Study Desk

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

"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.^(a)

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.^(b)

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.^(c) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.^(d)

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.^(e)

But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."

Jesus used this figure of speech,^(f) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.^(g)

Therefore Jesus said again, "Very truly I tell you, I am^(h) the gate⁽ⁱ⁾ for the sheep.

All who have come before me^(j) are thieves and robbers,^(k) but the sheep have not listened to them.

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,^(l) and have it to the full.^(m)

"I am⁽ⁿ⁾ the good shepherd.^(o) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^(p)

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.^(q) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.

The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

"I am the good shepherd;^(r) I know my sheep^(s) and my sheep know me—

just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^(t)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^(u)

I have other sheep^(v) 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^(w) and one shepherd.^(x)

The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^(y)—only to take it up again.

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^(z) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."^(aa)

The Jews who heard these words were again divided.^(ab)

Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed^(ac) and raving mad.^(ad) Why listen to him?"

But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.^(ae) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"^(af)

Then came the Festival of Dedication^[b] at Jerusalem. It was winter,

and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon's Colonnade.^(ag)

The Jews^(ah) who were there gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly."^(ai)

Jesus answered, "I did tell you,^(aj) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me,^(ak)

but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.^(al)

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,^(am) and they follow me.^(an)

I give them eternal life,^(ao) and they shall never perish;^(ap) no one will snatch them out of my hand.^(aq)

My Father, who has given them to me,^(ar) is greater than all^[c];^(as) no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

I and the Father are one."^(at)

Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,^(au)

but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"

"We are not stoning you for any good work," they replied, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."^(av)

Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law,^(aw) ‘I have said you are "gods"'^[d]?^(ax)

If he called them ‘gods,' to whom the word of God^(ay) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside^(az)—

what about the one whom the Father set apart^(ba) as his very own^(bb) and sent into the world?^(bc) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God's Son'?^(bd)

Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.^(be)

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."^(bf)

Again they tried to seize him,^(bg) but he escaped their grasp.^(bh)

Then Jesus went back across the Jordan^(bi) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed,

and many people came to him. They said, "Though John never performed a sign,^(bj) all that John said about this man was true."^(bk)

And in that place many believed in Jesus.^(bl)

The Death of Lazarus

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany,^(a) the village of Mary and her sister Martha.^(b)

(This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)^(c)

So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love^(d) is sick."

When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory^(e) so that God's Son may be glorified through it."

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,

and then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."^(f)

"But Rabbi,"^(g) they said, "a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you,^(h) and yet you are going back?"

Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world's light.⁽ⁱ⁾

It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light."

After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend^(j) Lazarus has fallen asleep;^(k) but I am going there to wake him up."

His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better."

Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.^(l)

So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead,

and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

Then Thomas^(m) (also known as Didymus^[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.⁽ⁿ⁾

Now Bethany^(o) was less than two miles^[b] from Jerusalem,

and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.^(p)

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.^(q)

"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.^(r)

But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."^(s)

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection^(t) at the last day."^(u)

Jesus said to her, "I am^(v) the resurrection and the life.^(w) The one who believes^(x) in me will live, even though they die;

and whoever lives by believing^(y) in me will never die.^(z) Do you believe this?"

"Yes, Lord," she replied, "I believe that you are the Messiah,^(aa) the Son of God,^(ab) who is to come into the world."^(ac)

After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher^(ad) is here," she said, "and is asking for you."

When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.

Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.^(ae)

When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her,^(af) noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."^(ag)

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved^(ah) in spirit and troubled.^(ai)

"Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied.

Jesus wept.^(aj)

Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"^(ak)

But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man^(al) have kept this man from dying?"^(am)

Jesus, once more deeply moved,^(an) came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.^(ao)

"Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."^(ap)

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believe,^(aq) you will see the glory of God?"^(ar)

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up^(as) and said, "Father,^(at) I thank you that you have heard me.

I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,^(au) that they may believe that you sent me."^(av)

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"^(aw)

The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,^(ax) and a cloth around his face.^(ay) Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary,^(az) and had seen what Jesus did,^(ba) believed in him.^(bb)

But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

Then the chief priests and the Pharisees^(bc) called a meeting^(bd) of the Sanhedrin.^(be) "What are we accomplishing?" they asked. "Here is this man performing many signs.^(bf)

If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation."

Then one of them, named Caiaphas,^(bg) who was high priest that year,^(bh) spoke up, "You know nothing at all!

You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."^(bi)

He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation,

and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.^(bj)

So from that day on they plotted to take his life.^(bk)

Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea.^(bl) Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,^(bm) many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing^(bn) before the Passover.

They kept looking for Jesus,^(bo) and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, "What do you think? Isn't he coming to the festival at all?"

But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(a)

Six days before the Passover,^(b) Jesus came to Bethany,^(c) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served,^(d) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

Then Mary took about a pint^[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;^(e) she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair.^(f) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,^(g) objected,

"Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages.^[b]"

He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,^(h) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

"Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.⁽ⁱ⁾

You will always have the poor among you,^[c](j) but you will not always have me."

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.^(k)

So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,

for on account of him^(l) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.^(m)

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

They took palm branches^(o) and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!^[d]" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"^[e](p) "Blessed is the king of Israel!"^(q)

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

"Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."^[f](r)

At first his disciples did not understand all this.^(s) Only after Jesus was glorified^(t) did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

Now the crowd that was with him^(u) when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.

Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign,^(v) went out to meet him.

So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"^(w)

Now there were some Greeks^(x) among those who went up to worship at the festival.

They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida^(y) in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus."

Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

Jesus replied, "The hour^(z) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.^(aa)

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,^(ab) it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it^(ac) for eternal life.^(ad)

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.^(ae) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

"Now my soul is troubled,^(af) and what shall I say? ‘Father,^(ag) save me from this hour'?^(ah) No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven,^(ai) "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again."

The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit,^(aj) not mine.

Now is the time for judgment on this world;^(ak) now the prince of this world^(al) will be driven out.

And I, when I am lifted up^[g] from the earth,^(am) will draw all people to myself."^(an)

He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.^(ao)

The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law^(ap) that the Messiah will remain forever,^(aq) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man^(ar) must be lifted up' ?^(as) Who is this ‘Son of Man'?"

Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light^(at) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,^(au) before darkness overtakes you.^(av) Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.

Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light."^(aw) When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.^(ax)

Even after Jesus had performed so many signs^(ay) in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"^[h](az)

For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them."^[i](ba)

Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory^(bb) and spoke about him.^(bc)

Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.^(bd) But because of the Pharisees^(be) they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;^(bf)

for they loved human praise^(bg) more than praise from God.^(bh)

Then Jesus cried out, "Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.^(bi)

The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.^(bj)

I have come into the world as a light,^(bk) so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

"If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.^(bl)

There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them^(bm) at the last day.

For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me^(bn) to say all that I have spoken.

I know that his command leads to eternal life.^(bo) So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."^(bp)