Hezekiah’s Prayer^(A)

¹⁴ Hezekiah received the letter^(B) from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple^(C) of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. ¹⁵ And Hezekiah prayed^(D) to the Lord: ¹⁶ “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned^(E) between the cherubim,^(F) you alone are God^(G) over all the kingdoms^(H) of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.^{(I) 17} Give ear, Lord, and hear;^(J) open your eyes, Lord, and see;^(K) listen to all the words Sennacherib^(L) has sent to ridicule^(M) the living God.^(N)

¹⁸ “It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands.^{(O) 19} They have thrown their gods into the fire^(P) and destroyed them,^(Q) for they were not gods^(R) but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.^{(S) 20} Now, Lord our God, deliver^(T) us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth^(U) may know that you, Lord, are the only God.^[a](V)”

Praise to God for a Living Hope

³ Praise 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) 4} and into an inheritance^(F) that can never perish, spoil or fade.^(G) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,^{(H) 5} who 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. ⁶ In 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) 7} These 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) 8} Though 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, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.^(T)