The Good Shepherd

10 “Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber.^{(A) 2} The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd^(B) of the sheep.^{(C) 3} The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus gave them this figure of speech, but they did not understand^(D) what he was telling them.

⁷ Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am^(E) the gate for the sheep.^{(F) 8} All who came before me^[a] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰ A thief comes only to steal^(G) and kill and destroy.^(H) I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

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

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father.^(L) I lay down my life^(M) for the sheep. ¹⁶ But I have other sheep^(N) that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.^{(O) 17} This is why the Father loves me,^(P) because I lay down my life^(Q) so that I may take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”^(R)

²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life,^(A) and they will never perish.^(B) No one will snatch^(C) them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father,^(D) who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”^(E)

The Believer’s Triumph

³¹ What, then, are we to say about these things?^(A) If God is for us, who is against us?^{(B) 32} He did not even spare his own Son^(C) but gave him up for us all.^(D) How will he not also with him grant us everything? ³³ Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?^(E) God is the one who justifies.^{(F) 34} Who is the one who condemns?^(G) Christ Jesus is the one who died,^(H) but even more, has been raised;^(I) he also is at the right hand of God^(J) and intercedes for us.^{(K) 35} Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction^(L) or distress or persecution^(M) or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(P) through him who loved us.^{(Q) 38} For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,^(R) nor angels nor rulers,^(S) nor things present nor things to come,^(T) nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God^(U) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(V)

¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation^(A) other than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver,^(B) costly stones,^(C) wood, hay, or straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire;^(D) the fire will test the quality of each one’s work.^{(E) 14} If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience^[a] loss, but he himself will be saved^(F)—but only as through fire.^(G)

²⁴ But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. ²⁵ Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede^(A) for them.