¹⁵ I will give you shepherds after my own heart who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.^(A)

⁴ I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall no longer fear or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.^(A)

²⁸ Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God^[a] that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.^[b](A)

¹¹ He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers^{(A) 12} to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,^(B)

²³ I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them; he shall feed them and be their shepherd.^(A)

Jesus and Peter

¹⁵ When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”^{(A) 16} A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”^{(B) 17} He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.^(C)

²⁰ Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any longer, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.^{(A) 21} And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”^(B)

On Divisions in the Corinthian Church

3 And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people but rather as fleshly, as infants in Christ.^{(A) 2} I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready,^(B)

Tending the Flock of God

5 Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you^{(A) 2} to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight,^[a] not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it,^[b] not for sordid gain but eagerly.^{(B) 3} Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock.^{(C) 4} And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away.^(D)

The True Wisdom of God

⁶ Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are being destroyed.^(A)