John 10:5-26

⁵There is no way that they will follow a stranger, but will run away from the stranger, because they don’t know the voice of strangers.”

⁶Jesus used this illustration, but the Pharisees didn’t understand what He was telling them.

⁷Then Jesus told them again, “Most assuredly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door.

⁸All who ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.

⁹I am the door. Anyone who enters by me will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

¹⁰The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy. I came that they might have life, and that they might have it in all its fullness.

¹¹I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

¹²The hired hand, who isn’t the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away. So, the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

¹³The hired hand is concerned about the wages, and not the sheep, so the hired hand runs away.

¹⁴I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.

¹⁶I have other sheep that don’t belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So, there will be one flock, with one shepherd.

¹⁷For this reason the Father sincerely loves me, because I lay down my life, so that I may take it up again.

¹⁸No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again. I received this commandment from my Father.”

¹⁹The Jews were divided again, because of these words.

²⁰Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?”

²¹Others were saying, “These aren’t the sayings of a demon-possessed person. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

²²At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,

²³and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.

²⁴Then the Jews gathered around Him, and asked Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

²⁵Jesus answered, “I told you, but you don’t believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify about me,

²⁶but you don’t believe, because you aren’t of my sheep.