shepherdthe flockof Godamongyou, exercising oversightnot under compulsion,but voluntarily,accordingto [the will of] God;and not for sordid gain,but with eagerness;
But it cameabout that in the twenty-thirdyearof KingJehoashthe priestshad not repairedthe damagesof the house.
"Ifyou yourself do not know,Most beautifulamong women,Goforthon the trailof the flockAnd pastureyour younggoatsBy the tentsof the shepherds.
Like a shepherdHe will tendHis flock,In His armHe will gatherthe lambsAnd carry[them] in His bosom;He will gently leadthe nursing[ewes].
And the dogsare greedy,they are not satisfied.And they are shepherdswho havenounderstanding;They have allturnedto their own way,Eachoneto his unjustgain,to the lastone.
Then I heardthe voiceof the Lord,saying,"Whomshall I send,and whowill gofor Us?" Then I said,"Heream I. Sendme!"
Then His peoplerememberedthe daysof old,of Moses.Whereis He who broughtthem up out of the seawith the shepherdsof His flock?Whereis He who putHis HolySpiritin the midstof them,
But ifyou will not listento it, My soulwill sobin secretfor [such] pride;And my eyeswill bitterlyweepAnd flowdownwith tears,Becausethe flockof the LORDhas been takencaptive.
"Liftup your eyesand seeThose comingfrom the north.Whereis the flockthat was givenyou, Your beautifulsheep?
"For from the leastof them even to the greatestof them, Everyoneis greedyfor gain,And from the propheteven to the priestEveryonedealsfalsely.
"ThereforeI will givetheir wivesto others,Their fieldsto newowners;Becausefrom the leasteven to the greatestEveryoneis greedyfor gain;From the propheteven to the priestEveryonepracticesdeceit.
"Then I will setoverthem oneshepherd,My servantDavid,and he will feedthem; he will feedthem himselfand be their shepherd.
"As for you, My sheep,the sheepof My pasture,you are men,and I am your God,"declaresthe LordGOD.
Then he saidto me, "Theseare the boilingplaceswherethe ministersof the houseshall boilthe sacrificesof the people."
Her leaderspronouncejudgmentfor a bribe,Her priestsinstructfor a priceAnd her prophetsdivinefor money.Yet they leanon the LORDsaying,"Is not the LORDin our midst?Calamitywill not comeupon us."
And He will ariseand shepherd[His flock] In the strengthof the LORD,In the majestyof the nameof the LORDHis God.And they will remain,Becauseat that timeHe will be greatTo the endsof the earth.
ShepherdYour peoplewith Your scepter,The flockof Your possessionWhich dwellsby itselfin the woodland,In the midstof a fruitfulfield.Let them feedin Bashanand GileadAs in the daysof old.
"Woeto the worthlessshepherdWho leavesthe flock!A swordwill be on his armAnd on his righteye!His armwill be totallywitheredAnd his righteyewill be blind."
"Ohthat there were one among you who would shutthe gates,that you might not uselesslykindle[fire on] My altar!I am not pleasedwith you," saysthe LORDof hosts,"norwill I acceptan offeringfrom you.
"But you and your sonswith you shall attendto your priesthoodfor everythingconcerningthe altarand insidethe veil,and you are to performservice.I am givingyou the priesthoodas a bestowedservice,but the outsiderwho comesnearshall be putto death."
"Do not be afraid,littleflock,for your Fatherhas chosen gladlyto giveyou the kingdom.
"I knowthat aftermy departuresavagewolveswill comein amongyou, not sparingthe flock;
ThenPaulanswered,"Whatare you doing,weepingand breakingmy heart?For I amreadynot onlyto be bound,but evento dieat Jerusalemfor the nameof the LordJesus."
So,for my part,I am eagerto preach the gospelto you alsowhoare in Rome.
Whoat any timeserves as a soldierat his ownexpense?Whoplantsa vineyardand does not eatthe fruitof it? Orwhotendsa flockand does not usethe milkof the flock?
not addicted to wineorpugnacious,but gentle,peaceable,free from the love of money.
Deaconslikewise[must be] men of dignity,not double-tongued,oraddictedto muchwineorfond of sordid gain,
whomustbe silencedbecausethey are upsettingwholefamilies,teachingthingsthey shouldnot [teach] for the sakeof sordidgain.
For the overseermustbe above reproachas God'ssteward,not self-willed,not quick-tempered,not addicted to wine,not pugnacious,not fond of sordid gain,
whogaveHimselffor us to redeemus from everylawless deed,and to purifyfor Himselfa peoplefor His ownpossession,zealousfor gooddeeds.
Remindthem to be subjectto rulers,to authorities,to be obedient,to be readyfor everygooddeed,
but withoutyour consentI did not wantto doanything,sothat your goodnesswould not be, in effect,by compulsionbut of your own free will.
Seeto it that noonecomes shortof the graceof God;that norootof bitternessspringingup causes trouble,and by it manybe defiled;
and in [their] greedthey will exploityou with false words;their judgmentfrom long agois not idle,and their destructionis not asleep.
