John 10:1–10

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.^{g 2}The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.^{h 3}The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.ⁱ He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.^{j 4}When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.^{k 5}But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶Jesus used this figure of speech,^l but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.^m

⁷Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I amⁿ the gate^o for the sheep. ⁸All who have come before me^p are thieves and robbers,^q but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^a They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,^r and have it to the full.^s