LO - John - 10

10:1  Most assuredly, I say to you, he who enters not by the gate into the sheepfold, but climbs over the fence, is a thief and a robber.

10:2  The shepherd always enters by the gate.

10:3  To him, the porter opens, and the sheep obey his voice. His own sheep he calls by name, and leads out.

10:4  And having put out his sheep, he walks before them, and they follow him; because they know his voice.

10:5  They will not follow a stranger, but flee from him; because they know not the voice of strangers.

10:6  Jesus addressed this similitude to them, but they did not comprehend what he said.

10:7  He therefore added, Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the gate of the fold.

10:8  All who preceded me were thieves and robbers; but the sheep obeyed them not.

10:9  I am the gate: such as enter by me shall be safe: they shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10:10  The thief comes in only to steal, to slay, and to destroy. I am come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

10:11  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for his sheep.

10:12  The hireling, who is not the shepherd, and to whom the sheep do not belong, when he sees the wolf coming, abandons the sheep, and flees; and the wolf tears them, and disperses the flock.

10:13  The hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep.

10:14  I am the good shepherd. And I know my own, and am known by them,

10:15  (even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father;) and I give my life for the sheep.

10:16  I have other sheep, besides, which are not of this fold. Them I must also bring; and they will obey my voice; and there shall be one flock, one shepherd.

10:17  For this the Father loves me, because I give my life, to be afterward resumed.

10:18  No one forces it from me: but I give it of myself. I have power to give it, and I have power to resume it. This commandment I have received from my Father.

10:19  Again there was a division among the Jews, occasioned by this discourse.

10:20  Many of them said, He has a demon, and is mad: why do you hear him?

10:21  Others said, These are not the words of a demonise. Can a demon give sight to the blind?

10:22  Afterward, when they were celebrating the feast of the dedication, at Jerusalem,

10:23  it being in winter; as Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's portico,

10:24  the Jews surrounding him, said to him, How long will you keep us in suspense? If you be the Messiah, tell us plainly.

10:25  Jesus answered, I told you; but you believed not. The works which I do in my Father's name, testify of me.

10:26  But you believe not, for you are not of my sheep.

10:27  My sheep, as I told you, obey my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

10:28  Besides, I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any one wrest them out of my hands.

10:29  My Father, who gave them me, is greater than all; and none can wrest them out of my Father's hand.

10:30  I and the Father are one.

10:31  Then the Jews again took up stones to stone him.

10:32  Jesus said to them, Many good works I have shown you from my Father; for which of these works do you stone me?

10:33  The Jews answered, For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.

10:34  Jesus replied, Is it not written in your law, "I said, You are gods?"

10:35  If the law styled them gods, to whom the word of God was addressed, and if the language of scripture in unexceptionable;

10:36  do you charge him with blasphemy whom the Father has consecrated his Apostle to the world, for calling himself his Son?

10:37  If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

10:38  But if I do, though you believe not me, believe the works, that you may know and believe, that the Father is in me, and I am in him.

10:39  They then attempted again to seize him; but he escaped out of their hands,

10:40  and retired again toward the Jordan, and abode in the place where John first immersed.

10:41  And many resorted to him, who said, John, indeed, wrought no miracle: but all that John spoke of this man, is true.

10:42  And many believed on him there.