|
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does
not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some
other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by
the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 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. 4 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 But they
will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away
from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did
not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you,
I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me
are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to
them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be
saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have
come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays
down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the
shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the
wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the
wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away
because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my
sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the
Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other
sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them
also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be
one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me
is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No
one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I
have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up
again. This command I received from my Father.”
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.
20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad.
Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of
someone possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of
the blind?”
Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem.
It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking
in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered
around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense?
If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not
believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about
me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow
me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never
perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My
Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no
one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the
Father are one.”
31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32
but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works
from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they
replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim
to be God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your
Law, ‘I have said you are “gods’ ?” 35 If he called them
‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be
broken— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as
his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse
me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son?’ 37 Do not
believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I
do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the
works, that you may know and understand that the Father is
in me, and I in the Father.’ 39 Again they tried to seize
him, but he escaped their grasp.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place
where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he
stayed 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though
John never performed a sign, all that John said about this
man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.
|
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
