10:1 “I tell you the solemn truth, the one who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, · but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.
10:2 But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
10:3 The watchman allows him to enter, and the sheep pay attention to · his voice; · he calls · his own sheep by name and leads them out.
10:4 When he has brought out all · his own, he walks on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know · his voice.
10:5 They will never follow a stranger, · but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”
10:6 Jesus told them this · figurative story, · but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
10:7 So Jesus said once again, · “I tell you the solemn truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
10:8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
10:9 I am the gate. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved; · he will come in and go out and find pasture.
10:10 The thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
10:11 “I am the good shepherd; · the good shepherd · lays down · his life for the sheep.
10:12 The hired hand, since he is not a shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, sees a wolf coming and abandons the sheep and runs away—and the wolf attacks the flock and scatters them.
10:13 He does this because he is simply a hired hand and has no real concern for the sheep.
10:14 I am the good shepherd. · · I know · my own and they know me, ·
10:15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down · my life for my sheep.
10:16 · I have other sheep which are not of · this fold. These too I must bring. · They will listen to · my voice, and there will be one flock, with one shepherd.
10:17 Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down · my life in order that I may take it back again.
10:18 No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it back again. This · command I received from · my Father.”
10:19 Once again there was a division among the Jews because of · these words.
10:20 Many of them were saying, · “He is demon-possessed and out of control. Why are you listening to him?”
10:21 Others were saying, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
10:22 At that time the festival of Dedication was taking place in · Jerusalem. It was winter,
10:23 and Jesus was walking · in the temple area, in · Solomon’s Portico. ·
10:24 The Jews surrounded him and asked, “How much longer will you provoke us to · anger? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
10:25 Jesus answered them, · “I did tell you, yet you do not believe. The works that I am doing in · my Father’s name · speak on my behalf.
10:26 But you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. ·
10:27 · My sheep · listen to · my voice, and I know them. · They follow me,
10:28 and I give them eternal life. · They will never perish, and no one will ever snatch them out of · my hand.
10:29 · My Father, who has given them to me, is more powerful than all, and no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ·
10:32 Jesus said to them, · “I have shown you many noble works from the Father; for which one of them do you intend to stone me?”
10:33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a noble work that we intend to stone you but for blasphemy; · it is because you, a mere man, are making yourself God.”
10:34 Jesus answered them, · “Is it not written in · your law, ‘I said, you are gods’?
10:35 If the scripture called them ‘gods’ to whom the word of God came—and scripture cannot be annulled ·—
10:36 do you say regarding the one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
10:37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me;
10:38 but if I am doing them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may come to know and be certain that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father.”
10:39 So once again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped out of · their grasp.
10:40 · He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at an · earlier time, and there he remained.
10:41 · Many people came to him and were saying, “John performed no miraculous sign, but everything he said about this man was true!”
10:42 And many in that place came to believe in Jesus.
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