The Voice the Sheep Know
10 1 "Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. 2 But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was telling them. 7 So Jesus said again, "Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. a a v11 Jesus takes the shepherd title our Father wore over Israel and makes it his own — the Shepherd who does what no hired hand would: lay down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me: I lay down my life only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
19 These words brought division among the Jews once again. 20 Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to him?" 21 But others said, "These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"
The Feast of Dedication
22 Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, b b v22 The Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) celebrated the temple’s rededication; it falls in winter and is not among the festivals commanded in the Law of Moses. 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon's Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around him and said, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
25 Jesus answered, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one." c c v30 Jesus claims oneness with his Father — distinct Persons sharing one being. The crowd hears it as blasphemy and reaches for stones (v.33).
31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him. 32 But Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?"
33 "We are not stoning you for any good work," they replied, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be our Father."
34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law: 'I have said you are gods'? d d v34 Jesus quotes Psalm 82, where Israel's judges are called "gods" because the word of God came to them—not a claim that many gods exist, but an argument from their own Scripture. 35 If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of my Father came—and Scripture cannot be broken 36 —what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am the Son of our Father'? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. 38 But if I do them, even 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 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days, and there he stayed. 41 Many people came to him. They said, "John never performed a sign, but everything John said about this man was true." 42 And in that place many believed in him.