The Lord Will Be Israel’s Shepherd

34 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?^{(A) 3} You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.^{(B) 4} You have not strengthened the weak or healed^(C) the sick or bound up^(D) the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.^{(E) 5} So they were scattered because there was no shepherd,^(F) and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.^{(G) 6} My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill.^(H) They were scattered^(I) over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.^(J)

⁷ “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ⁸ As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered^(K) and has become food for all the wild animals,^(L) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,^{(M) 9} therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁰ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against^(N) the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue^(O) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.^(P)

¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep^(Q) and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd^(R) looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.^{(S) 13} I will bring them out from the nations and gather^(T) them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.^(U) I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.^{(V) 14} I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel^(W) will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture^(X) on the mountains of Israel.^{(Y) 15} I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,^(Z) declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(AA) 16} I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up^(AB) the injured and strengthen the weak,^(AC) but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.^(AD) I will shepherd the flock with justice.^(AE)

¹⁷ “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.^{(AF) 18} Is it not enough^(AG) for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet?^(AH) Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? ¹⁹ Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

²⁰ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.^{(AI) 21} Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns^(AJ) until you have driven them away, ²² I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.^{(AK) 23} I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend^(AL) them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.^{(AM) 24} I the Lord will be their God,^(AN) and my servant David^(AO) will be prince among them.^(AP) I the Lord have spoken.^(AQ)

²⁵ “‘I will make a covenant^(AR) of peace^(AS) with them and rid the land of savage beasts^(AT) so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety.^{(AU) 26} I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing.^[a](AV) I will send down showers in season;^(AW) there will be showers of blessing.^{(AX) 27} The trees will yield their fruit^(AY) and the ground will yield its crops;^(AZ) the people will be secure^(BA) in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke^(BB) and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.^{(BC) 28} They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety,^(BD) and no one will make them afraid.^{(BE) 29} I will provide for them a land renowned^(BF) for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine^(BG) in the land or bear the scorn^(BH) of the nations.^{(BI) 30} Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(BJ) 31} You are my sheep,^(BK) the sheep of my pasture,^(BL) and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

A Prophecy Against Edom

35 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir;^(BM) prophesy against it ³ and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand^(BN) against you and make you a desolate waste.^{(BO) 4} I will turn your towns into ruins^(BP) and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(BQ)

⁵ “‘Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword^(BR) at the time of their calamity,^(BS) the time their punishment reached its climax,^{(BT) 6} therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will give you over to bloodshed^(BU) and it will pursue you.^(BV) Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. ⁷ I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste^(BW) and cut off from it all who come and go.^{(BX) 8} I will fill your mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines.^{(BY) 9} I will make you desolate forever;^(BZ) your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(CA)

¹⁰ “‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession^(CB) of them,” even though I the Lord was there, ¹¹ therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will treat you in accordance with the anger^(CC) and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.^{(CD) 12} Then you will know that I the Lord have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.^(CE)” ¹³ You boasted^(CF) against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it.^{(CG) 14} This is what the Sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.^{(CH) 15} Because you rejoiced^(CI) when the inheritance of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, Mount Seir,^(CJ) you and all of Edom.^(CK) Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”

Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast

17 One of the seven angels^(A) who had the seven bowls^(B) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment^(C) of the great prostitute,^(D) who sits by many waters.^{(E) 2} With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”^(F)

³ Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit^(G) into a wilderness.^(H) There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet^(I) beast that was covered with blasphemous names^(J) and had seven heads and ten horns.^{(K) 4} The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.^(L) She held a golden cup^(M) in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.^{(N) 5} The name written on her forehead was a mystery:^(O)

⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people,^(R) the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. ⁷ Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery^(S) of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.^{(T) 8} The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss^(U) and go to its destruction.^(V) The inhabitants of the earth^(W) whose names have not been written in the book of life^(X) from the creation of the world will be astonished^(Y) when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

⁹ “This calls for a mind with wisdom.^(Z) The seven heads^(AA) are seven hills on which the woman sits. ¹⁰ They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹ The beast who once was, and now is not,^(AB) is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

¹² “The ten horns^(AC) you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour^(AD) will receive authority as kings along with the beast. ¹³ They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.^{(AE) 14} They will wage war^(AF) against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over^(AG) them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings^(AH)—and with him will be his called, chosen^(AI) and faithful followers.”

¹⁵ Then the angel said to me, “The waters^(AJ) you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.^{(AK) 16} The beast and the ten horns^(AL) you saw will hate the prostitute.^(AM) They will bring her to ruin^(AN) and leave her naked;^(AO) they will eat her flesh^(AP) and burn her with fire.^{(AQ) 17} For God has put it into their hearts^(AR) to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority,^(AS) until God’s words are fulfilled.^{(AT) 18} The woman you saw is the great city^(AU) that rules over the kings of the earth.”