John 10:1–20

Jesus, the Good Shepherd

¹“I can guarantee this truth: The person who doesn’t enter the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in somewhere else is a thief or a robber. ²But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd. ³The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out of the pen. ⁴After he has brought out all his sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. ⁵They won’t follow a stranger. Instead, they will run away from a stranger because they don’t recognize his voice.” ⁶Jesus used this illustration as he talked to the people, but they didn’t understand what he meant. 

⁷Jesus emphasized, “I can guarantee this truth: I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸All who came before I did were thieves or robbers. However, the sheep didn’t respond to them. ⁹I am the gate. Those who enter the sheep pen through me will be saved. They will go in and out of the sheep pen and find food. ¹⁰A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have everything they need. 

¹¹“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. ¹²A hired hand isn’t a shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep. When he sees a wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and quickly runs away. So the wolf drags the sheep away and scatters the flock. ¹³The hired hand is concerned about what he’s going to get paid and not about the sheep. 

¹⁴“I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep as the Father knows me.^aMy sheep know me as I know the Father. ¹⁵So I give my life for my sheep. ¹⁶I also have other sheep that are not from this pen. I must lead them. They, too, will respond to my voice. So they will be one flock with one shepherd. ¹⁷The Father loves me because I give my life in order to take it back again. ¹⁸No one takes my life from me. I give my life of my own free will. I have the authority to give my life, and I have the authority to take my life back again. This is what my Father ordered me to do.” 

¹⁹The Jews were divided because of what Jesus said. ²⁰Many of them said, “He’s possessed by a demon! He’s crazy! Why do you listen to him?”