but rathergoto the lostsheepof the houseof Israel.
I have goneastraylike a lostsheep;seekYour servant,For I do not forgetYour commandments.
Allof us like sheephave goneastray,Eachof us has turnedto his own way;But the LORDhas caused the iniquityof us allTo fallon Him.
"Israelis a scatteredflock,the lionshave driven[them] away.The firstone[who] devouredhim was the kingof Assyria,and thislastone[who] has brokenhis bonesis Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon.
"My peoplehave becomelostsheep;Their shepherdshave ledthem astray.They have made them turnaside[on] the mountains;They have gonealong from mountainto hillAnd have forgottentheir restingplace.
"I will seekthe lost,bringbackthe scattered,bindup the brokenand strengthenthe sick;but the fatand the strongI will destroy.I will feedthem with judgment.
"Those who are sicklyyou have not strengthened,the diseasedyou have not healed,the brokenyou have not boundup, the scatteredyou have not broughtback,norhave you soughtfor the lost;but with forceand with severityyou have dominatedthem.
"My flockwanderedthrough allthe mountainsand on everyhighhill;My flockwas scatteredoverallthe surfaceof the earth,and therewas nooneto searchor seek[for them]."'"
"As I live,"declaresthe LordGOD,"surelybecauseMy flockhas becomea prey,My flockhas even becomefoodfor allthe beastsof the fieldfor lackof a shepherd,and My shepherdsdid not searchfor My flock,but [rather] the shepherdsfedthemselves and did not feedMy flock;
"Seethat you do not despiseoneof theselittle ones,for I sayto you that their angelsin heavencontinuallyseethe faceof My Fatherwho is in heaven.
["For the Sonof Manhas cometo savethat which was lost].
and that repentancefor forgivenessof sinswould be proclaimedin His nameto allthe nations,beginningfrom Jerusalem.
Pauland Barnabasspoke out boldlyand said,"It was necessarythat the wordof Godbe spokento you first;sinceyou repudiateit and judgeyourselvesunworthyof eternallife,behold,we are turningto the Gentiles.
But when they resistedand blasphemed,he shookout his garmentsand saidto them, "Your blood[be] on your own heads!I am clean.From nowon I will goto the Gentiles."
but [kept] declaringbothto thoseof Damascusfirst,and [also] at Jerusalemand [then] throughout allthe regionof Judea,and [even] to the Gentiles,that they should repentand turnto God,performingdeedsappropriateto repentance.
"For you first,Godraisedup His Servantand sentHim to blessyou by turningevery one[of you] from your wicked ways."
For you were continually strayinglikesheep,but nowyou have returnedto the Shepherdand Guardianof your souls.
