Good News According to John [ a translation from the Greek ] Chapter 10 "Truly, truly, I say to you, one who doesn't enter in by the door to the fold of the sheep, but goes up another way, is a thief and a robber. He who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens the door to him and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. "When he brings out all his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him, because they hear his voice. Now, a stranger they won't in any way follow, but will run from the stranger, because they don't recognize the voice of strangers." Jesus spoke this allegory to them. But they didn't understand what it was he spoke to them. Therefore, Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you that I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't hear them. I am the door, if anyone enters in by me, they will be saved and will go in and will go out and find pasture. "The thief doesn't come but that the thief might steal and might kill and might destroy. "I came that they might have life and they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. "But the hired worker, not being the shepherd, whose sheep aren't the worker's own, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away. And the wolf seizes them and scatters. Because he is a hired worker and the worker isn't concerned about the sheep. "I am the good shepherd and I know my own and I am known by mine. As the father knows me, I also know the father and, I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep which aren't of this fold. It is necessary for me to also bring those and they will hear my voice. And there will be one flock, with one shepherd. "Because of this the father loves me, because I lay down my life that again, I might take it. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it again. This commandment I received from my father." Again, there was a division among the Jews on account of these words. Then many of them said, "He has an evil spirit and he is insane. Why do you listen to him?" Others said, "These sayings aren't from one who is possessed of an evil spirit. Is an evil spirit able to open the eyes of the blind?" At that time, the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter and Jesus walked in the porch of Solomon in the temple. Then the Jews encircled him and said to him, "Until when do you hold our soul in contempt? Tell us plainly if you are the Messiah." Jesus answered them, "I told you and you didn't believe. The works that I do in the name of my father, these bear witness about me. But you don't believe, because you aren't from my sheep. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and, they follow me. "And I give them eternal life and they won't perish, forever. And never will anyone seize them out of my hand. My father who is greater than all has given them to me and no one is able to seize them out of the father's hand. I and the father are one." Then again, the Jews picked up stones that they might stone him. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the father; because of which of these works do you stone me?" The Jews answered him, "We don't stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy and, because you being a man make yourself God." Jesus answered them, "Isn't it written in your law that I said, 'You are gods'? If he called those to whom the word of God came 'gods' and, the scripture isn't able to be broken, whom the father made holy and sent into the world, do you say that 'You blaspheme,' because I said I am the son of God? "If I do not do the works of my father, don't believe me. But even if you don't believe me, believe the works, so that you might understand and believe that I am in the father and the father is in me." Therefore, they were seeking to seize him again, but he went forth out of their hand. And he departed again beyond the Jordan to the place where John first baptized. And he stayed there. And many came to him and said that, "John indeed, did no sign. But everything that John said about this man was true." And many believed in him there. open copyright; may be reproduced and distributed as desired