Jesus Tells What He Came To Do
Jesus said to the people, "I am the light of the world; he who follows
me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light which gives
life."
As Jesus spoke these words many believed in him. Then he said to the
Jews who had believed in him, "If you faithfully do what I say, you are
truly my disciples, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set
you free." They answered him, "We are Abraham's
escendants and have
never been slaves to any man. What do you mean by saying, 'You shall be
set free'?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, I tell you, every one who sins
is a slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the household forever,
but the Son remains forever. If therefore the Son sets you free, you
shall be free indeed.
"I am the Door; if any man enters by me he shall be saved and shall go
in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill
and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have
it more abundantly.
"I am the Good Shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep. But a hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the
sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees the wolf coming, and the
wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. The hired man runs away
because he is only a hired man and does not care for the sheep.
"I am the Good Shepherd and know my own, and my own know me, just as the
Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the
sheep. I have other sheep which do not belong to this fold; I must lead
them also, and they will hear my voice, and they will be one flock and
one shepherd."