Intermediate Lesson 2 -
Jesus the Good Shepherd

This exercise is the second part of Intermediate Lesson 2, Jesus the Good Shepherd. You can also do it as an individual reading exercise.

First, here are the answers to the Listening questions for this lesson.

1. What is meant by a “good shepherd?
   

   A good shepherd cares about his sheep very much and is willing to give up his life for his sheep (like Jesus did for his people). A good shepherd wants to have a good relationship with his sheep.

2. How are hired workers different from the shepherd?
   Hired workers don’t care about the sheep and run away when a wolf attacks the flock.

3. If Jesus is the shepherd, who are the sheep that find pasture?
   

   The sheep are people who believe in Jesus, and those who believe in Jesus will be saved. “Pasture” here indicates a spiritually rich life.

4. What did the people think of what Jesus said?
   

   People were divided in their opinions. Some thought that Jesus was crazy and had a demon in him. Others thought that Jesus was stating the truth and was there to save people.

Now, read the passage several times. Try not to run to a dictionary and look up all the words you don’t know. Instead, just try and understand what the word means by understanding the context of the sentence.

Next, download this PDF of the passage. This way, you should be able to read the passage and listen at the same time. Read and listen together a few more times.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

John 10:7-21 CEV

Jesus said:

I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them. I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.

A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully. I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don’t own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. Hired workers run away because they don’t care about the sheep.

I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep. I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must also bring them together, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.

The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so I may receive it back again. No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.

The people took sides because of what Jesus had told them. Many of them said, “He has a demon in him! He is crazy! Why listen to him?”

But others said, “How could anyone with a demon in him say these things? No one like this could give sight to a blind person!