Parable of the Good Shepherd

10 “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up from some other place [on the stone wall], that one is a thief and a robber. ² But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep [the protector and provider]. ³ The ^[a]doorkeeper opens [the gate] for this man, and the sheep hear his voice and pay attention to it. And [knowing that they listen] he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out [to pasture]. ⁴ When he has brought all his own sheep outside, he walks on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice and recognize his call. ⁵ They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what He was talking about.

⁷ So Jesus said again, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I am ^[b]the Door for the sheep [leading to life]. ⁸ All who came before Me [as false messiahs and self-appointed leaders] are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not hear them. ⁹ I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security). ¹⁰ The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

⁸ Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise and stand, each at his tent door, and look at Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the doorway of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses. ¹⁰ When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tent door, all the people would rise and worship, each at his tent door. ¹¹ And so the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his attendant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.