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.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.

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

But he who enters by the door is a 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 doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads 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.

When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because 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.

A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

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

This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.

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

So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to 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 who 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; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will 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 comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it 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 lays down 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.

He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

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

He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about 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 I know My own and My own know Me,

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.

even as the Father knows Me and I know 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.

I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

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

For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may 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 one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

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

A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words.

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?

Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to 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 were saying, “These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?” Jesus Asserts His Deity

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

At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem;

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

it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon.

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.

The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are 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 you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.

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

But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.

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 eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch 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, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

30 I and the Father are One.

I and the Father are one.”

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

The Jews picked 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, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning 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, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”

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

Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘ I said, you 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, to 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?

do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ 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 do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;

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 them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”

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

Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.

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

And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there.

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.

Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.”

42 A nd many there became believers in Him.

Many believed in Him there.