Book of Common Prayer

⁸ Beware lest any man come and rob you through philosophy and vain deceit, through the precepts of men, and observances after the world, and not after Christ. ⁹ For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, ¹⁰ and you are complete in him, who is the head of all rule and power. ¹¹ In him also you are circumcised, with the circumcision that is made without hands, by putting off the sinful body of the flesh through the circumcision that is in Christ, ¹² in that you are buried with him through baptism; in whom you are also risen again through faith, which is wrought by the operation of God, who raised him from death.

¹³ And you who were dead in sin through the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has quickened to life with him, and has forgiven us all our trespasses. ¹⁴ And he has put out the handwriting that was against us, contained in the written law: he has taken it out of the way and has fastened it to his cross, ¹⁵ and has spoiled rule and power, and has made a show of them openly, and has triumphed over them in his own person.

¹⁶ Let no man therefore trouble your consciences about meat and drink, or in respect of a holy day, such as the holy day of the new moon or of the Sabbath days. ¹⁷ These are nothing but shadows of things to come, but the substance is in Christ. ¹⁸ Let no man make you shoot at a wrong mark, who, following his own imagination, walks in the humbleness and holiness of angels, things which he never saw, senselessly puffed up with his fleshly mind, ¹⁹ and who does not hold to the Head, from whom all the body, by joints and ligaments, receives nourishment, and is knit together, and grows with the growth that comes of God.

²⁰ Therefore, if you are dead with Christ to the observances of the world, why, as though you yet lived in the world, are you led by the precepts of those who say, ²¹ Touch not, taste not, handle not? ²² All these things do hurt to men because of the abuse of them, which abuse comes only of the commandments and doctrines of men – ²³ which things have an outward show of wisdom, in self-chosen holiness and humbleness, and in that they do not spare the body, and pay no regard to the needs of the flesh.

⁷ Then Jesus spoke to them again: Truly truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All, even as many as came before me, are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. ⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be safe, and will go in and out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes not but to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come so that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.

¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. ¹² But a hired servant, who is not the shepherd, neither are the sheep his own, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep, and flees; and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep. ¹³ The hired servant flees because he is a hired servant, and does not care for the sheep.

¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and know my own, and am known by my own. ¹⁵ As my Father knows me, even so do I know my Father. And I give my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And other sheep I have who are not of this fold. Them also must I bring, so that they may hear my voice, and so that there may be one flock and one shepherd.

¹⁷ Therefore does my Father love me: because I put my life from me so that I may take it back again.