Here this word probably refers to both men and women. Alternate translation: "fellow believers" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations]])
A believer who stops trusting in God and obeying him is spoken of as if he were a sheep that wandered away from the flock. The person who persuades him to trust in God again is spoken of as if he were a shepherd who went to search for the lost sheep. Alternate translation: "whenever anyone stops obeying God, and another person helps him start obeying again" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])