The Workers Are Few

³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.^{(A) 36} When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them,^(B) because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.^{(C) 37} Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest^(D) is plentiful but the workers are few.^{(E) 38} Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve^{(F)(G)(H)(I)(J)}

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits^(K) and to heal every disease and sickness.^(L)

² These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.^(M)

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

²⁴ “He himself bore our sins”^(A) in his body on the cross,^(B) so that we might die to sins^(C) and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”^{(D) 25} For “you were like sheep going astray,”^[a](E) but now you have returned to the Shepherd^(F) and Overseer of your souls.^(G)

⁵ So they were scattered because there was no shepherd,^(A) and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.^{(B) 6} My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill.^(C) They were scattered^(D) over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.^(E)

⁷ “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ⁸ As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered^(F) and has become food for all the wild animals,^(G) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,^{(H) 9} therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁰ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against^(I) the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue^(J) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.^(K)

¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep^(L) and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd^(M) looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.^{(N) 13} I will bring them out from the nations and gather^(O) them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.^(P) I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.^{(Q) 14} I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel^(R) will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture^(S) on the mountains of Israel.^{(T) 15} I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,^(U) declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(V) 16} I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up^(W) the injured and strengthen the weak,^(X) but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.^(Y) I will shepherd the flock with justice.^(Z)

¹¹ “I am^(A) the good shepherd.^(B) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(C) 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.^(D) 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;^(E) I know my sheep^(F) and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^(G)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^(H)

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.^{(A) 6} Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.^{(B) 7} As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven^(C) has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

⁹ “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts^(D)— ¹⁰ no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.^{(E) 11} Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. ¹² As you enter the home, give it your greeting.^{(F) 13} If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.^{(G) 15} Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah^(H) on the day of judgment^(I) than for that town.^(J)

¹⁶ “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.^(K) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.^(L)