I am the Good Shepherd

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door
but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who
enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper
opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and
leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them,
and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not
follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of
strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not
understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before
me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the
door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and
find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that
they may have life and have it abundantly.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the
sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf
snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and
cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and
my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and
I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this
fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be
one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I
lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I
lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have
authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”