The Lord's Mercy on Israel

14 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
    and (A)bring her into the wilderness,
    and (B)speak tenderly to her.
15 And there I will give her her vineyards
    and make the Valley of Achor[a] a door of hope.
And there she shall answer (C)as in the days of her youth,
    as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

16 “And (D)in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ 17 For (E)I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. 18 And (F)I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And (G)I will abolish[b] the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in (H)safety. 19 And I will betroth you to me (I)forever. (J)I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. 20 (K)I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And (L)you shall know the Lord.

21 “And (M)in that day (N)I will answer, declares the Lord,
    I will answer the heavens,
    and they shall answer the earth,
22 and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil,
    and they shall answer (O)Jezreel,[c]
23     and (P)I will sow her for myself in the land.
And (Q)I (R)will have mercy on No Mercy,[d]
    and (S)I will say to Not My People,[e] (T)‘You are my people’;
    and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 2:15 Achor means trouble; compare Joshua 7:26
  2. Hosea 2:18 Hebrew break
  3. Hosea 2:22 Jezreel means God will sow
  4. Hosea 2:23 Hebrew Lo-ruhama
  5. Hosea 2:23 Hebrew Lo-ammi

14 “Therefore I am now going to allure her;
    I will lead her into the wilderness(A)
    and speak tenderly to her.
15 There I will give her back her vineyards,
    and will make the Valley of Achor[a](B) a door of hope.
There she will respond[b](C) as in the days of her youth,(D)
    as in the day she came up out of Egypt.(E)

16 “In that day,” declares the Lord,
    “you will call me ‘my husband’;(F)
    you will no longer call me ‘my master.[c]
17 I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips;(G)
    no longer will their names be invoked.(H)
18 In that day I will make a covenant for them
    with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky
    and the creatures that move along the ground.(I)
Bow and sword and battle
    I will abolish(J) from the land,
    so that all may lie down in safety.(K)
19 I will betroth(L) you to me forever;
    I will betroth you in[d] righteousness and justice,(M)
    in[e] love and compassion.(N)
20 I will betroth you in[f] faithfulness,
    and you will acknowledge(O) the Lord.(P)

21 “In that day I will respond,”
    declares the Lord
“I will respond(Q) to the skies,
    and they will respond to the earth;
22 and the earth will respond to the grain,
    the new wine and the olive oil,(R)
    and they will respond to Jezreel.[g](S)
23 I will plant(T) her for myself in the land;
    I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.[h](U)
I will say to those called ‘Not my people,[i]’ ‘You are my people’;(V)
    and they will say, ‘You are my God.(W)’”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 2:15 Achor means trouble.
  2. Hosea 2:15 Or sing
  3. Hosea 2:16 Hebrew baal
  4. Hosea 2:19 Or with
  5. Hosea 2:19 Or with
  6. Hosea 2:20 Or with
  7. Hosea 2:22 Jezreel means God plants.
  8. Hosea 2:23 Hebrew Lo-Ruhamah (see 1:6)
  9. Hosea 2:23 Hebrew Lo-Ammi (see 1:9)

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

Of David.

103 (A)Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
(B)Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and (C)forget not all his benefits,
who (D)forgives all your iniquity,
    who (E)heals all your diseases,
who (F)redeems your life from the pit,
    who (G)crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who (H)satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like (I)the eagle's.

The Lord works (J)righteousness
    and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his (K)ways to Moses,
    his (L)acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is (M)merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
(N)He will not always chide,
    nor will he (O)keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us (P)according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For (Q)as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his (R)steadfast love toward (S)those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he (T)remove our transgressions from us.
13 As (U)a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the Lord shows compassion (V)to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;[a]
    he (W)remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like (X)grass;
    he flourishes like (Y)a flower of the field;
16 for (Z)the wind passes over it, and (AA)it is gone,
    and (AB)its place knows it no more.
17 But (AC)the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on (AD)those who fear him,
    and his righteousness to (AE)children's children,
18 to those who (AF)keep his covenant
    and (AG)remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has (AH)established his throne in the heavens,
    and his (AI)kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord, O you (AJ)his angels,
    you (AK)mighty ones who (AL)do his word,
    obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his (AM)hosts,
    his (AN)ministers, who do his will!
22 (AO)Bless the Lord, all his works,
    in all places of his dominion.
(AP)Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 103:14 Or knows how we are formed

Psalm 103

Of David.

Praise the Lord,(A) my soul;(B)
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.(C)
Praise the Lord,(D) my soul,
    and forget not(E) all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins(F)
    and heals(G) all your diseases,
who redeems your life(H) from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,(I)
who satisfies(J) your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed(K) like the eagle’s.(L)

The Lord works righteousness(M)
    and justice for all the oppressed.(N)

He made known(O) his ways(P) to Moses,
    his deeds(Q) to the people of Israel:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,(R)
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;(S)
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve(T)
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love(U) for those who fear him;(V)
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions(W) from us.

13 As a father has compassion(X) on his children,
    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,(Y)
    he remembers that we are dust.(Z)
15 The life of mortals is like grass,(AA)
    they flourish like a flower(AB) of the field;
16 the wind blows(AC) over it and it is gone,
    and its place(AD) remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
    and his righteousness with their children’s children(AE)
18 with those who keep his covenant(AF)
    and remember(AG) to obey his precepts.(AH)

19 The Lord has established his throne(AI) in heaven,
    and his kingdom rules(AJ) over all.

20 Praise the Lord,(AK) you his angels,(AL)
    you mighty ones(AM) who do his bidding,(AN)
    who obey his word.
21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,(AO)
    you his servants(AP) who do his will.
22 Praise the Lord, all his works(AQ)
    everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul.(AR)

(A)Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. (B)Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but (C)our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be (D)ministers of (E)a new covenant, not of (F)the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but (G)the Spirit gives life.

Now if (H)the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory (I)that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in (J)the ministry of condemnation, (K)the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

12 Since we have such a hope, (L)we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, (M)who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But (N)their minds were (O)hardened. For to this day, (P)when they read (Q)the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when (R)one[a] turns to the Lord, (S)the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord[b] is the Spirit, and where (T)the Spirit of the Lord is, there is (U)freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, (V)beholding (W)the glory of the Lord,[c] (X)are being transformed into the same image (Y)from one degree of glory to another.[d] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:16 Greek he
  2. 2 Corinthians 3:17 Or this Lord
  3. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Or reflecting the glory of the Lord
  4. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Greek from glory to glory

Such confidence(A) we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves(B) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.(C) He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant(D)—not of the letter(E) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.(F)

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

Now if the ministry that brought death,(G) which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,(H) transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation(I) was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!(J) 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

12 Therefore, since we have such a hope,(K) we are very bold.(L) 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face(M) to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull,(N) for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant(O) is read.(P) It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord,(Q) the veil is taken away.(R) 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit,(S) and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.(T) 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a](U) the Lord’s glory,(V) are being transformed into his image(W) with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Or reflect

A Question About Fasting

18 Now (A)John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, (B)“Why do John's disciples and (C)the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, (D)“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 (E)The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and (F)then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old (G)wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 2:22 Some manuscripts omit But new wine is for fresh wineskins

Jesus Questioned About Fasting(A)

18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting.(B) Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them,(C) and on that day they will fast.

21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

Read full chapter