God, the True Shepherd

¹¹ ‘For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. ¹² As a ^(A)shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on ^(B)a cloudy and dark day. ¹³ And ^(C)I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, ^[a]in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. ^14 (D)I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. ^(E)There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵ I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God. ^16 (F)“I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy ^(G)the fat and the strong, and feed them ^(H)in judgment.”

Jesus Restores Peter

¹⁵ So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of ^[a]Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I ^[b]love You.”

He said to him, ^(A)“Feed My lambs.”

¹⁶ He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of ^[c]Jonah, do you love Me?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I ^[d]love You.”

^(B)He said to him, “Tend My ^(C)sheep.”

¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of ^[e]Jonah, do you ^[f]love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”

And he said to Him, “Lord, ^(D)You know all things; You know that I love You.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. ^18 (E)Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” ¹⁹ This He spoke, signifying ^(F)by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ^(G)“Follow Me.”

The Beloved Disciple and His Book

²⁰ Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple ^(H)whom Jesus loved following, ^(I)who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” ²¹ Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”

²² Jesus said to him, “If I ^[g]will that he remain ^(J)till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”