New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit.
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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.
2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
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He who goes in by the door is the keeper of the sheep.
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
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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.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.
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When he has got them all out, he goes before them, and the sheep go after him, for they have knowledge of his voice.
5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers."
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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.
6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
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In this Jesus was teaching them in the form of a story: but what he said was not clear to them.
7 So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
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So Jesus said again, Truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them.
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All who came before me are thieves and outlaws: but the sheep did not give ear to them.
9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.
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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.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
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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.
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
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I am the good keeper of sheep: the good keeper gives his life for the sheep.
12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
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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:
13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.
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Because he is a servant he has no interest in the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
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I am the good keeper; I have knowledge of my sheep, and they have knowledge of me,
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.
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Even as the Father has knowledge of me and I of the Father; and I am giving my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
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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.
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
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For this reason am I loved by the Father, because I give up my life so that I may take it again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."
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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.
19 Again the Jews were divided because of these words.
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There was a division again among the Jews because of these words.
20 Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?"
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And a number of them said, He has an evil spirit and is out of his mind; why do you give ear to him?
21 Others were saying, "These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"
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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?
22 At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,
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Then came the feast of the opening of the Temple in Jerusalem: it was winter;
23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.
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And Jesus was walking in the Temple, in Solomon's covered way.
24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly."
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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.
25 Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me;
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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.
26 but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.
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But you have no belief because you are not of my sheep.
27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
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My sheep give ear to my voice, and I have knowledge of them, and they come after me:
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.
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And I give them eternal life; they will never come to destruction, and no one will ever take them out of my hand.
29 What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand.
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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.
30 The Father and I are one."
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I and my Father are one.
31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him.
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Then the Jews took up stones again to send at him.
32 Jesus replied, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?"
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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?
33 The Jews answered, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God."
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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.
34 Jesus answered, "Is it not written in your law, "I said, you are gods'?
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In answer, Jesus said, Is there not a saying in your law, I said, You are gods?
35 If those to whom the word of God came were called "gods'—and the scripture cannot be annulled—
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If he said they were gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Writings may not be broken),
36 can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, "I am God's Son'?
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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?
37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me.
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If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not have belief in me;
38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
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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.
39 Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.
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Then again they made an attempt to take him; but he got away from them.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there.
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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.
41 Many came to him, and they were saying, "John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true."
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And a great number of people came to him, saying, John did no sign: but everything John said of this man was true.
42 And many believed in him there.
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And a number came to have faith in him there.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.