¶ Verily verily I say unto you: Whosoever entereth not in by the door, into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way: he is a thief and a robber. He that goeth in by the door, is the shepherd of the sheep. To this man the porter openeth the door, and the sheep hear his voice, And he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out, and when he hath sent forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: For they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but will fly from him. For they know not the voice of strangers. This manner of saying spake Iesus unto them. And they understood not, what things they were, which he spake unto them.
¶ Then said Iesus unto them again: Verily verily I say unto you: that I am the door of the sheep. All even as many as came before me, are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me, if any man enter in, he shall be safe, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not but for to steal and kill, and destroy. I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.
¶ I am a good shepherd, a good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. An hired servant which is not the shepherd, neither the sheep are his own, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and flyeth, and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hired servant flyeth because he is an hired servant, and careth not for the sheep. I am that good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As my father knoweth me: even so know I my father. And I give my life for my sheep, and other sheep I have, which are not of this fold. Them also must I bring, that they shall hear my voice. And there shall be one flock, and one shepherd.
¶ Therefore doth my father love me, because I put my life from me, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me: but I put it away of myself. I have power to put it from me, and power I have to take it again. This commandment have I received of my father. Again there was dissension among the jewes for these sayings, and many of them said: He hath the devil, and is mad: why hear ye him? other said, these are not the words of him that hath the devil: Can the devil open the eyes of the blind?
¶ It was at Ierusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was the winter: And Iesus walked in Solomon's hall. Then came the jewes round about him, and said unto him: How long dost thou make us doubt? If thou be Christ, tell us plainly. Iesus answered them: I told you and ye believe not: The works that I do in my father's name, bear witness of me: but ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. As I said unto you: my sheep, hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave them me, is greater then all men, and no man is able to take them out of my father's hand. And I and my father are one.
¶ Then the jewes again took up stones, to stone him withall. Iesus answered them: many good works have I shewed you from my father: for which of them will ye stone me? The jewes answered him saying: For thy good works' sake we stone thee not: but for thy blasphemy, and because that thou being a man, makest thyself God. Iesus answered them: Is it not written in your law: I have said, ye are goddes? If he called them goddes unto whom the word of God was spoken (and the scripture cannot be broken) say ye then to him, whom the father hath sanctified, and sent into the world: Thou blasphemest, because I said I am the son of God? If I do not the works of my father, believe me not. But though ye believe not me, yet believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the father is in me, and I in him.
¶ Again they went about to take him, but he escaped out of their hands, and went away again beyond Iordan, into the place where Ihon before had baptised, and there abode. And many resorted unto him, and said: Ihon did no miracle: But all things that Ihon spake of this man are true.. And there many believed on him there.
© Faith of God
William Tyndale 1526