Revised Standard Version RSV
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 The word of the LORD came to me:
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The LORD spoke his word to me. He said,
2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ho, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?
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"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy to these shepherds. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: How horrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of only themselves. Shouldn't shepherds take care of the sheep?
3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep.
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You eat the best parts of the sheep, dress in the wool, and butcher the finest sheep. Yet, you don't take care of the sheep.
4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the crippled you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.
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You have not strengthened those that were weak, healed those that were sick, or bandaged those that were injured. You have not brought back those that strayed away or looked for those that were lost. You have ruled them harshly and violently.
5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the wild beasts.
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So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. When they were scattered, they became food for every wild animal.
6 My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.
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My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered throughout the whole earth. No one searched or looked for them.
7 "Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
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"'So, you shepherds, listen to the word of the LORD.
8 As I live, says the Lord GOD, because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd; and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep;
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As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, because there is no shepherd, my sheep have become prey. My sheep have become food for every wild animal. My shepherds haven't searched for my sheep. They have taken care of only themselves, not my sheep.
9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
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So, you shepherds, listen to the word of the LORD.
10 Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep; no longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.
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This is what the Almighty LORD says: I am against the shepherds. I will demand that they hand over my sheep. I won't let them take care of my sheep anymore, and they will no longer take care of only themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, and my sheep will no longer be their food.
11 "For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.
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"'This is what the Almighty LORD says: I will search for my sheep myself, and I will look after them.
12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.
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As a shepherd looks after his flock when he is with his scattered sheep, so I will look after my sheep. I will rescue them on a cloudy and gloomy day from every place where they have been scattered.
13 And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the fountains, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
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I will bring them out from the nations, gather them from the countries, and bring them to their own land. I will take care of them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land.
14 I will feed them with good pasture, and upon the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on fat pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel.
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I will feed them in good pasture, and they will graze on the mountains of Israel. They will rest on the good land where they graze, and they will feed on the best pastures in the mountains of Israel.
15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD.
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I will take care of my sheep and lead them to rest, declares the Almighty LORD.
16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over; I will feed them in justice.
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I will look for those that are lost, bring back those that have strayed away, bandage those that are injured, and strengthen those that are sick. I will destroy those that are fat and strong. I will take care of my sheep fairly.
17 "As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, rams and he-goats.
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"'As for you, my sheep, this is what the Almighty LORD says: I will judge disputes between one sheep and another, between rams and male goats.
18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must foul the rest with your feet?
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Isn't it enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? You drink clean water. Must you muddy the rest of the water with your feet?
19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have fouled with your feet?
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Must my sheep eat what your feet have trampled and drink what your feet have muddied?
20 "Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
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"'So this is what the Almighty LORD says to them: I will judge disputes between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep.
21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad,
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You fat sheep push the skinny sheep with your sides and shoulders, and you knock down all the sick sheep with your horns. You have scattered them all over.
22 I will save my flock, they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.
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So I will rescue my sheep, and they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.
23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.
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Then I will place one shepherd over them, my servant David, and he will take care of them. He will take care of them and be their shepherd.
24 And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.
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I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David will be their prince. I, the LORD, have spoken.
25 "I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.
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"'I will promise them peace. I will remove the wild animals from the land so that my sheep can live safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.
26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.
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I will bless them and the places around my hill. I will send rain at the right time. These showers will be a blessing to them.
27 And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them.
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Then the trees in the field will produce fruit, the land will yield crops, and my sheep will live safely in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, because I will break off the bars on their yokes and rescue them from the people who made them slaves.
28 They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them; they shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.
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They will no longer be prey to the nations, and the wild animals will no longer eat them. They will live safely, and no one will frighten them.
29 And I will provide for them prosperous plantations so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations.
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I will give them a place that is known for its good crops. They will no longer experience hunger in the land, and they will no longer suffer the insults of other nations.
30 And they shall know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD.
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Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the people of Israel, are my people, declares the Almighty LORD.
31 And you are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, says the Lord GOD."
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You, my sheep, are the sheep in my pasture. You are mortal, and I am your God, declares the Almighty LORD.'"
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.