John 10:1-18 ▼

1 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.

2 But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4 When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

5 However, a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

6 Jesus told them this figure of speech, but they did not understand what the things which He was saying to them meant.

7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.

11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the flock.

13 He flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me,

15 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd.

17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it back.

18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. This commandment I received from My Father.”