Part 17

010:007 Again therefore Jesus said to them, "In most solemn truth I tell you that I am the Door of the sheep.

010:008 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep would not listen to them.

010:009 I am the Door. If any one enters by me, he will find safety, and will go in and out and find pasture.

010:010 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy: I have come that they may have Life, and may have it in abundance.

010:011 "I am the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his very life for the sheep.

010:012 The hired servant--one who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep--no sooner sees the wolf coming than he leaves the sheep and runs away; and the wolf worries and scatters them.

010:013 For he is only a hired servant and cares nothing for the sheep.

010:014 "I am the Good Shepherd. And I know my sheep and my sheep know me,

010:015 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I am laying down my life for the sheep.

010:016 I have also other sheep--which do not belong to this fold. Those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under one Shepherd.

010:017 For this reason my Father loves me, because I am laying down my life in order to receive it back again.

010:018 No one is taking it away from me, but I myself am laying it down. I am authorized to lay it down, and I am authorized to receive it back again. This is the command I received from my Father."

010:019 Again there arose a division among the Jews because of these words.

010:020 Many of them said, "He is possessed by a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to him?"

010:021 Others argued, "That is not the language of a demoniac: and can a demon open blind men's eyes?"

010:022 The Dedication Festival came on in Jerusalem. It was winter,

010:023 and Jesus was walking in the Temple in Solomon's Portico,

010:024 when the Jews gathered round Him and kept asking Him, "How long do you mean to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so plainly."

010:025 "I have told you," answered Jesus, "and you do not believe. The deeds that I do in my Father's name--they give testimony about me.

010:026 But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep.

010:027 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

010:028 I give them the Life of the Ages, and they shall never, never perish, nor shall any one wrest them from my hand.

010:029 What my Father has given me is more precious than all besides; and no one is able to wrest anything from my Father's hand.

010:030 I and the Father are one."

010:031 Again the Jews brought stones with which to stone Him.

010:032 Jesus remonstrated with them. "Many good deeds," He said, "have I shown you as coming from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?"

010:033 "For no good deed," the Jews replied, "are we going to stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, who are only a man, are making yourself out to be God."

010:034 "Does it not stand written in your Law," replied Jesus, "`I said, you are gods'?