John 10 :: New International Version (NIV)

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

Jhn 10:1“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.

Jhn 10:2

Jhn 10:2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

Jhn 10:3

Jhn 10:3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

Jhn 10:4

Jhn 10:4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

Jhn 10:5

Jhn 10:5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Jhn 10:6

Jhn 10:6Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

Jhn 10:7

Jhn 10:7Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

Jhn 10:8

Jhn 10:8All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.

Jhn 10:9

Jhn 10:9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[fn] They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

Jhn 10:10

Jhn 10:10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Jhn 10:11

Jhn 10:11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Jhn 10:12

Jhn 10:12The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.

Jhn 10:13

Jhn 10:13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

Jhn 10:14

Jhn 10:14“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—

Jhn 10:15

Jhn 10:15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Jhn 10:16

Jhn 10:16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Jhn 10:17

Jhn 10:17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.

Jhn 10:18

Jhn 10:18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Jhn 10:19

Jhn 10:19The Jews who heard these words were again divided.

Jhn 10:20

Jhn 10:20Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”

Jhn 10:21

Jhn 10:21But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

Jhn 10:22

Jhn 10:22Then came the Festival of Dedication[fn] at Jerusalem. It was winter,

Jhn 10:23

Jhn 10:23and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.

Jhn 10:24

Jhn 10:24The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jhn 10:25

Jhn 10:25Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,

Jhn 10:26

Jhn 10:26but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.

Jhn 10:27

Jhn 10:27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Jhn 10:28

Jhn 10:28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Jhn 10:29

Jhn 10:29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[fn]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

Jhn 10:30

Jhn 10:30I and the Father are one.”

Jhn 10:31

Jhn 10:31Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,

Jhn 10:32

Jhn 10:32but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

Jhn 10:33

Jhn 10:33“We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

Jhn 10:34

Jhn 10:34Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’[fn]?

Jhn 10:35

Jhn 10:35If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside—

Jhn 10:36

Jhn 10:36what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?

Jhn 10:37

Jhn 10:37Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.

Jhn 10:38

Jhn 10:38But 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 in the Father.”

Jhn 10:39

Jhn 10:39Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

Jhn 10:40

Jhn 10:40Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed,

Jhn 10:41

Jhn 10:41and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.”

Jhn 10:42

Jhn 10:42And in that place many believed in Jesus.