The Teacher’s Objectives and Conclusion

⁹ In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs.^{(A) 10} The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and write words of truth accurately. ¹¹ The sayings of the wise are like goads,^(B) and those from masters of collections are like firmly embedded nails.^(C) The sayings are given by one Shepherd.^[a]

¹⁰ A thief comes only to steal^(A) and to kill and to destroy.^(B) I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd.^(C) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(D) 12} The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them^[a] and runs away when he sees a wolf^(E) coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. ¹³ This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, ¹⁵ as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father.^(F) I lay down My life^(G) for the sheep. ¹⁶ But I have other sheep^(H) that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.^(I)