I Am the Good Shepherd

7 So Jesus said [fn]to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came [fn]before are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; if anyone enters through me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 But the hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13 [fn]The hired hand flees, for he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, 15 even as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. And [fn]there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18 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. I received this commandment from my Father.”

19 At these words there was again a division among the Jews. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind; why do you listen to him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”