²⁴ He answered, ^(A)“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

^5 (A)These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of ^(B)the Samaritans, ^6 (C)but go rather to ^(D)the lost sheep of ^(E)the house of Israel.

Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles

⁸ For I tell you that Christ ^(A)became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order ^(B)to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

⁴⁶ And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God ^(A)be spoken first to you. ^(B)Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves ^(C)unworthy of eternal life, behold, we ^(D)are turning to the Gentiles.

^5 (A)So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and ^(B)they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; ⁶ they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, ^(C)with none to search or seek for them.

^6 (A)“My people have been lost sheep. ^(B)Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten their fold. ⁷ All who found them have devoured them, ^(C)and their enemies have said, ‘We are not guilty, for ^(D)they have sinned against the Lord, ^(E)their habitation of righteousness, the Lord, ^(F)the hope of their fathers.’

^25 (A)You are the sons of the prophets and of ^(B)the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ^(C)‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ ^26 (D)God, ^(E)having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, ^(F)to bless you ^(G)by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

^4 (A)“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, ^(B)if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine ^(C)in the open country, and ^(D)go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, ^(E)he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for ^(F)I have found my sheep that was lost.’