Give a shepherd’s care to ¹  God’s flock among you, exercising oversight ²  not merely as a duty ³  but willingly under God’s direction, ⁴  not for shameful profit but eagerly.

“Would any one of you say ¹  to your slave ²  who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal’? ³ 

he ¹  will rule ²  them with an iron rod ³  and like clay jars he will break them to pieces, ⁴ 

‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” ¹ 

Jesus ¹  said ²  a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He replied, ³  “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus ⁴  told him, “Shepherd my sheep.”

Watch out for ¹  yourselves and for all the flock of which ²  the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, ³  to shepherd the church of God ⁴  that he obtained ⁵  with the blood of his own Son. ⁶ 

Who ever serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk?

These men are ¹  dangerous reefs ²  at your love feasts, ³  feasting without reverence, ⁴  feeding only themselves. ⁵  They are ⁶  waterless ⁷  clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit ⁸  – twice dead, ⁹  uprooted;

because the Lamb in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” ¹ 

So ¹  the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, ²  who is going to rule ³  over all the nations ⁴  with an iron rod. ⁵  Her ⁶  child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne,

From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. ¹  He ²  will rule ³  them with an iron rod, ⁴  and he stomps the winepress ⁵  of the furious ⁶  wrath of God, the All-Powerful. ⁷