1 | "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; |
2 | but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. |
3 | To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. |
4 | When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. |
5 | A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." |
6 | This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. |
7 | So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. |
8 | All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. |
9 | I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. |
10 | The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. |
11 | I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. |
12 | He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. |
13 | He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. |
14 | I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, |
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, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. |
17 | For this reason 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 my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father." |