10 A Story about Sheep
Jesus said: I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over
the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. 2-3 But the
gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep
know their shepherd's voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.
4When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they
follow, because they know his voice. 5 The sheep will not follow strangers. They
don't recognise a stranger's voice, and they run away.
6 Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was
talking about.
Jesus Is the Good Shepherd
7 Jesus said: I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. 8
Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not
listen to any of them. 9 I am the gate. All who come in through me will be
saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.
10 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone
would have life, and have it in its fullest. 11 I am the good shepherd, and the
goof shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. 12 Hired workers are not like the
shepherd. they don't own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run
off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. 13 Hired
workers run away because they don't care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. 15 Just as
the Father knows me, I know the Father and I give up my life for my sheep. 16 I
have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them together too,
when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.
17 The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so that I may receive
it back again. 18 No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have
the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my
Father commanded me to do.
19 The Jews took sides because of what Jesus had told them. 20 Many of them
said, "He has a demon in him! He is crazy! Why listen to him?"
21 But others said, "How could anyone with a demon in him say these
things? No one like that could give sight to a blind person!"
Jesus Is Rejected
22 That winter Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Temple Festival. 23 One day
he was walking in that part of the temple known as Solomon's Porch,(v) 24 and
the people gathered all around him. They said, "How long are you going to
keep us guessing? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly!"
25 Jesus answered: I have told you, and you refuse to believe me. The
things I do by my Father's authority show who I am. 26 But since you are not my
sheep, you don't believe me. 27 My sheep know my voice, and I know them. They
follow me, 28 and I give them eternal life, so that they will never be lost. No
one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father gave them to me, and he is
greater than all the others.(w) No one can snatch them from his hands, 30 and I
am one with the Father.
31 Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones in order to kill Jesus.
32 But he said, "I have shown you many good things that my Father sent me
to do. Which one are you going to stone me for?"
33 They answered, "We are not stoning you because of any good thing
you did. We are stoning you because you did a terrible thing. You are just a
man, and here you are claiming to be God!"
34 Jesus replied: In your Scriptures doesn't it say, "You are gods?"
35 The Scriptures cannot be destroyed, and God spoke to those people and called
them gods. 36 So why do you accuse me of a terrible sin for saying that I am Son
of God? After all, it is the Father who prepared me for this work. He is also
the one who sent me into the world. 37 If I don't do as my Father does, you
should not believe me. 38 But if I do what my Father does, you should believe
because of that, even if you don't have faith in me. Then you will know for
certain that the Father is one with me, and I am one with the Father.
39 Again they wanted to arrest Jesus. But he escaped 40 and crossed the
Jordan to the place where John had earlier been baptising. While Jesus was
there, 41 many people came to him. They were saying, "John didn't work any
miracles, but everything he said about Jesus is true." 42 A lot of those
people also put their faith in Jesus.
(v) Solomon's Porch: A public place with tall columns along the east side
of the temple. (w) he is greater than all the others: Some manuscripts have "they
are greater than all the others."
Go to the NEXT Chapter
Back to the PREVIOUS Chapter
What do YOU say - YES - ?