The Gospel According to St. John

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 10 -

(Psalm 23:1–6; Ezekiel 34:11–24)

Verely, verely I say vnto you, Hee that entreth not in by the doore into the sheepefolde, but climeth vp another way, he is a theefe and a robber.

But he that goeth in by the doore, is the shepheard of the sheepe.

To him the porter openeth, and the sheepe heare his voyce, and he calleth his owne sheepe by name, and leadeth them out.

And when hee hath sent foorth his owne sheepe, he goeth before them, and the sheepe follow him: for they know his voyce.

And they will not follow a stranger, but they flee from him: for they know not the voyce of strangers.

This parable spake Iesus vnto them: but they vnderstoode not what things they were which he spake vnto them.

Then sayd Iesus vnto them againe, Verely, verely I say vnto you, I am that doore of the sheepe.

All, that euer came before me, are theeues and robbers: but the sheepe did not heare them.

I am that doore: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saued, and shall go in, and go out, and finde pasture.

The theefe commeth not, but for to steale, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might haue life, and haue it in abundance.

I am that good shepheard: that good shepheard giueth his life for his sheepe.

But an hireling, and hee which is not the shepheard, neither the sheepe are his owne, seeth the wolfe comming, and hee leaueth the sheepe, and fleeth, and the wolfe catcheth them, and scattreth the sheepe.

So the hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheepe.

I am that good shepheard, and knowe mine, and am knowen of mine.

As the Father knoweth me, so know I the Father: and I lay downe my life for my sheepe.

Other sheepe I haue also, which are not of this folde: them also must I bring, and they shall heare my voyce: and there shalbe one sheepefolde, and one shepheard.

Therefore doeth my Father loue me, because I lay downe my life, that I might take it againe.

No man taketh it from me, but I lay it downe of my selfe: I haue power to lay it downe, and haue power to take it againe: this commandement haue I receiued of my Father.

Then there was a dissension againe among the Iewes for these sayings,

And many of them sayd, He hath a deuill, and is mad: why heare ye him?

Other sayd, These are not the wordes of him that hath a deuill: can the deuill open the eyes of the blinde?

Jesus at the Feast of Dedication

And it was at Hierusalem the feast of the Dedication, and it was winter.

And Iesus walked in the Temple, in Salomons porche.

Then came the Iewes round about him, and sayd vnto him, Howe long doest thou make vs dout? If thou be that Christ, tell vs plainely.

Iesus answered them, I tolde you, and ye beleeue not: the workes that I doe in my Fathers Name, they beare witnes of me.

But ye beleeue not: for ye are not of my sheepe, as I sayd vnto you.

My sheepe heare my voyce, and I knowe them, and they follow me,

And I giue vnto them eternall life, and they shall neuer perish, neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand.

My Father which gaue them me, is greater then all, and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand.

I and my Father are one.

Then ye Iewes againe tooke vp stones, to stone him.

Iesus answered them, Many good workes haue I shewed you from my Father: for which of these workes doe ye stone me?

The Iewes answered him, saying, For the good worke we stone thee not, but for blasphemie, and that thou being a man, makest thy selfe God.

Iesus answered them, Is it not written in your Lawe, I sayd, Ye are gods?

If hee called them gods, vnto whome the worde of God was giuen, and the Scripture cannot be broken,

Say ye of him, whome the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the worlde, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Sonne of God?

If I doe not the workes of my Father, beleeue me not.

But if I doe, then though ye beleeue not mee, yet beleeue the workes, that ye may knowe and beleeue, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

Againe they went about to take him: but he escaped out of their handes,

John’s Testimony Confirmed

And went againe beyonde Iordan, into the place where Iohn first baptized, and there abode.

And many resorted vnto him, and saide, Iohn did no miracle: but all thinges that Iohn spake of this man, were true.

And many beleeued in him there.

(Psalm 23:1–6; Ezekiel 34:11–24)

“Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber.

But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

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.

Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.”

Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them.

Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door.

All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.

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.

The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

“I am the good shepherd. (a) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

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.

The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own;

even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.

I have other sheep which are not of this fold. (b) I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.

Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, (c) that I may take it again.

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.”

Therefore a division arose again among the Jews because of these words.

Many of them said, “He has a demon and is insane! Why do you listen to him?”

Others said, “These are not the sayings of one possessed by a demon. It isn’t possible for a demon to open the eyes of the blind, is it?”(d)

Jesus at the Feast of Dedication

It was the Feast of the Dedication

(e)

at Jerusalem.

It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.

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.”

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.

But you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

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.

I and the Father are one.”

Therefore the Jews took up stones again 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 don’t stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? (f)

If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken),

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’?

If I don’t do the works of my Father, don’t believe me.

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.”

They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand.

John’s Testimony Confirmed

He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was baptizing at first, and he stayed there.

Many came to him. They said, “John indeed did no sign, but everything that John said about this man is true.”

Many believed in him there.

Footnotes

(a)10:11 ℘ Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-12,15,22

(b)10:16 ℘ Isaiah 56:8

(d)10:21 ℘ Exodus 4:11

(e)10:22 The “Feast of the Dedication” is the Greek name for “Hanukkah”, a celebration of the rededication of the Temple.

(f)10:34 ℘ Psalms 82:6