Jesus the Good Shepherd

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

1"In most solemn truth I tell you that the man who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs over some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the porter opens the door, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by their names and leads them out. 4When he has brought out his own sheep—all of them—he walks at the head of them; and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5But a stranger they will by no means follow, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." 6Jesus spoke to them in this figurative language, but they did not understand what He meant.

7Again therefore Jesus said to them, "In most solemn truth I tell you that I am the Door of the sheep. 8All who have come before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep would not listen to them. 9I am the Door. If any one enters by me, he will find safety, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy: I have come that they may have Life, and may have it in abundance.

11"I am the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his very life for the sheep. 12The hired servant—one who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep—no sooner sees the wolf coming than he leaves the sheep and runs away; and the wolf worries and scatters them. 13For he is only a hired servant and cares nothing for the sheep. 14"I am the Good Shepherd. And I know my sheep and my sheep know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I am laying down my life for the sheep. 16I have also other sheep—which do not belong to this fold. Those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under one Shepherd. 17For this reason my Father loves me, because I am laying down my life in order to receive it back again. 18No one is taking it away from me, but I myself am laying it down. I am authorized to lay it down, and I am authorized to receive it back again. This is the command I received from my Father."

19Again there arose a division among the Jews because of these words. 20Many of them said, "He is possessed by a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to him?" 21Others argued, "That is not the language of a demoniac: and can a demon open blind men's eyes?"

The Unbelief of the Jews

22The Dedication Festival came on in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the Temple in Solomon's Portico, 24when the Jews gathered round Him and kept asking Him, "How long do you mean to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so plainly." 25"I have told you," answered Jesus, "and you do not believe. The deeds that I do in my Father's name—they give testimony about me. 26But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. 27My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them the Life of the Ages, and they shall never, never perish, nor shall any one wrest them from my hand. 29What my Father has given me is more precious than all besides; and no one is able to wrest anything from my Father's hand. 30I and the Father are one."

31Again the Jews brought stones with which to stone Him. 32Jesus remonstrated with them. "Many good deeds," He said, "have I shown you as coming from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" 33"For no good deed," the Jews replied, "are we going to stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, who are only a man, are making yourself out to be God." 34"Does it not stand written in your Law," replied Jesus, "'I said, you are gods'? 35If those to whom God's word was addressed are called gods (and the Scripture cannot be annulled) 36how is it that you say to one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am God's Son'? 37If the deeds I do are not my Father's deeds, do not believe me. 38But if they are, then even if you do not believe me, at least believe the deeds, that you may know and see clearly that the Father is in me, and that I am in the Father." 39This made them once more try to arrest Him, but He withdrew out of their power.

Many across the Jordan Believe

40Then He went away again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John had been baptizing at first; and there He stayed. 41Large numbers of people also came to Him. Their report was, "John did not work any miracle, but all that John said about this Teacher was true." 42And many became believers in Him there.