King James Bible
"As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep."
Jesus claims an intimate, reciprocal knowledge with God the Father—a divine relationship of perfect understanding. This assertion of equality with God would have been shocking to Jewish listeners, establishing Jesus's unique authority as the Good Shepherd. The conjunction links divine knowledge to sacrificial action: Jesus's intimate relationship with the Father motivates his voluntary death for his flock. Unlike hired hands who flee danger, this shepherd's love compels the ultimate sacrifice, foreshadowing the crucifixion.