Be shepherds of God’s flock(A) that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;(B) not pursuing dishonest gain,(C) but eager to serve;

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Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

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Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 10:8 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

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11 “I am(A) the good shepherd.(B) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(C) 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.(D) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

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11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

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Invitation to the Thirsty

55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,(A)
    come to the waters;(B)
and you who have no money,
    come, buy(C) and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk(D)
    without money and without cost.(E)
Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?(F)
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,(G)
    and you will delight in the richest(H) of fare.

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55 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

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17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.(A) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,(B) as those sent from God.(C)

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17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

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18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,(A) and so not make full use of my rights(B) as a preacher of the gospel.

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18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

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You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed(A)—God is our witness.(B)

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For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:

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nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked(A) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,(B) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.(C) 10 For even when we were with you,(D) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work(E) shall not eat.”

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Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

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In their greed(A) these teachers will exploit you(B) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

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And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

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