Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Psalm of David.

¹ ¶ The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters.

³ He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me.

⁵ Thou shalt prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup is running over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will rest in the house of the LORD for ever.

34 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

² Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say unto the pastors, Thus hath the Lord GOD said; Woe unto the shepherds of Israel that feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

³ Ye eat the milk, and ye clothe yourselves with the wool, ye kill those that are fat; but ye do not feed the flock.

⁴ Ye have not strengthened the weak, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty ye have ruled them;

⁵ and they are dispersed because there is no shepherd; and they became food to all the beasts of the field, and they were scattered.

⁶ My sheep were lost and wandered through all the mountains and upon every high hill; my flock was dispersed upon all the face of the earth, and there was no one to search for them or to require anything of them.

⁷ ¶ Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;

⁸ as I live, said the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became food to every beast of the field, without a pastor, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed my flock;

⁹ therefore, O ye pastors, hear the word of the LORD.

¹⁰ Thus hath the Lord GOD said: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any longer; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, and they shall no longer be food for them.

¹¹ For thus hath the Lord GOD said: Behold, I, even I, will both search and recognize my sheep.

¹² As the shepherd recognizes his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered, so will I recognize my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

¹³ And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their own land and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers and in all the habitations of the country.

¹⁴ I will feed them in good pastures and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be; there they shall sleep in a good fold, and in fat pastures they shall be fed upon the mountains of Israel.

¹⁵ I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to have a fold, saith the Lord GOD.

¹⁶ I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them in judgment.

15 ¶ Then all the publicans and sinners drew near unto him to hear him.

² And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them.

³ And he spoke this parable unto them, saying,

⁴ What man of you having a hundred sheep if he lose one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he finds it?

⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.

⁷ I say unto you that likewise there shall be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine just persons, who need no repentance.