³⁶ “You are saying about this city, ‘By the sword, famine and plague^(A) it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon’; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ³⁷ I will surely gather^(B) them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger^(C) and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.^{(D) 38} They will be my people,^(E) and I will be their God. ³⁹ I will give them singleness^(F) of heart and action, so that they will always fear^(G) me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. ⁴⁰ I will make an everlasting covenant^(H) with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire^(I) them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.^{(J) 41} I will rejoice^(K) in doing them good^(L) and will assuredly plant^(M) them in this land with all my heart and soul.^(N)

⁴² “This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity^(O) on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised^(P) them. ⁴³ Once more fields will be bought^(Q) in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate^(R) waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’ ⁴⁴ Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds^(S) will be signed, sealed and witnessed^(T) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(U) because I will restore^(V) their fortunes,^[a] declares the Lord.”

1 Paul and Timothy,^(A) servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people^(B) in Christ Jesus at Philippi,^(C) together with the overseers^(D) and deacons^[a]:^(E)

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(F)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I thank my God every time I remember you.^{(G) 4} In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray^(H) with joy ⁵ because of your partnership^(I) in the gospel from the first day^(J) until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion^(K) until the day of Christ Jesus.^(L)

⁷ It is right^(M) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart^(N) and, whether I am in chains^(O) or defending^(P) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸ God can testify^(Q) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love^(R) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^{(S) 10} so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,^{(T) 11} filled with the fruit of righteousness^(U) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Promise of Restoration

33 While Jeremiah was still confined^(A) in the courtyard^(B) of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time:^{(C) 2} “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth,^(D) the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name:^{(E) 3} ‘Call^(F) to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable^(G) things you do not know.’ ⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege^(H) ramps^(I) and the sword ⁵ in the fight with the Babylonians^[a]: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath.^(J) I will hide my face^(K) from this city because of all its wickedness.

⁶ “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal^(L) my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace^(M) and security. ⁷ I will bring Judah^(N) and Israel back from captivity^[b](O) and will rebuild^(P) them as they were before.^{(Q) 8} I will cleanse^(R) them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive^(S) all their sins of rebellion against me. ⁹ Then this city will bring me renown,^(T) joy, praise^(U) and honor^(V) before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble^(W) at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

¹⁰ “This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.”^(X) Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted,^(Y) inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more ¹¹ the sounds of joy and gladness,^(Z) the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings^(AA) to the house of the Lord, saying,

For I will restore the fortunes^(AD) of the land as they were before,^(AE)’ says the Lord.

¹² “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate^(AF) and without people or animals^(AG)—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.^{(AH) 13} In the towns of the hill^(AI) country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(AJ) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand^(AK) of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord.

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.^{(A) 2} The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.^{(B) 3} The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.^(C) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.^{(D) 4} When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.^{(E) 5} But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech,^(F) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.^(G)

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am^(H) the gate^(I) for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me^(J) are thieves and robbers,^(K) but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,^(L) and have it to the full.^(M)

¹¹ “I am^(N) the good shepherd.^(O) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(P) 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.^(Q) 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.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd;^(R) I know my sheep^(S) and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^(T)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^{(U) 16} I have other sheep^(V) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock^(W) and one shepherd.^{(X) 17} The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^(Y)—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^(Z) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”^(AA)

¹⁹ The Jews who heard these words were again divided.^{(AB) 20} Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed^(AC) and raving mad.^(AD) Why listen to him?”

²¹ But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.^(AE) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”^(AF)