Scriptures

New Living Translation (NLT)

Zechariah 11
⁸ I got rid of their three evil shepherds in a single month. But I became impatient with these sheep, and they hated me, too.
⁹ So I told them, “I won’t be your shepherd any longer. If you die, you die. If you are killed, you are killed. And let those who remain devour each other!”
¹⁰ Then I took my staff called Favor and cut it in two, showing that I had revoked the covenant I had made with all the nations.
¹¹ That was the end of my covenant with them. The suffering flock was watching me, and they knew that the LORD was speaking through my actions.
¹² And I said to them, “If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to.” So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
¹³ And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the LORD.
¹⁴ Then I took my other staff, Union, and cut it in two, showing that the bond of unity between Judah and Israel was broken.
¹⁵ Then the LORD said to me, “Go again and play the part of a worthless shepherd.
¹⁶ This illustrates how I will give this nation a shepherd who will not care for those who are dying, nor look after the young, nor heal the injured, nor feed the healthy. Instead, this shepherd will eat the meat of the fattest sheep and tear off their hooves.
¹⁷ “What sorrow awaits this worthless shepherd who abandons the flock! The sword will cut his arm and pierce his right eye. His arm will become useless, and his right eye completely blind.”
Zechariah 12
¹ This message concerning the fate of Israel came from the LORD: “This message is from the LORD, who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundations of the earth, and formed the human spirit.