Jesus the Good Shepherd
(Psalm 23:1-6; Ezekiel 34:11-24)

1“Truly, truly, I say to you, the one not entering in by the door to the fold of the sheep, but climbing up another way, he is a thief and a robber. 2But the one entering in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls the own sheep by name and leads them out.

4When he has brought out all the own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”

6Jesus spoke to them this allegory, but they did not know what it was that He was saying to them. 7Therefore Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters in by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and will go out and will find pasture. 10The thief comes only that he might steal and might kill and might destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12But the hired servant, being not the 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— 13because he is a hired servant and is not himself concerned about the sheep.

14I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and I am known by My own. 15As the Father knows Me, I also know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16And I have other sheep which are not of this fold. It behooves Me to bring those also, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

17Because of this, the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. 18No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

19Again there was division among the Jews on account of these words. 20And many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?”

21Others were saying, “These are not the sayings of one possessed by a demon. Is a demon able to open the eyes of the blind?”

The Unbelief of the Jews

22At the time the Feast of Dedicationa took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple in the porch of Solomon. 24Therefore the Jews encircled Him and were saying to Him, “Until when do You hold our soul in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in the name of My Father, these bear witness concerning Me. 26But you do not believe, because you are not from among My sheep. 27My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28And I give them eternal life, and never shall they perish to the age, and never will anyone seize them out of My hand. 29My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to seize them out of the Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.”

31Therefore the Jews took up stones again, that they might stone Him. 32Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; because of which work of these do you stone Me?”

33The Jews answered Him, “We do not stone You for a good work, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a man, make yourself God.”

34Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I said you are gods’b? 35If he called them gods to whom the word of God came, and the Scripture is not able to be broken, 36do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am Son of God’?

37If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me. 38But if I do, even if you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and may understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”

39Therefore they were seeking to seize Him again, but He went forth out of their hand.

John's Testimony Confirmed

40And He departed again beyond the Jordan, to the place where John was baptizing at first. And He stayed there. 41And many came to Him and were saying, “John indeed did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42And many believed in Him there.