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tell you the truth, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 But the man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; instead they will flee from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but they didn’t understand what He was telling them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9 I am the gate. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and flees. Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and the sheep know Me, 15 just as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 For this reason My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, so that I may take it up again. 18 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 up again. This command I have received from My Father.”
19 There was a division again among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is mad. Why listen to Him?” 21 But others said, “These are not the words of someone who is possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
22 At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 Jesus was walking in the temple area in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around Him and asked, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 “I did tell you,” Jesus answered, “but you not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name testify of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you do not belong to My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are One.”
31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone Him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
33 “We are not going to stone you for any of these good works,” the Jews replied, “but for blasphemy, because You—being a mere 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 sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming’, because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of My Father, then don’t believe Me. 38 But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize Him, but He escaped from their hands.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptising at first. He remained there, 41 and many people came to Him. They said, “John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in Jesus there.