Parable of the Good Shepherd

10 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is ^(A)a thief and a robber. ² But the one who enters by the door is ^(B)a shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to ^(C)his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and ^(D)leads them out. ⁴ When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know ^(E)his voice. ⁵ However, a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know ^(F)the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus told them this ^(G)figure of speech, but they did not understand what the things which He was saying to them ^[a]meant.

⁷ So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am ^(H)the door of the sheep. ⁸ All those who came before Me are ^(I)thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ^9 (J)I am the door; if anyone enters through 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 so that they ^(K)would have life, and ^[b]have it abundantly.

The Two Foundations

²⁴ “Therefore, ^(A)everyone who hears these words of Mine, and ^[a]acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell and the ^[b]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not ^[c]act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain fell and the ^[d]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.”

^28 [e](B)When Jesus had finished these words, ^(C)the crowds were amazed at His teaching; ²⁹ for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Prayer and the Golden Rule

⁷ “^[a](A)Ask, and ^(B)it will be given to you; ^[b]seek, and you will find; ^[c]knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what person is there among you ^[d]who, when his son asks for a loaf of bread, ^[e]will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or ^[f]if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? ¹¹ So if you, despite being ^[g]evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, ^(C)how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

¹² “In everything, ^(D)therefore, ^[h]treat people the same way you want ^[i]them to treat you, for ^(E)this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “^(F)Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

¹⁵ “Beware of the ^(G)false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ^(H)ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will ^[j](I)know them by their fruits. ^[k]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? ¹⁷ So ^(J)every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ^19 (K)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ So then, you will ^[l]know them ^(L)by their fruits.

²¹ “^(M)Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ^22 (N)Many will say to Me on ^(O)that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many ^[m]miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; ^(P)leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

⁹ Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who has entered His rest has himself also ^(A)rested from his works, as ^(B)God did from His. ¹¹ Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same ^(C)example of ^(D)disobedience. ¹² For ^(E)the word of God is ^(F)living and ^(G)active, and sharper than any two-edged ^(H)sword, even penetrating as far as the division of ^(I)soul and ^(J)spirit, of both joints and marrow, and ^(K)able to ^[a]judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And ^(L)there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are ^(M)open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom ^[b]we must answer.

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great ^(N)high priest who has ^(O)passed through the heavens, Jesus ^(P)the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our ^(Q)confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have ^(R)a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been ^(S)tempted in all things just as we are, yet ^(T)without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore let’s ^(U)approach the throne of grace with ^(V)confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.