The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.^{(A) 2} The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.^{(B) 3} The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.^(C) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.^{(D) 4} When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.^{(E) 5} But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech,^(F) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.^(G)

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am^(H) the gate^(I) for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me^(J) are thieves and robbers,^(K) but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,^(L) and have it to the full.^(M)

¹¹ “I am^(N) the good shepherd.^(O) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(P) 12} The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.^(Q) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd;^(R) I know my sheep^(S) and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^(T)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^{(U) 16} I have other sheep^(V) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock^(W) and one shepherd.^{(X) 17} The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^(Y)—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^(Z) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”^(AA)

¹⁹ The Jews who heard these words were again divided.^{(AB) 20} Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed^(AC) and raving mad.^(AD) Why listen to him?”

²¹ But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.^(AE) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”^(AF)

¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep^(A) and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd^(B) looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.^{(C) 13} I will bring them out from the nations and gather^(D) them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.^(E) I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.^{(F) 14} I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel^(G) will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture^(H) on the mountains of Israel.^{(I) 15} I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,^(J) declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(K) 16} I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up^(L) the injured and strengthen the weak,^(M) but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.^(N) I will shepherd the flock with justice.^(O)

¹⁷ “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.^(P)

²¹ and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land.^{(A) 22} I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.^(B) There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.^{(C) 23} They will no longer defile^(D) themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding,^[a](E) and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.^(F)

²⁴ “‘My servant David^(G) will be king^(H) over them, and they will all have one shepherd.^(I) They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.^(J)