Scripture passages about God as the Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, and the sheep.
12 Scripture passages · “Father’s Blessing” Bible
Psalm 23:1–6
1 The Lord is my Shepherd; I will lack nothing: 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside quiet waters, 3 He restores my soul and guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy [Your mercy] shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for many days.
John 10:1–5
1 Truly, truly, I say to you: whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in by another way, is a thief and a robber; 2 but whoever enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The doorkeeper opens for him, and the sheep listen to his voice; he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger; instead, they will flee from him, because they do not know the stranger’s voice.
John 10:11–16
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 But the hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees; and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; I know My own, and My own know Me. 15 As the Father knows Me, so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice. Then there will be one flock and one Shepherd.
Isaiah 40:11
He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms and carry them close to His heart; He will gently lead those that are nursing.
Ezekiel 34:11–16
11 For this is what the Lord God says: I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out My sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the nations, gather them from the countries, and bring them into their own land. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all the inhabited places of the land. 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and their grazing place will be on the high mountains of Israel. There they will lie down in a good grazing place and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I will tend My sheep and lead them to rest, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, bring back the strayed, bind up the injured, and strengthen the sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will shepherd them with justice.
Luke 15:3–7
3 Then He told them this parable: 4 Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, 6 and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together and says to them, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep!” 7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
Hebrews 13:20
May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant,
1 Peter 5:2–4
2 shepherd God's flock among you, watching over them willingly, not under compulsion, but eagerly and as God would have you—not for shameful gain, but with eagerness; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, God's inheritance, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
1 Peter 2:25
For you were like wandering sheep, without a shepherd, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Psalm 100:3
Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His—His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Matthew 18:12–14
12 What do you think? If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that wandered away? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not wander away. 14 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
John 21:15–17
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” Peter said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”
