John 10:1-18

Jesus then said, ‘I tell you this: A shepherd keeps his sheep in a safe place with a wall round it. There is a gate into that safe place. Anyone who gets into that place by another way, not through the gate, is not the shepherd. That person is a robber. He comes to take away the sheep for himself. But the shepherd goes in through the gate. The person who watches the gate opens it for the shepherd. The sheep recognize the shepherd's voice. He calls each of his own sheep by their name and he leads them out. When he has brought out all his own sheep, he goes in front of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger. They will run away from a stranger because they do not recognize his voice.’ Jesus told this story like a picture to teach the people. But they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus spoke again. He said, ‘I tell you this: I am like the gate for the sheep. All other men who came before me were like robbers. But the sheep did not listen to them. I am like the gate. Everyone who comes in through me will be safe. They will be free to come in and to go out. And they will find plenty of food. The robber only wants to take away my sheep. He wants to kill them. He comes only to destroy them. But I have come so that they can have true life. And so that they can have everything that they need. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd would die so that he can save his sheep. Another man may take care of sheep so that he gets money. But the sheep do not belong to him. A man like that is not the shepherd. If a wolf comes, a man like that runs away when he sees it. He leaves the sheep in danger. Then the wolf attacks the sheep. It causes them to run away in all directions. That man runs away because the sheep do not belong to him. He does not think that the sheep are important. I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep, and they know me. I know them in the same way that my Father knows me. And they know me in the same way that I know the Father. I will die so that I can save my sheep. I also have other sheep, and I must bring them too. They do not belong to this group of sheep. But they also will listen to my voice. So all the sheep will become one group, and they will have one shepherd. The Father loves me because I choose to die for my sheep. But after I give my life like that, I will become alive again. Nobody can take my life away from me. Instead, I myself can choose to die. I have authority to do that. I also have authority to become alive again. My Father has said that I must do that.’