1 Peter 1:3-9

New International Version

Praise to God for a Living Hope

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!^(A) In his great mercy^(B) he has given us new birth^(C) into a living hope^(D) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,^(E) ⁴and into an inheritance^(F) that can never perish, spoil or fade.^(G) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,^(H) ⁵who through faith are shielded by God’s power^(I) until the coming of the salvation^(J) that is ready to be revealed^(K) in the last time. ⁶In all this you greatly rejoice,^(L) though now for a little while^(M) you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.^(N) ⁷These have come so that the proven genuineness^(O) of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire^(P)—may result in praise, glory and honor^(Q) when Jesus Christ is revealed.^(R) ⁸Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him^(S) and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.^(T)

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Isaiah 43:14-21

New International Version

God’s Mercy and Israel’s Unfaithfulness

¹⁴This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer,^(A) the Holy One^(B) of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon
    and bring down as fugitives^(C) all the Babylonians,^[a]^(D)
    in the ships in which they took pride.
¹⁵I am the Lord,^(E) your Holy One,
    Israel’s Creator,^(F) your King.^(G)”

¹⁶This is what the Lord says—
    he who made a way through the sea,
    a path through the mighty waters,^(H)
¹⁷who drew out^(I) the chariots and horses,^(J)
    the army and reinforcements together,^(K)
and they lay^(L) there, never to rise again,
    extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:^(M)
¹⁸“Forget the former things;^(N)
    do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹See, I am doing a new thing!^(O)
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness^(P)
    and streams in the wasteland.^(Q)
²⁰The wild animals^(R) honor me,
    the jackals^(S) and the owls,
because I provide water^(T) in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
²¹    the people I formed^(U) for myself^(V)
    that they may proclaim my praise.^(W)