John 10:1-21 - Jesus As The Good Shepherd
1 Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not in by the door to the fold of the sheep, but mounts up elsewhere, he is a thief and a robber; 2 but he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. 4 When he has put forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5 But they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they know not the voice of strangers.
6 This allegory spoke Jesus to them, but they did not know what it was of which he spoke to them.
7 Jesus therefore said again to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All whoever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: if any one enter in by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and shall find pasture. 10 The thief comes not but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I am come that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep: 12 but he who serves for wages, and who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf seizes them and scatters the sheep. 13 Now he who serves for wages flees because he serves for wages, and is not himself concerned about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know those that are mine, and am known of those that are mine, 15 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 which are not of this fold: those also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one flock, one shepherd. 17 On this account the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it again. I have received this commandment of my Father.
19 There was a division again among the Jews on account of these words; 20 but many of them said, He has a demon and raves; why do ye hear him? 21 Others said, These sayings are not those of one that is possessed by a demon. Can a demon open blind people's eyes?