Note: This chapter does not seem to be structured in a simple chiastic pattern, but shows more complex interweaving, repetition, parallelism, and building of themes. 

Part I: Jesus contrasts himself with others (vv. 1-5, continuing the themes of John 9:39-41)

• Amen, Amen, I say to you:

• Whoever doesn't enter by the gate into the sheepfold is a thief and robber. (v. 1)

  • Whoever enters by the gate is shepherd of the sheep; to him the gatekeeper opens; (vv. 2-3a)

    • and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. (v. 3bcd)

  • When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, (v. 4a)

    • and they follow him, for they know his voice. (v. 4b)

• A stranger they will not follow, but they flee from him, for they do not know the stranger's voice. (v. 5)

Narrator reports the listeners' incomprehension:

Jesus used this figure of speech (paroimia, not parabole) with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. (v. 6)

Part II: Jesus speaks of himself as the Sheepgate and as the Good Shepherd (vv. 7-18)

• Amen, Amen, I say to you:
  I am the gate of the sheep. (v. 7)

  • All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them. (v. 8)

• I am the gate; 
  whoever enters through me will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture. (v. 9)

  • The thief only comes to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they may have abundant life. (v. 10)

• I am the good shepherd;

• The good shepherd lays down his own life for the sheep. (v. 11)

  • The hireling who is not a shepherd, to whom the sheep don't belong, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, 
    and the wolf catches them and scatters them; because he's a hireling and doesn't care for the sheep. (vv. 12-13)

• I am the good shepherd,

• and I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, (vv. 14-15a)

  • and I lay down my life for the sheep. (v. 15b)

• I also have other sheep, which are not of this flock; I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice,

  • and there will be one flock, one shepherd. (v. 16)

• The Father loves me, because I lay down my life, so that I take it up again. (v. 17)

  • No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.

  • I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.

• This command I received from my Father. (v. 18)

Narrator describes the listeners' divided reaction:

• Again there was a division among the Jews because of these words. (v. 19)

• Many of them said, "He has a demon and he's crazy. Why listen to him?" (v. 20)

• Others said, "These words are not from someone affected by demons. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" (v. 21; see ch. 9)

Part I:  Main Dialogue:

• Narrator's Extended Introduction: Feast of Dedication, Jerusalem, Winter, Temple, Portico of Solomon (vv. 22-23)

• Jews: "How long will you make us wait?  If you are the CHRIST, tell us directly." (v. 24)

• Jesus: "I told you, but you don't believe.

  • The works that I do in my Father's name testify about me,

    • but you don't believe, because you don't belong to my sheep.

  • My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give them eternal life,

    • and they will never perish, and no one can snatch them from my hand.

  • My Father, who has given [them] to me, is greater than all, 

    • and no one can snatch them from the Father's hand.

  • I and the Father are one." (vv. 25-30)

• Narrator: The Jews again took up stones in order to stone him. (v. 31)

• Jesus: "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of these works are you stoning me?" (v. 32)

• Jews: "We're not stoning you for a good work, but for blasphemy; for you, a human being, make yourself a god." (v. 33)

• Jesus: "Isn't it written in your Law, 'you are gods'? 

  • If it calls 'gods' those to whom the word of God came,

    • do you say 'You blaspheme!' to the one whom God sanctifies and sends into the world, 

      • because I said, 'I am son of God'?

  • If I don't do my Father's works, don't believe me; 

    • but if I do, even if you don't believe me, believe the works, 

      • so that you may know that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." (vv. 34-38)

• Narrator's Conclusion: Then they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. (v. 39)

Part II: Geographical Transition and Narrator's Summary:

• Narrator: [Jesus] departed again across the Jordan (river) to the place where John baptized at first, and he remained there. (v. 40)

  • Many came and said: "John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true." (v. 41)

• Narrator: And many believed in him [Jesus] there. (v. 42)