John - Chapter 10

Passage

Amen, amen, I say to you: He who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold but climbs up another way is a thief and a robber. But he who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens: and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he has let out his own sheep, he goes before them: and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. But a stranger they do not follow, but run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers. This proverb Jesus spoke to them. But they did not understand what he was saying. Jesus therefore said to them again: Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All others, as many as have come, are thieves and robbers: and the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. By me, if anyone enters in, he shall be saved: and he shall go in and go out, and shall find pastures. The thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. But the hireling, who is not the shepherd and whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away: and the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep. And the hireling runs away because he is a hireling: and he does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knows me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have that 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. That is why the Father loves me: because I lay down my life, so that I may take it up again. No one takes it away from me: but I lay it down of myself. And I have power to lay it down: and I have power to take it up again. This commandment I have received from my Father. A division arose again among the Jews because of these words. And many of them said: He has a devil and is mad. Why do you listen to him? Others said: These are not the words of one who has a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. The Jews therefore gathered around him and said to him: How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you do not believe: the works that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me. But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. And I know them: and they follow me. And I give them life everlasting: and they shall never perish. And no one shall snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all: and no one can snatch them out of the hand of my Father. I and the Father are one. The Jews then took up stones to stone him. Jesus answered them: I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me? The Jews answered him: We do not stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy: and because you, being a man, make yourself God. Jesus answered them: Is it not written in your law: I said, you are gods? If he called them gods to whom the word of God was spoken, and the scripture cannot be broken, Do you say of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world: You blaspheme; because I said: I am the Son of God? If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me. But if I do, though you will not believe me, believe the works: so that you may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in the Father. They tried therefore to seize him: and he escaped out of their hands. And he went again beyond the Jordan, to the place where John was first baptizing. And there he stayed. And many came to him: and they said: John indeed did no sign. But all the things that John said about this man were true. And many believed in him.