The good shepherd

1“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; 210.2: Mk 6.34.but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 610.6: Jn 16.25.This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 810.8: Jer 23.1; Ezek 34.2.All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. 9I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 1110.11: Is 40.11; Ezek 34.11-16; Heb 13.20; 1 Pet 5.4; Rev 7.17; 1 Jn 3.16; Jn 15.13. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, 1510.15: Mt 11.27.as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 1610.16: Is 56.8; Jn 11.52; 17.20; Eph 2.13-18; 1 Pet 2.25.And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 1810.18: Jn 14.31; 15.10; Phil 2.8; Heb 5.8.No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father.”

1910.19: Jn 7.43; 9.16.There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 2010.20: Jn 7.20; 8.48; Mt 11.18.Many of them said, “He has a demon, and he is mad; why listen to him?” 2110.21: Jn 9.32; Ex 4.11.Others said, “These are not the sayings of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

The feast of the Dedication

22It was the feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem; 2310.23: Acts 3.11; 5.12.it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 2510.25: Jn 5.36; 10.38.Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to me; 2610.26: Jn 8.47.but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 2810.28: Jn 17.2; 1 Jn 2.25.and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me,10.29 Other ancient authorities read What my Father has given to me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 3010.30: Jn 17.21.I and the Father are one.”

3110.31: Jn 8.59; 11.8.The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?” 3310.33: Lev 24.16; Mk 14.64.The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 3410.34: Jn 8.17; Ps 82.6.Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken), 36do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 3910.39: Jn 7.30; 8.59; Lk 4.30.Again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

4010.40: Jn 1.28.He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John at first baptized, and there he remained. 41And many came to him; and they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 4210.42: Jn 7.31; 11.45.And many believed in him there.