Jesus the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23:1–6; Ezekiel 34:11–24)
1 ULT “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one not entering through the gate into the sheep pen but climbing up some other way, that one 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 ULT But the one entering through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. BSB BSB: But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 ULT The gatekeeper opens for this one, 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 ULT When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, for 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 ULT Now they will certainly not follow a stranger, but they will flee from him, for they do not know 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 ULT Jesus spoke this parable to them, but those ones did not understand what it was that he was saying to them. BSB BSB: Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them.
7 ULT Therefore, Jesus said to them again,“Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the gate of the sheep. BSB BSB: So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
8 ULT Everyone who came before me is a thief and a robber, 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 ULT I am the gate. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and he will go in and go out and will 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 ULT The thief does not come except in order that he might steal and kill and destroy. I have come so 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 ULT And the hired man, not being a shepherd, of whom the sheep are not his own, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and escapes, and the wolf seizes and scatters them, 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 ULT because he is a hired man, and it is not a concern to him about the sheep. BSB BSB: The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.
14 ULT I am the good shepherd, and I know the ones of mine, and the ones of mine know me, BSB BSB: I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me,
15 ULT just 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 ULT A division again occurred among the Jews because of these words. BSB BSB: Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message.
20 ULT Now many of them were saying,“He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to him?” BSB BSB: Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
21 ULT Others were saying,“These are not the words of a demon- possessed man. A demon is not able to open the eyes of the blind, is he?” 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 ULT and Jesus was walking in the temple on the porch of Solomon. BSB BSB: and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade.
24 ULT Then the Jews surrounded him and began saying to him,“How long are you taking away our life? If you are the Christ, tell 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 ULT Jesus replied to them,“I told you, but you do not believe. The works that I do in the name of my Father, these testify 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 ULT But you do not believe, because you are not from my sheep. BSB BSB: But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.
28 ULT And I give them eternal life, and they will certainly not perish into eternity, and no one will snatch any of them from my hand. BSB BSB: I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.
29 ULT My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them from the hand of the 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 ULT The Jews took up stones again so that they might stone him. BSB BSB: At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.
32 ULT Jesus answered them,“I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of those works are you stoning 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 ULT The Jews answered him,“We are not stoning you for a good work, but for blasphemy, and because you, a man, are making yourself 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 ULT Jesus answered them,“Is it not written in your law,‘I said,“You are gods”’? BSB BSB: Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’?
35 ULT If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came(and the Scripture is not able to be broken), BSB BSB: If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—
36 ULT do you say to the one the Father sanctified and sent into the world,‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said,‘I am the 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 ULT If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. BSB BSB: If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me.
38 ULT But if I am doing them, even if you do not believe me, believe in the works so that you might know and might understand that the Father{ is} in me, and I in the Father.” 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 ULT Therefore, they were seeking to seize him again, but he went away out of their hand. BSB BSB: At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.
John’s Testimony Confirmed 40 ULT And he went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John first was baptizing, and he stayed there. BSB BSB: Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, and He stayed there.
41 ULT And many came to him and were saying,“John indeed did no sign, but all that John said about this one was true.” BSB BSB: Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.”
42 ULT And many believed in him there. BSB BSB: And many in that place believed in Jesus.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.