1. Jesus said, “It is certainly true that when a man enters the sheep pen, he should use the gate. If he climbs in some other way, he is a robber. He is trying to steal the sheep.
2. But the man who takes care of the sheep enters through the gate. He is the shepherd.
3. The man who guards the gate opens the gate for the shepherd. And the sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep, using their names, and he leads them out.
4. He brings all of his sheep out. Then he goes ahead of them and leads them. The sheep follow him, because they know his voice.
5. But sheep will never follow someone they don’t know. They will run away from him, because they don’t know his voice.”
6. Jesus told the people this story, but they did not understand what it meant.
7. So Jesus said again, “I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep.