The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Truly I say to you, He who does not go through the door into the place where the sheep are kept, but gets in by some other way, is a thief and an outlaw.
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Jesus said, "I am telling you the truth: the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.
2 He who goes in by the door is the keeper of the sheep.
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The man who goes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 The porter lets him in; and the sheep give ear to his voice; he says over the names of the sheep, and takes them out.
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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 got them all out, he goes before them, and the sheep go after him, for they have knowledge of his voice.
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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 go after another who is not their keeper, but will go from him in flight, because his voice is strange to them.
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They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice."
6 In this Jesus was teaching them in the form of a story: but what he said was not clear to them.
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Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he meant.
7 So Jesus said again, Truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
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So Jesus said again, "I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep.
8 All who came before me are thieves and outlaws: but the sheep did not give ear to them.
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All others who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9 I am the door: if any man goes in through me he will have salvation, and will go in and go out, and will get food.
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I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture.
10 The thief comes only to take the sheep and to put them to death: he comes for their destruction: I have come so that they may have life and have it in greater measure.
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The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life - life in all its fullness.
11 I am the good keeper of sheep: the good keeper gives his life for the sheep.
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"I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep.
12 He who is a servant, and not the keeper or the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming and goes in flight, away from the sheep; and the wolf comes down on them and sends them in all directions:
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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 Because he is a servant he has no interest in the sheep.
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The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep.
14 I am the good keeper; I have knowledge of my sheep, and they have knowledge of me,
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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.
15 Even as the Father has knowledge of me and I of the Father; and I am giving my life for the sheep.
16 And I have other sheep which are not of this field: I will be their guide in the same way, and they will give ear to my voice, so there will be one flock and one keeper.
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There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd.
17 For this reason am I loved by the Father, because I give up my life so that I may take it again.
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"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 it away from me; I give it up of myself. I have power to give it up, and I have power to take it again. These orders I have from my Father.
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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 There was a division again among the Jews because of these words.
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Again there was a division among the people because of these words.
20 And a number of them said, He has an evil spirit and is out of his mind; why do you give ear to him?
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Many of them were saying, "He has a demon! He is crazy! Why do you listen to him?"
21 Others said, These are not the words of one who has an evil spirit. Is it possible for an evil spirit to make blind people see?
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But others were saying, "A man with a demon could not talk like this! How could a demon give sight to blind people?"
22 Then came the feast of the opening of the Temple in Jerusalem: it was winter;
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It was winter, and the Festival of the Dedication of the Temple was being celebrated in Jerusalem.
23 And Jesus was walking in the Temple, in Solomon's covered way.
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Jesus was walking in Solomon's Porch in the Temple,
24 Then the Jews came round him, saying, how long are you going to keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, say so clearly.
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when the people gathered around him and asked, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? Tell us the plain truth: are you the Messiah?"
25 Jesus said in answer, I have said it and you have no belief: the works which I do in my Father's name, these give witness about me.
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Jesus answered, "I have already told you, but you would not believe me. The deeds I do by my Father's authority speak on my behalf;
26 But you have no belief because you are not of my sheep.
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but you will not believe, for you are not my sheep.
27 My sheep give ear to my voice, and I have knowledge of them, and they come after me:
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My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28 And I give them eternal life; they will never come to destruction, and no one will ever take them out of my hand.
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I give them eternal life, and they shall never die. No one can snatch them away from me.
29 That which my Father has given to me has more value than all; and no one is able to take anything out of the Father's hand.
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What my Father has given me is greater than everything, and no one can snatch them away from the Father's care.
30 I and my Father are one.
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The Father and I are one."
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to send at him.
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Then the people again picked up stones to throw at him.
32 Jesus said to them in answer, I have let you see a number of good works from the Father; for which of those works are you stoning me?
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Jesus said to them, "I have done many good deeds in your presence which the Father gave me to do; for which one of these do you want to stone me?"
33 This was their answer: We are not stoning you for a good work but for evil words; because being a man you make yourself God.
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They answered, "We do not want to stone you because of any good deeds, but because of your blasphemy! You are only a man, but you are trying to make yourself God!"
34 In answer, Jesus said, Is there not a saying in your law, I said, You are gods?
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Jesus answered, "It is written in your own Law that God said, "You are gods.'
35 If he said they were gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Writings may not be broken),
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We know that what the scripture says is true forever; and God called those people gods, the people to whom his message was given.
36 Do you say of him whom the Father made holy and sent into the world, Your words are evil; because I said, I am God's Son?
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As for me, the Father chose me and sent me into the world. How, then, can you say that I blaspheme because I said that I am the Son of God?
37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not have belief in me;
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Do not believe me, then, if I am not doing the things my Father wants me to do.
38 But if I am doing them, then have belief in the works even if you have no belief in me; so that you may see clearly and be certain that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.
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But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, you should at least believe my deeds, in order that you may know once and for all that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father."
39 Then again they made an attempt to take him; but he got away from them.
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Once more they tried to seize Jesus, but he slipped out of their hands.
40 And he went again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John first gave baptism; and he was there for a time.
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Jesus then went back again across the Jordan River to the place where John had been baptizing, and he stayed there.
41 And a great number of people came to him, saying, John did no sign: but everything John said of this man was true.
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Many people came to him. "John performed no miracles," they said, "but everything he said about this man was true."
42 And a number came to have faith in him there.
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And many people there believed in him.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.