John 10:1-21 - Jesus As The Good Shepherd
1 "I tell you, any man who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs over at some other place, is a thief and robber. 2 But the man who enters by the door is the shepherd of the flock. 3 The watchman opens the door to him, and the sheep obey his voice, and he calls to his own sheep and leads them out. 4 When he gets his own flock all out, he goes in front of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger but will run away from him, because they do not know the voices of strangers."
6 This was the figure Jesus used in speaking to them, but they did not understand what he meant by it.
7 So Jesus said again, "I tell you, I am the door of the sheepfold. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep would not obey them. 9 I am the door. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will pass in and out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come to let them have life, and to let them have it in abundance.
11 I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd will give his life for his sheep. 12 A hired man who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, when he sees a wolf coming, will leave the sheep and run away, and the wolf will carry them off and scatter the flock. 13 For he is only a hired man, and does not care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I am giving my life for my sheep. 16 I have other sheep too that do not belong to this fold. I must lead them too, and they will obey my voice, and they will all become one flock, with one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I am giving my life, but giving it to take it back again. 18 No one has taken it from me, but I am giving it of my own accord. I have power to give it, and I have power to take it back again. These are the orders I have received from my Father."
19 These words caused a fresh division of opinion among the Jews. 20 Many of them said, "He is possessed and mad! Why do you listen to him?" 21 Others said, "These are not the words of a man who is possessed. Can a madman make blind men see?"