| Chapter 10 |
1 |
'Most assuredly, I tell you, he who doesn't enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. -
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2 |
But he who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. -
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3 |
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. -
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4 |
Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. -
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5 |
They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don't know the voice of strangers.' -
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6 |
Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn't understand what he was telling them. -
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7 |
Jesus therefore said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I tell you, I am the sheep's door. -
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8 |
All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them. -
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9 |
I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. -
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10 |
The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. -
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11 |
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. -
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12 |
He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn't own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep, and scatters them. -
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13 |
The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand, and doesn't care for the sheep. -
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14 |
I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I'm known by my own; -
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15 |
even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. -
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16 |
I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd. -
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17 |
Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. -
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18 |
No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.' -
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19 |
Therefore a division arose again among the Jews because of these words. -
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20 |
Many of them said, 'He has a demon, and is mad! Why do you listen to him?' -
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21 |
Others said, 'These are not the sayings of one possessed with a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?' -
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22 |
It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem. -
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23 |
It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon's porch. -
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24 |
The Jews therefore came around him and said to him, 'How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.' -
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25 |
Jesus answered them, 'I told you, and you don't believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, these testify about me. -
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26 |
But you don't believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you. -
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27 |
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. -
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28 |
I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. -
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29 |
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. -
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30 |
I and the Father are one.' -
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31 |
Therefore Jews took up stones again to stone him. -
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32 |
Jesus answered them, 'I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?' -
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33 |
The Jews answered him, 'We don't stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God.' -
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34 |
Jesus answered them, 'Isn't it written in your law, 'I said, you are gods?' -
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35 |
If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the scripture can't be broken), -
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36 |
Do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You blaspheme,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God?' -
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37 |
If I don't do the works of my Father, don't believe me. -
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38 |
But if I do them, though you don't believe me, believe the works; that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.' -
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39 |
They sought again to seize him, and he went forth out of their hand. -
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40 |
He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was at the first baptizing, and there he stayed. -
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41 |
Many came to him. They said, 'John indeed did no sign, but everything whatever that John said about this man is true.' -
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42 |
Many believed in him there. -
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