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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 12
“I am the good shepherd” – Parable: The Lost Sheep – Parable: The Lost Coin – False
shepherds – Seeking the lost – Parable: The Grace of God – “Will you muddy the waters
of the Lord?” – Yeshua accused of being insane and possessed of demons
1 These are the words which the Beloved spoke unto the people in the fields of Bethsaida, for there came from the city and the regions round about a multitude of people which numbered three thousand souls; and they were as the flocks which have no shepherd to lead them.
2 And the Lord, looking and seeing shepherds tending their flocks nearby, turned to the people and seeing among them the scribes and Pharisees, he spoke to them, saying:
3 “I am the good shepherd which came from above, that whosoever should hear my voice to follow after me, even they shall become as the sheep of my fold.
4 Whosoever shall come after me to do the will of my Father, unto them shall be given eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall they be afraid, for no man shall take them out of my hand.
5 For my Father, which gave them unto me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them from my Father’s hand, for he cares for them.
6 And I know my sheep and they know me for I am come from the Father which is in Heaven, being known of him even as I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep of my fold, for I am the good shepherd.
7 But he that is a hireling, not being the shepherd, whose own sheep you are not, when he sees the wolf approaching will leave the sheep unto themselves and flee away; and the wolf, seeing that no man is tending, catches the sheep to devour them, and scatters them abroad.
8 See then how the hireling flees away when danger comes, for he is a hireling and he cares not for the sheep.
9 I am the good shepherd which cares for you, and the good shepherd will give his life that you might believe and perish not.
10 Whosoever has ears to hear let them hear; for I tell you truly, that he that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
11 But that one which comes unto the gate of the sheepfold to enter in, the same is the true shepherd; for the watchman at the gate, when he sees him approaching, receives him with gladness.
12 And entering in, he calls out his sheep by name and leads them forth unto green pastures and still waters; and wheresoever he goes, the sheep follow after, for they know his voice.
13 But when there comes a stranger among them, they run and scatter themselves upon the hills, for they know not the voice which calls after them.
14 I am the good shepherd sent from above unto the sheep of my fold. All which came aforetime were as thieves and robbers, and to them would the sheep give no heed.
15 I am the gate, and whosoever will come unto me, the same will enter into the fold, and he shall go safely in and out unto green pastures.
16 The thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy; but I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.”
17 Now when Yeshua had said these things, the scribes and Pharisees did murmur against him, saying: “Behold, this man would receive even publicans and sinners, for see how they care for him.”
18 Now when the Lord heard this, he spoke unto them this parable, saying:
19 “Which of you, having a hundred sheep, if one be gone astray, will not leave the ninety and nine, and going into the mountains, seek until you find it?
20 And when you have found it, will you not lay it upon your shoulder rejoicing and praising God?
21 And coming home, will you not call unto both friends and neighbors, saying: ‘Come and rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was gone astray’?
22 I tell you truly, that in Heaven do the angels rejoice more over one sinner that repents and turns again unto God, than over the ninety and nine which need no repentance.
23 For this cause is the Son of Man come forth, that he might seek and save that which is lost.
24 For it is not the Father’s will that any should perish, being lost and without hope.
25 Hear now this other also, for what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one will not light a candle and sweeping clean the whole house, seek diligently till she find it?
26 And when she has found it, will she not call unto her friends and neighbors, saying: ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which was lost’?
27 Again I say unto you that in Heaven do the angels rejoice more over that one which is found than over any other.
28 For the Son of Man came not to do his own will, but to seek and to save that which is lost.
29 Unto what shall these scribes and Pharisees be likened to? For they are become as false shepherds who take care to dress themselves with all manner of richness;
30 But the sheep of the Lord they will not tender, being empty themselves of all affection.
31 For you eat the fat of lambs and clothe yourselves in fine wool, and the goodly sheep do you kill that you may consume it; but the flock of the Lord you will not feed, neither will you lead them in safety.
32 See what false shepherds you are become, for the weak you will not strengthen, the sick you will not heal, neither will you seek to save them which are lost and perishing.
33 For the sheep of my fold have you scattered abroad upon the mountains, and as sheep having no shepherd are they become as food for the wild beasts of the field.
34 Behold, how my sheep have wandered upon every mountain and over every hill;
35 Upon the face of all the earth are they made to perish, for you will not search or seek after them.
36 Hear now, you false shepherds, the word of the Lord which is risen against you; for I have set my face against you, for you are without mercy.
37 Therefore, I will require of you an accounting, and cause that you should no longer tend my people; for I shall deliver from your mouths the sheep of my fold, that you may no longer consume them.
38 For thus saith the Lord God: ‘Behold, I, even the Lord of Hosts, will both search for my sheep and seek them out.’
39 As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among them, even so will I seek out the sheep of my fold to deliver them from strange places;
40 And the dark and cloudy day shall I make light again for their sake, for even I will tender them.
41 For I will call out my sheep from the midst of many people; from the nations of the earth will I gather them, and I will restore them again to their own place, and they shall feed upon the mountains of the Lord; by rivers of joy shall they make safe their habitation.
42 And I will seek for that which was lost, and bring back in safety that which was driven away; and I shall bind up that which was broken, and strengthen that which was sick to heal them.
43 But you which are fat and strong shall I feed with indignation and fury, for you have devoured the innocent and consumed the righteous.
44 Yet will the Lord not forsake the unrighteous altogether, for he is gracious and filled with mercy even unto the least of you.
45 Unto what then shall I compare the grace of the Father which comes from above?
46 For he is like a shepherd in the field tending sheep, and there came to him a hireling, saying: ‘Good master, a certain sheep, being stiffnecked and troublesome, has fallen in the mire and, behold, it perishes.’
47 And the shepherd, when he heard this thing, went forth to rescue and bringing the sheep again to the fold, he caused that it should rest safely.
48 But on the next day when he came again unto the field, the hireling came and said unto him:
49 ‘Good master, the sheep which you did rescue aforetime is even now entangled in the brier, and when I would bring it out again, it does fight against me.’
50 And the shepherd, hearing this, went forth again the second time to rescue.
51 And again on the third day and the fourth day, the sheep which was stiffnecked and troublesome became entangled in the brier, and the third and fourth time the shepherd went forth to rescue.
52 Now on the fifth day when he came to the field, the hireling came unto the shepherd, saying:
53 ‘Good master, have mercy and be not angry against me; for the sheep which you have rescued oft, even he has wandered away in the night, and behold, it is lost in mountains made perilous by wild beasts.’
54 And the shepherd, hearing this, sighed deeply in his soul, and taking his staff, he went forth again to rescue, for he was gracious and filled with mercy even unto the least of his sheep.
55 So it is with the Father which comes from above, for he is not willing that any should perish. Why then will you scorn publicans and sinners seeing that the Father would be merciful unto them?
56 Hear then, O my flock, and come you near unto me; for I will judge righteously between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats will I establish mercy.
57 If you then would be the sheep of my fold, will you satisfy your soul in good pastures? or, Will you trample the pastures of the Lord to tear them up again?
58 Will you satisfy your soul with waters made sweet and pure? or, Will you muddy the waters of the Lord with feet made foul and unclean?
59 Will you cause that even all my sheep should feed on what your feet have trampled, and to drink what your feet have muddied?
60 For this cause will I judge righteously between one sheep and another, that I might rescue even all my sheep from peril, and there shall come no more among you the ones that plunder or make afraid.
61 Beware, therefore, the righteousness of scribes and Pharisees who, like fatted goats among the sheep, shove with flank and shoulder, butting with their horns all which are weaker than themselves, to drive them away.
62 Of such as these shall I demand an accounting, and I will assign unto them their portion.
63 But unto the sheep of my fold will I establish a covenant of peace, for I will rid the high places of wild beasts.
64 Then shall you dwell safely in the desert and in peace shall you sleep in the forest of the hills; for even I will bless you and unto the high places will I send forth the rain in the season thereof.
65 The trees of the field shall yield unto you their fruit, and the earth shall give up its harvest for your sake, and wheresoever you go, even there shall you dwell safely in the land.
66 And you shall know of a surety that even I am the Lord which comes from above, for I will break asunder the yoke of your bondage, and I shall deliver you from those who rule harshly.
67 Hear then and be wise. For you are my sheep, even the sheep of my pasture: Come you, therefore, unto me; for I am the good shepherd which comes from above, and am become as the Bishop of your soul.”
68 These are the words which Yeshua spoke unto the multitudes, and when the scribes and Pharisees heard it, they were filled with anger against him, and turning to the people they said:
69 “This man is possessed by devils, being himself mad and deceived. Why will you listen to him?”
70 And the people answered, saying: “Are these the words of a madman, or of one who is deceived and possessed by devils?
71 Can you, of yourselves, open the eyes of the blind, or cause that the lame should walk again, or make clean the leper? Which of you can do these things?”
72 And there arose a division among the Jews because of him; for they which were of the temple were against him; but they which were common and outcasts loved him, thinking him righteous above all other men.
73 And the Lord, going throughout the regions of upper Galilee, went forth teaching and healing, first to Chorazin, then unto Gischala and Cadasa. And many believed in him, thinking him some great prophet.
74 Now when the feast of Passover was past, the Lord came again unto Capernaum in the second month, and many came out to see him and to touch the hem of his garment. And when he was come again unto his own place, he rested there.
YESHUA 12