The image of sheep and shepherds is one of the most tender and instructive in the Bible. These verses illustrate God’s loving care for His people, showing us how to follow Him and trust in His protection, just as sheep trust their shepherd.
Also Read: Bible Verses About Arguing In Relationships
Bible Verses About Sheep And Shepherds
Psalm 23:1 – The Lord is our shepherd, providing for our every need
“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” – Psalm 23:1
John 10:11 – Jesus is the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” – John 10:11
Psalm 95:7 – We are the sheep of God’s pasture, listening to his voice
“For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice.” – Psalm 95:7
Isaiah 53:6 – We are like sheep who have gone astray, but Jesus bore our sins
“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” – Isaiah 53:6
Matthew 18:12-14 – Jesus, the shepherd, seeks the one lost sheep and rejoices when it is found
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” – Matthew 18:12-14
Psalm 100:3 – We are like sheep in God’s flock, embraced by his love
“Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” – Psalm 100:3
John 10:27 – Jesus’ sheep hear his voice and follow him because they know him
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27
Jeremiah 31:10 – God, the shepherd, gathers his sheep and leads them with care
“Hear the word of the LORD, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.'” – Jeremiah 31:10
1 Peter 5:4 – When Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, appears, we will receive the crown of glory
“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” – 1 Peter 5:4
Ezekiel 34:12 – God seeks out his lost sheep and rescues them from all the places they have been scattered
“As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.” – Ezekiel 34:12
Luke 15:4-7 – Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep, emphasizing the value of every individual
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” – Luke 15:4-7
John 10:14 – Jesus, the good shepherd, knows his sheep and his sheep know him
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” – John 10:14
Psalm 79:13 – We, your people, are your pasture and the sheep of your hand
“Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will proclaim your praise.” – Psalm 79:13
John 21:17 – Jesus asks Peter three times to tend his sheep, emphasizing the importance of caring for others
“The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.'” – John 21:17
Isaiah 40:11 – God gently leads his sheep and carries them close to his heart
“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” – Isaiah 40:11
John 10:28 – Jesus gives eternal life to his sheep, and no one can snatch them out of his hand
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” – John 10:28
Psalm 100:2 – We enter God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise as the sheep of his pasture
“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” – Psalm 100:2
1 Peter 2:25 – We were like sheep going astray, but now we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls
“For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” – 1 Peter 2:25
Psalm 28:9 – God is the shepherd who carries us forever, leading us with love and care
“Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.” – Psalm 28:9
John 10:16 – Jesus has other sheep not of the Jewish fold, and he will bring them into his flock
“I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” – John 10:16
Psalm 77:20 – God led his people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron
“You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” – Psalm 77:20
Zechariah 9:16 – The Lord will be their God, feeding and making his people like stones in a crown
“The LORD their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.” – Zechariah 9:16
Psalm 95:6 – We are the sheep of God’s hand, following and bowing down before him
“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” – Psalm 95:6
Jeremiah 23:1 – God will gather and restore the remnant of his flock, the scattered sheep
“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. “Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: ‘Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,’ declares the LORD.” – Jeremiah 23:1
Revelation 7:17 – Jesus, the Lamb at the center of the throne, shepherds and provides for his people
“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'” – Revelation 7:17
Psalm 74:1 – God is our shepherd, the one who leads and cares for us like a flock
“O God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?” – Psalm 74:1
John 21:15 – Jesus asks Peter if he loves him and tells him to feed his lambs
“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.'” – John 21:15
Isaiah 53:7 – Jesus, as the suffering servant, was led like a lamb to the slaughter
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” – Isaiah 53:7
Matthew 9:36 – Jesus had compassion on the crowds because they were like sheep without a shepherd
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” – Matthew 9:36
Psalm 78:52 – God led his people like a flock through the wilderness, guiding them with a cloud by day and a fire by night
“But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the wilderness. He guided them safely, so they were unafraid; but the sea engulfed their enemies.” – Psalm 78:52
Isaiah 40:10 – God, as the Sovereign LORD, comes with power and rules with a strong arm, tenderly caring for his flock
“See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” – Isaiah 40:10-11
Micah 2:12-13 – The Lord gathers his flock like a shepherd, leading them to pasture and making them rejoice
“I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people. The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD at their head.” – Micah 2:12-13
John 10:3 – Jesus calls his own sheep by name and leads them out
“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” – John 10:3
Psalm 79:1 – The nations have invaded God’s inheritance, laying Jerusalem in ruins
“O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.” – Psalm 79:1
Jeremiah 50:6 – God’s people were like lost sheep, their shepherds leading them astray
“My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.” – Jeremiah 50:6
Matthew 25:32 – All the nations will be gathered before Jesus as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats
“All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” – Matthew 25:32
Isaiah 53:5 – Jesus was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5
Psalm 119:176 – We have gone astray like lost sheep, but we seek God’s commandments
“I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.” – Psalm 119:176
Jeremiah 23:4 – God will raise up shepherds who will care for his flock and they will not be afraid or lacking
“I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD.” – Jeremiah 23:4
Revelation 12:5 – The woman gives birth to a son who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter
“She gave birth to a son, a male child, who ‘will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.’ And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.” – Revelation 12:5
Leviticus 26:3-5 – God promises to bless his people and give them rain in its season, ensuring abundant harvest and safety
“If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.” – Leviticus 26:3-5
Isaiah 66:12 – God will extend peace to his people like a river and the wealth of the nations like a flooding stream
“For this is what the LORD says: ‘I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees.'” – Isaiah 66:12
Micah 4:4 – Each person will sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one will make them afraid
“Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken.” – Micah 4:4