Good Shepherd Watercolor Set of 6: The Parable of the Lost Sheep in Pictures

Six watercolor prints tell the parable of the lost sheep from start to finish: a lamb alone on a hillside path, the shepherd carrying it home on his shoulders, a walk back through an olive grove, a lamb safe in a flowering meadow, a cross on a hill at sunrise, and Jesus seated with a lamb in his arms. Every scene has the same pink blossom border and a short line of Scripture from Luke 15, Matthew 18 or John 10.

How the six verses tell one story

Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep to two different audiences. In Luke 15 he answers religious leaders who complained that he ate with sinners; in Matthew 18 he is teaching his disciples about the little ones who must not be lost. The set draws on both. Matthew 18:12 asks whether a shepherd would not leave the ninety-nine to look for the one. Luke 15:5 and 15:6 show him finding it, carrying it home on his shoulders and calling his friends to rejoice. Matthew 18:13 says he rejoices over that sheep more than over the ninety-nine, and Luke 15:7 widens the joy to heaven over one sinner who repents. John 10:11, I am the good shepherd, names the shepherd. Read in story order, the six move from loss to welcome.

Six scenes in one watercolor style

All six are painted in the same soft watercolor style on a cream ground with visible paper texture, in sage, blush pink, cream and pale sky blue, and pink blossoms with green leaves frame every scene. In He Lays It On His Shoulders, Jesus walks down a hillside path with his staff and a lamb across his shoulders. He Goes After the One shows a single lamb on a path with the flock far off on the hills. I Am the Good Shepherd has him seated on a rock holding a lamb. Rejoice With Me follows him through an olive grove with a lamb in his arms and sheep behind. He Rejoices Over It is a close view of a lamb in a flowering meadow, and Joy in Heaven shows a cross on a hilltop at sunrise above grazing sheep. Each text panel pairs a serif heading with one line of Scripture and a script reference.

A gallery wall for a home, a church office or a classroom

Six frames in two rows of three cover the wall above a sofa, as the photos show, or the long wall of a hallway. The soft colors suit a living room in cream and wood, a nursery or a prayer room. The set makes a gift for a pastor or a church office, and a baptism gift for a new believer, who can read the parable as their own story. For a Sunday school room or a kids ministry wall, the scenes work as a picture sequence that children can retell. Check the license first, since it covers printing for your own household and printed gifts, and ask support@theframedverse.com about classroom copies. Two of the six designs, I Am the Good Shepherd and He Goes After the One, are also sold as single prints.

Twelve files in three downloads, and how large they print

You receive twelve JPG files in three ZIP downloads, two designs per ZIP. Each design comes as a 2:3 file and a 4:5 file. The 2:3 files hold about 300 DPI up to 16x24 inches and about 200 DPI at 24x36, which is enough for a painting seen from across a room. The 4:5 files hold more than 300 DPI at 8x10 and 16x20, and they also print 11x14 with a thin strip trimmed at the top and bottom. There is no 3:4 version, so 9x12 or 18x24 frames need a mat. For a matched gallery wall, print all six in one run on the same matte or textured paper, so the cream and pink look the same in every frame.

Sizes and formats: about 300 DPI up to 16x24, about 200 DPI at 24x36

The verses

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy just one print from this set?

Two of the six designs are sold on their own: I Am the Good Shepherd from John 10:11 and He Goes After the One from Matthew 18:12. The other four come only with this set, which is also the simplest way to get the whole story for a gallery wall.

Which Bible translation are the verses from?

The lines are short renderings of each verse, shortened to fit under the paintings, and most of them do not follow a single translation word for word. Rejoice With Me comes close to the King James wording, "for I have found my sheep which was lost." The reference on each print shows where the full verse can be read.

In which order should the six hang?

For the story, hang He Goes After the One, He Lays It On His Shoulders and Rejoice With Me in the top row, then He Rejoices Over It, Joy in Heaven and I Am the Good Shepherd below. The photos follow the set's own numbering, which starts with He Lays It On His Shoulders. Both orders work in matching frames.

Is it a good gift for a baptism or a new believer?

Yes. The parable is about a sheep that was lost and brought home, which fits a baptism or a welcome for someone new to faith. You can give the full set, or print one or two designs as a gift and keep the rest for your own walls, since the files stay in your download.

How do I open the three ZIP files?

Download all three ZIP files after checkout and open them on a computer, where a double click usually unpacks each one into a folder. Phones and tablets can open ZIP files too, though it takes a files app. Each ZIP holds two designs in both ratios, four JPGs in total.