Jesus the Good Shepherd

1VERILY, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheep-fold, but getteth in some other way, that person is a thief and a robber. 2He that entereth by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own peculiar sheep by name, and leadeth them forth. 4And when he bringeth out his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: because they know his voice. 5And a stranger will they not follow, but will fly from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they knew nothing of the things which he spake to them.

7Therefore Jesus said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that I am the door of the sheep. 8All, as many as have gone before me, are thieves and robbers: but the sheep hearkened not to them. 9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved; and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. 12But the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd, whose own property the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and the wolf seizes upon them, and disperseth the sheep. 13Now the hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd, and know my own sheep, and am known of my own. 15As the Father knoweth me, so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: these also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, one shepherd. 17Therefore doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment I have received from my Father.

19There was therefore a division again among the Jews, on account of these sayings. 20Then many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hearken to him? 21Others said, These are not the discourses of a demoniac. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

Jesus at the Feast of Dedication

22Then was the feast of dedication at Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23And Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon?s portico. 24Then the Jews came about him, and said to him, How long dost thou keep our soul in suspense? If thou art the Messiah, tell us plainly. 25Jesus answered them; I told you, and ye believed not: the works which I do in the name of my Father, they bear witness of me. 26But ye believe not, 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 unto them everlasting life and they shall never perish to eternity, and no person shall pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all and no one shall pluck them out of my Father?s hand. 30I and my Father are one.

31Then the Jews again brought stones, in order to stone him. 32Jesus said unto them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which work of these are ye going to stone me? 33The Jews answered him, For a good work we do not stone thee; but for blasphemy; and that thou, being merely a man, makest thyself God. 34Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, ?I said ye are gods?? 35If he called those gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36do ye say of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest because I said, I am the Son of God? 37If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. 39Then sought they again to apprehend him and he departed out of their reach,

John’s Testimony Confirmed

40and went again beyond Jordan, unto the place where John at first baptised; and there he abode. 41And many came to him, and said, That John indeed performed no miracle: but all things whatsoever John spake of this man were true. 42And many believed on him there.