John 10:1-8

1 "Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good - a sheep rustler!

2 The shepherd walks right up to the gate.

3 The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4 When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice.

5 They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it."

6 Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about.

7 So he tried again. "I'll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep.

8 All those others are up to no good - sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen to them.