Jesus the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23:1–6; Ezekiel 34:11–24)
1 DBY Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not in by the door to the fold of the sheep, but mounts up elsewhere, he is a thief and a robber; BSB BSB: “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 DBY but he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. BSB BSB: But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 DBY To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. BSB BSB: The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 DBY When he has put forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. BSB BSB: When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
5 DBY But they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they know not the voice of strangers. BSB BSB: But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.”
6 DBY This allegory spoke Jesus to them, but they did not know what it was of which he spoke to them. BSB BSB: Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them.
7 DBY Jesus therefore said again to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. BSB BSB: So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
8 DBY All whoever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. BSB BSB: All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9 DBY I am the door: if any one enter in by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and shall find pasture. BSB BSB: I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture.
10 DBY The thief comes not but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I am come that they might have life, and might have it abundantly. BSB BSB: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.
12 DBY but he who serves for wages, and who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf seizes them and scatters the sheep. BSB BSB: The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock.
13 DBY Now he who serves for wages flees because he serves for wages, and is not himself concerned about the sheep. BSB BSB: The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.
14 DBY I am the good shepherd; and I know those that are mine, and am known of those that are mine, BSB BSB: I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me,
15 DBY as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. BSB BSB: just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep.
19 DBY There was a division again among the Jews on account of these words; BSB BSB: Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message.
20 DBY but many of them said, He has a demon and raves; why do ye hear him? BSB BSB: Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
21 DBY Others said, These sayings are not those of one that is possessed by a demon. Can a demon open blind people's eyes? BSB BSB: But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Jesus at the Feast of Dedication 23 DBY And Jesus walked in the temple in the porch of Solomon. BSB BSB: and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade.
24 DBY The Jews therefore surrounded him, and said to him, Until when dost thou hold our soul in suspense? If thou art the Christ, say so to us openly. BSB BSB: So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 DBY Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye do not believe. The works which I do in my Father's name, these bear witness concerning me: BSB BSB: “I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf.
26 DBY but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep, as I told you. BSB BSB: But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.
28 DBY and I give them life eternal; and they shall never perish, and no one shall seize them out of my hand. BSB BSB: I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.
29 DBY My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one can seize out of the hand of my Father. BSB BSB: My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
31 DBY The Jews therefore again took stones that they might stone him. BSB BSB: At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.
32 DBY Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewn you of my Father; for which work of them do ye stone me? BSB BSB: But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”
33 DBY The Jews answered him, For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, and because thou, being a man, makest thyself God. BSB BSB: “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, make Yourself out to be God.”
34 DBY Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? BSB BSB: Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’?
35 DBY If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken), BSB BSB: If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—
36 DBY do ye say of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am Son of God? BSB BSB: then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God?
37 DBY If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; BSB BSB: If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me.
38 DBY but if I do, even if ye believe not me, believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him. BSB BSB: But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”
39 DBY They sought therefore again to take him; and he went away from out of their hand BSB BSB: At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.
John’s Testimony Confirmed 40 DBY and departed again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptising at the first: and he abode there. BSB BSB: Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, and He stayed there.
41 DBY And many came to him, and said, John did no sign; but all things which John said of this man were true. BSB BSB: Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.”
42 DBY And many believed on him there. BSB BSB: And many in that place believed in Jesus.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.