1 John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18

16 This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others!

17 If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God?

18 My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.

19 This, then, is how we will know that we belong to the truth; this is how we will be confident in God's presence.

20 If our conscience condemns us, we know that God is greater than our conscience and that he knows everything.

21 And so, my dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have courage in God's presence.

22 We receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

23 What he commands is that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as Christ commanded us.

24 Those who obey God's commands live in union with God and God lives in union with them. And because of the Spirit that God has given us we know that God lives in union with us.

11 "I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep.

12 When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.

13 The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them.

16 There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

17 "The Father loves me because I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again.

18 No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do."