lls his
own sheep by name and leads them out to the pasture-field. And when he
has led out his sheep, he goes in front of them, and the sheep follow
him, for they know his voice. The sheep will not follow a stranger, for
they do not know the stranger's voice."
The people did not understand what all this meant, and as Jesus
explained it to them, he said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the
door that leads to the sheepfold. If any man comes to the sheep in any
other way than through me and in my name, he is a thief and a robber;
but those who are the true sheep will not hear such. I am the door; if
any man goes into the fold through me, he shall be saved, and shall go
in and go out, and shall find pasture.
"The thief comes to the fold that he may steal and rob the sheep, and
kill them; but I came to the fold that they may have life, and may have
all that they need. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd will give
up his own life to save his sheep; and I will give up my life that my
sheep may be saved.
"I am the good shepherd; and just as a true shepherd knows all the sheep
in his fold, so I know my own, and my own know me, even as I know the
Father, and the Father knows me; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must
lead; and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one flock and one
shepherd."
The Jews could not understand these words of Jesus; but they became very
angry with him, because he spoke of God as his Father. They took up
stones to throw them at him, and tried to seize him, intending to kill
him. But Jesus escaped from their hands, and went away to the land
beyond Jordan, at the place called "Bethabara," or "Bethany beyond
Jordan," the same place where he had been baptized by John the Baptist
more than two years before. From this place Jesus wished to go out
through the land in the east of the Jordan, a land which is called
"Perea," a word that means "beyond." But before going out through this
land, Jesus sent out seventy chosen men from among his followers to go
to all the villages, and to make the people ready for his own coming
afterward. He gave to these seventy the same commands that he had given
to the twelve disciples when he sent them through Galilee, and sent them
out in pairs, two men to travel and to preach together. He said:
"I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no bag for
food, no shoes except
|