John 10

“Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.”

“What I’m about to tell you Pharisees is true. What if someone does not enter the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in another way? That person is a thief and a robber.

The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

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

When he has brought out all his own sheep, he goes on ahead of them. His sheep follow him because they know his voice.

But they will never follow a stranger. In fact, they will run away from him. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. “I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

Jesus told this story. But the Pharisees didn’t understand what he was telling them.

So Jesus said again, “What I’m about to tell you is true. I am like a gate for the sheep.

All who have come before me are thieves and robbers. But the sheep have not listened to them.

I’m like a gate. Anyone who enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out. And they will find plenty of food.

A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so they may have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.

“I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

The hired man is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when the hired man sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.

The man runs away because he is a hired man. He does not care about the sheep.

“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father.”

“I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me.

They know me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I give my life for the sheep.

I have other sheep that do not belong to this sheep pen. I must bring them in too. They also will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

The reason my Father loves me is that I give up my life. But I will take it back again.

No one takes it from me. I give it up myself. I have the authority to give it up. And I have the authority to take it back again. I received this command from my Father.”

This kind of talk caused another split in the Jewish ranks. A lot of them were saying, “He’s crazy, a maniac—out of his head completely. Why bother listening to him?” But others weren’t so sure: “These aren’t the words of a crazy man. Can a ‘maniac’ open blind eyes?”

The Jews who heard these words could not agree with one another.

Many of them said, “He is controlled by a demon. He has gone crazy! Why should we listen to him?”

But others said, “A person controlled by a demon does not say things like this. Can a demon open the eyes of someone who is blind?”

Another Challenge to Jesus’ Claims

They were celebrating Hanukkah just then in Jerusalem. It was winter. Jesus was strolling in the Temple across Solomon’s Porch. The Jews, circling him, said, “How long are you going to keep us guessing? If you’re the Messiah, tell us straight out.”

Then came the Feast of Hanukkah at Jerusalem. It was winter.

Jesus was in the temple courtyard walking in Solomon’s Porch.

The Jews who were gathered there around Jesus spoke to him. They said, “How long will you keep us waiting? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I told you, but you don’t believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don’t believe because you’re not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.”

Jesus answered, “I did tell you. But you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name are a witness for me.

But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep.

My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me.

I give them eternal life, and they will never die. No one will steal them out of my hand.

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than anyone. No one can steal them out of my Father’s hand.

I and the Father are one.”

Again the Jews picked up rocks to throw at him. Jesus said, “I have made a present to you from the Father of a great many good actions. For which of these acts do you stone me?”

Again the Jews who had challenged him picked up stones to kill him.

But Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which good work are you throwing stones at me for?”

The Jews said, “We’re not stoning you for anything good you did, but for what you said—this blasphemy of calling yourself God.”

“We are not throwing stones at you for any good work,” they replied. “We are stoning you for saying a very evil thing. You are only a man. But you claim to be God.”

Jesus said, “I’m only quoting your inspired Scriptures, where God said, ‘I tell you—you are gods.’ If God called your ancestors ‘gods’—and Scripture doesn’t lie—why do you yell, ‘Blasphemer! Blasphemer!’ at the unique One the Father consecrated and sent into the world, just because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I don’t do the things my Father does, well and good; don’t believe me. But if I am doing them, put aside for a moment what you hear me say about myself and just take the evidence of the actions that are right before your eyes. Then perhaps things will come together for you, and you’ll see that not only are we doing the same thing, we are the same—Father and Son. He is in me; I am in him.”

Jesus answered them, “Didn’t God say in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’? (Psalm 82:6)

We know that Scripture is always true. God spoke to some people and called them ‘gods.’

If that is true, what about the one the Father set apart as his very own? What about this one the Father sent into the world? Why do you charge me with saying a very evil thing? Is it because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?

Don’t believe me unless I do the works of my Father.

But what if I do them? Even if you don’t believe me, believe these works. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

They tried yet again to arrest him, but he slipped through their fingers. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and stayed there. A lot of people followed him over. They were saying, “John did no miracles, but everything he said about this man has come true.” Many believed in him then and there.

Again they tried to arrest him. But he escaped from them.

Then Jesus went back across the Jordan River. He went to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed.

Many people came to him. They said, “John never performed a sign. But everything he said about this man was true.”

And in that place many believed in Jesus.