Jesus said: "I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs
away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no
concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the
Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this
fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my
voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it
up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my
own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take
it up again. This command I have received from my
Father."
