Y’all are to shepherd the flock of God around y’all, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly according to God’s direction; not for dishonest gain, but eagerly;
As a household manager for God, the overseer must be unaccusable, not arrogant, not quick-tempered, not always around wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain,
What soldier ever serves at their own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn’t eat of its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock, and doesn’t drink from the flock’s milk?
“Oh that there were one of y’all who would shut the temple doors, so that y’all would not uselessly kindle fire on my altar! I am not pleased with y’all,” says YHWH Almighty, “nor will I accept an offering from your* hand.
Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will strike his arm and his right eye. His arm will be withered-withered, and his right eye will be blinded-blinded!”
Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest. Let them feed in the middle of fertile pasture land, in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
He will stand and shepherd in the strength of YHWH, in the majesty of the name of YHWH his God. They will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.
Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money; yet they lean on YHWH, and say, “Isn’t YHWH among us? No disaster will come on us.”
But if y’all won’t listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eye will weep-and-weep, and overflow with tears, because YHWH’s flock has been taken captive.
Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying, “Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put his Holy Spirit among them?”
Yes, the dogs are greedy. They can never have enough. They are shepherds who can’t understand. They have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.
who gave himself for us, in order to redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do excellent works.
Then Paul replied, “What are y’all doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to those who will possess them. For everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.
You and your sons, y’all are to carry out y’all’s priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil. Y’all must serve. I give the service of the priesthood to y’all as a gift. The stranger who comes near must be put to death.”