1 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way (elsewhere, from some other quarter) is a thief and a robber.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 B ut he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 T he watchman opens the door for this man, and the sheep listen to his voice and heed it; and he calls his own sheep by name and brings (leads) them out.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 W hen he has brought his own sheep outside, he walks on before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 T hey will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they do not know the voice of strangers or recognize their call.

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6 J esus used this parable (illustration) with them, but they did not understand what He was talking about.

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

7 S o Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that I Myself am the Door for the sheep.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 A ll others who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to and obey them.

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out, and will find pasture.

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 T he thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His life for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 B ut the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters.

But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 N ow the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep.

The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me—

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 E ven as the Father knows Me and I also know the Father—and I am giving My life and laying it down on behalf of the sheep.

As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 A nd I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring and impel those also; and they will listen to My voice and heed My call, and so there will be one flock under one Shepherd.

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 F or this the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life—to take it back again.

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 N o one takes it away from Me. On the contrary, I lay it down voluntarily. I am authorized and have power to lay it down (to resign it) and I am authorized and have power to take it back again. These are the instructions (orders) which I have received from My Father.

No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

19 T hen a fresh division of opinion arose among the Jews because of His saying these things.

There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

20 A nd many of them said, He has a demon and He is mad (insane—He raves, He rambles). Why do you listen to Him?

And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

21 O thers argued, These are not the thoughts and the language of one possessed. Can a demon-possessed person open blind eyes?

Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

22 A fter this the Feast of Dedication was taking place at Jerusalem. It was winter,

And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

23 A nd Jesus was walking in Solomon’s Porch in the temple area.

And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

24 S o the Jews surrounded Him and began asking Him, How long are You going to keep us in doubt and suspense? If You are really the Christ (the Messiah), tell us so plainly and openly.

Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

25 J esus answered them, I have told you so, yet you do not believe Me. The very works that I do by the power of My Father and in My Father’s name bear witness concerning Me.

Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.

26 B ut you do not believe and trust and rely on Me because you do not belong to My fold.

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27 T he sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 A nd I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand.

and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 M y Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch out of the Father’s hand.

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and the Father are One.

I and my Father are one.

31 A gain the Jews brought up stones to stone Him.

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32 J esus said to them, My Father has enabled Me to do many good deeds. For which of these do you mean to stone Me?

Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33 T he Jews replied, We are not going to stone You for a good act, but for blasphemy, because You, a mere Man, make Yourself God.

The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

34 J esus answered, Is it not written in your Law, I said, You are gods?

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 S o men are called gods, men to whom God’s message came—and the Scripture cannot be set aside or cancelled or broken or annulled—

If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 d o you say of the One Whom the Father consecrated and dedicated and set apart for Himself and sent into the world, You are blaspheming, because I said, I am the Son of God?

say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37 I f I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me.

If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 B ut if I do them, even though you do not believe Me or have faith in Me, believe the works and have faith in what I do, in order that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

39 T hey sought again to arrest Him, but He escaped from their hands.

Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

40 H e went back again across the Jordan to the locality where John was when he first baptized, and there He remained.

and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

41 A nd many came to Him, and they kept saying, John did not perform a sign or miracle, but everything John said about this Man was true.

And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

42 A nd many there became believers in Him.

And many believed on him there.