2. The man who goes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him; the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out.
4. When he has brought them out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.
5. They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice.”
6. Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he meant.
7. So Jesus said again, “I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep.
8. All others who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9. I am the gate. Whoever comes in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture.
14-15. I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them.
16. There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd.
17. “The Father loves me because I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again.
18. No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do.”
19. Again there was a division among the people because of these words.
20. Many of them were saying, “He has a demon! He is mad! Why do you listen to him?”
21. But others were saying, “A man with a demon could not talk like this! How could a demon give sight to blind people?”
22. It was winter, and the Festival of the Dedication of the Temple was being celebrated in Jerusalem.
23. Jesus was walking in Solomon's Porch in the Temple,
24. when the people gathered round him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? Tell us the plain truth: are you the Messiah?”
25. Jesus answered, “I have already told you, but you would not believe me. The things I do by my Father's authority speak on my behalf;
26. but you will not believe, for you are not my sheep.
27. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.