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

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

4When he may bring out all his 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 know 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, as many as came before Me,† are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door. If anyone may enter through Me, he will be saved, and he will come in and will go out and will find pasture. 10The thief does not come except so that he might steal and might kill and might destroy. I came so 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 caring about the sheep.

14I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me— 15just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. It is necessary for Me to bring those also, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17Because of this, the Father† loves Me, because I lay down My life, so 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 because 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?”

Jesus at the Feast of Dedication

22Then the Feast of Dedication† 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 testify about Me. 26But you⁺ do not believe, because you⁺ are not of 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 no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the hand of the Father. 30I and the Father are one.”

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

33The Jews answered Him, “We do not stone You concerning a good work, but concerning 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’†? 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 again to seize Him, but He went forth out of their hand.

John’s Testimony Confirmed

40And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and He remained 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.

Footnotes:

4 BYZ and TR his own sheep
8 RP and HF All, as many as came,
13 BYZ and TR include he flees
17 BYZ and TR My Father
19 BYZ and TR include Therefore.
22 That is, Hanukkah, the historic celebration of the Maccabean Revolt and rededication of the temple.
23 Or the temple courts
26 BYZ and TR include just as I said to you:
32 BYZ and TR My Father
34 Psalm 82:6
38 BYZ and TR may believe
38 BYZ and TR and I in Him