"Soit is not [the] willof your Fatherwho is in heaventhat oneof theselittle onesperish.
Like a shepherdHe will tendHis flock,In His armHe will gatherthe lambsAnd carry[them] in His bosom;He will gently leadthe nursing[ewes].
"Awake,O sword,againstMy Shepherd,And againstthe man,My Associate,"Declaresthe LORDof hosts."Strikethe Shepherdthat the sheepmay be scattered;And I will turnMy handagainstthe littleones.
"Ifit turnsout that he findsit, trulyI sayto you, he rejoicesoverit morethanoverthe ninety-ninewhich have not gone astray.
"Ifyour brothersins, goand show him his faultin private;ifhe listensto you, you have wonyour brother.
"Let your lightshinebeforemenin such a waythat they may seeyour goodworks,and glorifyyour Fatherwho is in heaven.
"For the Gentileseagerly seekallthese things;for your heavenlyFatherknowsthat you needallthese things.
"Pray,then,in this way:'Our Fatherwhois in heaven,Hallowedbe Your name.
"Do not be afraid,littleflock,for your Fatherhas chosen gladlyto giveyou the kingdom.
"WhileI was with them, I was keepingthem in Your namewhichYou have givenMe; and I guardedthem and not oneof them perishedbut the sonof perdition,sothat the Scripturewould be fulfilled.
Sowhenthey had finished breakfast,Jesussaidto SimonPeter,"Simon,[son] of John,do you loveMe morethan these?"He saidto Him, "Yes,Lord;You knowthat I loveYou." He saidto him, "TendMy lambs."
For thisreasonI endureall thingsfor the sakeof thosewho are chosen,sothat they alsomay obtainthe salvationwhich is in ChristJesus[and] with [it] eternalglory.
and makestraightpathsfor your feet,sothat [the limb] which is lamemay not be put out of joint,but ratherbe healed.
The Lordis not slowabout His promise,as somecountslowness,but is patienttowardyou, not wishingfor anyto perishbut for allto cometo repentance.
