Jeremiah 3:15

⁴I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them. They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, neither will any be lacking,” says the LORD.

²⁸Take heed, therefore, to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and^[+] God which he purchased with his own blood.

¹¹He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds^[+] and teachers; ¹²for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,

²³I will set up one shepherd over them, and he will feed them, even my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be their shepherd.

¹⁵So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

¹⁶He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

¹⁷He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

²⁰Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers won’t be hidden any more, but your eyes will see your teachers; ²¹and when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.”

²¹The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

⁴²The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?

¹Brothers, I couldn’t speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ. ²I fed you with milk, not with solid food, for you weren’t yet ready. Indeed, you aren’t ready even now,

⁶We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown, yet a wisdom not of this world nor of the rulers of this world who are coming to nothing.