John 10:1-18

1“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a robber. 2But he who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out his own sheep, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5They will certainly not follow a stranger, but will flee from him because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” 6Jesus spoke to them with this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; if anyone enters through me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 11I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12But the hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13The hired hand flees, for he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, 15even as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. And there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. I received this commandment from my Father.”