¹³ But the tax collector, ^(A)standing far off, ^(B)would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but ^(C)beat his breast, saying, ‘God, ^(D)be merciful to me, a sinner!’

¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, ^(A)I have sinned against ^(B)heaven and before you. ^19 (C)I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ ²⁰ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ^(D)ran and ^(E)embraced him and ^(F)kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ^(G)I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’^[a]

⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. ^(A)Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ^8 (B)Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. ^(C)Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and ^(D)purify your hearts, ^(E)you double-minded. ^9 (F)Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ^10 (G)Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

¹¹ For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, ^(A)what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.

^12 (A)For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; ^(B)for the same Lord is Lord of all, ^(C)bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³ For ^(D)“everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when ^(A)Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.