The Righteous Branch

23 ^(A)“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. ² Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning ^(B)the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. ^(C)Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. ^3 (D)Then I will gather the remnant of my flock ^(E)out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, ^(F)and they shall be fruitful and multiply. ^4 (G)I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.

^5 (H)“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous ^(I)Branch, and ^(J)he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶ In his days Judah will be saved, and ^(K)Israel will ^(L)dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ^(M)‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

^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. ^17 (R)For this reason the Father loves me, ^(S)because ^(T)I lay down my life that I may take it up again. ^18 (U)No one takes it from me, but ^(V)I lay it down ^(W)of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and ^(X)I have authority to take it up again. ^(Y)This charge I have received from my Father.”