The Believers Pray for Boldness

²³ When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ And when they heard it, they lifted their voices ^(A)together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, ^(B)who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, ²⁵ who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,^[a] said by the Holy Spirit,

²⁷ for truly in this city there were gathered together against your ^(F)holy servant Jesus, ^(G)whom you anointed, both ^(H)Herod and ^(I)Pontius Pilate, along ^(J)with the Gentiles and ^(K)the peoples of Israel, ^28 (L)to do whatever your hand and ^(M)your plan had predestined to take place. ²⁹ And now, Lord, ^(N)look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all ^(O)boldness, ³⁰ while ^(P)you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed ^(Q)through the name of your ^(R)holy servant Jesus.” ³¹ And when they had prayed, ^(S)the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and ^(T)they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and ^(U)continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

They Had Everything in Common

³² Now the full number of those who believed were of ^(A)one heart and ^(B)soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but ^(C)they had everything in common. ³³ And with great ^(D)power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and ^(E)great grace was upon them all. ^34 (F)There was not a needy person among them, for ^(G)as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold ³⁵ and ^(H)laid it at the apostles' feet, and ^(I)it was distributed to each as any had need. ³⁶ Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means ^(J)son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, ³⁷ sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and ^(K)laid it at the apostles' feet.

Prophecy Against the Shepherds of Israel

34 The word of the Lord came to me: ^2 (A)“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: ^(B)Ah, shepherds of Israel ^(C)who have been feeding yourselves! ^(D)Should not shepherds feed the sheep? ^3 (E)You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, ^(F)you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. ^4 (G)The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, ^(H)the injured you have not bound up, ^(I)the strayed you have not brought back, ^(J)the lost you have not sought, and with force and ^(K)harshness you have ruled them. ^5 (L)So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and ^(M)they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; ⁶ they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, ^(N)with none to search or seek for them.

⁷ “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ^8 (O)As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because ^(P)my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, ⁹ therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁰ Thus says the Lord God, ^(Q)Behold, I am against the shepherds, and ^(R)I will require my sheep at their hand and ^(S)put a stop to their feeding the sheep. ^(T)No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. ^(U)I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.

The Lord Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

3 See ^(A)what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called ^(B)children of God; and so we are. The reason why ^(C)the world does not know us is that ^(D)it did not know him. ² Beloved, we are ^(E)God's children ^(F)now, and what we will be ^(G)has not yet appeared; but we know that ^(H)when he appears^{[a] (I)}we shall be like him, because ^(J)we shall see him as he is. ³ And everyone who ^(K)thus hopes in him ^(L)purifies himself as he is pure.

⁴ Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; ^(M)sin is lawlessness. ⁵ You know that ^(N)he appeared in order to ^(O)take away sins, and ^(P)in him there is no sin. ⁶ No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; ^(Q)no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. ⁷ Little children, ^(R)let no one deceive you. ^(S)Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. ^8 (T)Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was ^(U)to destroy the works of the devil. ^9 (V)No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's^[b] seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. ¹⁰ By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, ^(W)nor is the one who ^(X)does not love his brother.

^11 (A)I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd ^(B)lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² He who is ^(C)a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and ^(D)leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and ^(E)scatters them. ¹³ He flees because ^(F)he is a hired hand and ^(G)cares nothing for the sheep. ^14 (H)I am the good shepherd. ^(I)I know my own and ^(J)my own know me, ^15 (K)just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and ^(L)I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And ^(M)I have other sheep that are not of this fold. ^(N)I must bring them also, and ^(O)they will listen to my voice. So there will be ^(P)one flock, ^(Q)one shepherd.