Two Shepherds

⁴ This is what the Lord my God says: “Shepherd the flock marked for slaughter.^{(H) 5} Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not spare them.^{(I) 6} For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” declares the Lord. “I will give everyone into the hands of their neighbors^(J) and their king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue anyone from their hands.”^(K)

⁷ So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter,^(L) particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock. ⁸ In one month I got rid of the three shepherds.

The flock detested^(M) me, and I grew weary of them ⁹ and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish.^(N) Let those who are left eat^(O) one another’s flesh.”

¹⁰ Then I took my staff called Favor^(P) and broke it, revoking^(Q) the covenant I had made with all the nations. ¹¹ It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord.

¹² I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.^(R)

¹³ And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver^(S) and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.^(T)

¹⁴ Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel.

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. ¹⁶ For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves.

Jerusalem’s Enemies to Be Destroyed

12 A prophecy:^(X) The word of the Lord concerning Israel.

The Lord, who stretches out the heavens,^(Y) who lays the foundation of the earth,^(Z) and who forms the human spirit within a person,^(AA) declares: ² “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup^(AB) that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling.^(AC) Judah^(AD) will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. ³ On that day, when all the nations^(AE) of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock^(AF) for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure^(AG) themselves. ⁴ On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the Lord. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations.^{(AH) 5} Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong,^(AI) because the Lord Almighty is their God.’

⁶ “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot^(AJ) in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume^(AK) all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact^(AL) in her place.

⁷ “The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.^{(AM) 8} On that day the Lord will shield^(AN) those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest^(AO) among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God,^(AP) like the angel of the Lord going before^(AQ) them. ⁹ On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations^(AR) that attack Jerusalem.^(AS)

Mourning for the One They Pierced

¹⁰ “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit^[a](AT) of grace and supplication.^(AU) They will look on^[b] me, the one they have pierced,^(AV) and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child,^(AW) and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.^{(AX) 11} On that day the weeping^(AY) in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.^{(AZ) 12} The land will mourn,^(BA) each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, ¹³ the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, ¹⁴ and all the rest of the clans and their wives.^(BB)

Warning to Rich Oppressors

5 Now listen,^(A) you rich people,^(B) weep and wail^(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.^{(D) 3} Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.^{(E) 4} Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers^(F) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries^(G) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.^{(H) 5} You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves^(I) in the day of slaughter.^{[a](J) 6} You have condemned and murdered^(K) the innocent one,^(L) who was not opposing you.

Patience in Suffering

⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.^(M) See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting^(N) for the autumn and spring rains.^{(O) 8} You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming^(P) is near.^{(Q) 9} Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,^(R) or you will be judged. The Judge^(S) is standing at the door!^(T)

¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets^(U) who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed^(V) those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance^(W) and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.^(X) The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.^(Y)

¹² Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.^(Z)

The Prayer of Faith

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.^(AA) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.^{(AB) 14} Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders^(AC) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil^(AD) in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith^(AE) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins^(AF) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.^(AG) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.^(AH)

¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are.^(AI) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.^{(AJ) 18} Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.^(AK)

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth^(AL) and someone should bring that person back,^{(AM) 20} remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save^(AN) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.^(AO)