Jesus, the Good Shepherd
John 10, verse 1. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. John 10, verse 2. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. John 10, verse 3. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10, verse 4. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. John 10, verse 5. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” John 10, verse 6. Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
Jesus Gives His Life for the Sheep
John 10, verse 7. Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. John 10, verse 8. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. John 10, verse 9. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10, verse 10. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10, verse 11. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10, verse 12. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. John 10, verse 13. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. John 10, verse 14. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. John 10, verse 15. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. John 10, verse 16. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. John 10, verse 17. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. John 10, verse 18. No one takes 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 command I have received from My Father.” John 10, verse 19. Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. John 10, verse 20. And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” John 10, verse 21. Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Jesus Gives Eternal Life to the Sheep
John 10, verse 22. Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. John 10, verse 23. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. John 10, verse 24. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
I and My Father Are One
John 10, verse 25. Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. John 10, verse 26. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. John 10, verse 27. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10, verse 28. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. John 10, verse 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. John 10, verse 30. I and My Father are one.” John 10, verse 31. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. John 10, verse 32. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” John 10, verse 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.” John 10, verse 34. Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? John 10, verse 35. If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), John 10, verse 36. do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? John 10, verse 37. If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; John 10, verse 38. but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” John 10, verse 39. Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. John 10, verse 40. And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. John 10, verse 41. Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” John 10, verse 42. And many believed in Him there.