Book of Common Prayer

²⁶ Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whoever among you fears God, to you is this word of salvation sent. ²⁷ The inhabiters of Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not know him, nor yet the voices of the prophets that are read every Sabbath day, have fulfilled the prophets in condemning him. ²⁸ And when they found no cause of death in him, yet they asked Pilate to kill him. ²⁹ And when they had fulfilled all the things that were written of him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a sepulchre. ³⁰ But God raised him again from death, ³¹ and he was seen during many days by those who came with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people.

³² And we declare to you that the promise made to the fathers, ³³ God has fulfilled unto us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus again, even as it is written in the second psalm: You are my Son; this same day I have begotten you. ³⁴ As concerning that he raised him up from death, now no more to return to corruption, he said thus: The holy promises made to David, I will give faithfully to you. ³⁵ Therefore he says also in another place: You shall not suffer your Holy One to see corruption. ³⁶ However David, after he had in his time fulfilled the will of God, slept, and was laid with his fathers, and saw corruption. ³⁷ But he whom God raised again saw no corruption.

³⁸ Be it known to you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man the forgiveness of sins is preached to you, ³⁹ and that by him all who believe are justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Beware, therefore, lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the prophets: ⁴¹ Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish! For I do a work in your days that you will not believe, though a man were to declare it to you.

⁴² When they came out of the synagogue of the Jews, the Gentiles urged them to preach the word to them between the Sabbath days. ⁴³ When the congregation broke up, many of the Jews and virtuous converts followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them, and exhorted them to continue in the grace of God.

Christ is the true shepherd, and the door of the sheep. Some say Christ has a devil and is mad. Some say he does not speak the words of a man that has a devil. Because he tells the truth, the Jews take up stones to cast at him, call his preaching blasphemy, and go about to take him.

10 Truly truly I say to you, he who does not enter into the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. ² He who goes in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep; ³ to him the porter opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ And when he has sent forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵ A stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him. For they know not the voice of strangers.

⁶ This similitude Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand the things that he was saying to them.

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. ¹⁸ No man takes it from me, but I put it away of myself. I have power to put it from me, and have power to take it again. This commandment I have received from my Father.