11. “I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep.
12. When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
13. The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep.
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.
28. I give them eternal life, and they shall never die. No one can snatch them away from me.
29. What my Father has given me is greater than everything, and no one can snatch them away from the Father's care.