 And many came to Him, and said: “John wrought no sign: but all things that John spoke of this man, were true.”
42 And many believed in Him there.