The Covenant of Circumcision

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old,^(A) the Lord appeared to him^(B) and said, “I am God Almighty^[a];^(C) walk before me faithfully and be blameless.^(D)

¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the Lord?^(A) I will return to you at the appointed time next year,^(B) and Sarah will have a son.”^(C)

⁴⁴ I am the Lord your God;^(A) consecrate yourselves^(B) and be holy,^(C) because I am holy.^(D) Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground.^(E)

² “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel^(A) and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God,^(B) am holy.^(C)

⁷ “‘Consecrate yourselves^(A) and be holy,^(B) because I am the Lord your God.^(C)

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego^(A) replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver^(B) us from it, and he will deliver^(C) us^[a] from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.^(D)”

²⁰ When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”^(A)

²¹ Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!^{(B) 22} My God sent his angel,^(C) and he shut the mouths of the lions.^(D) They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.^(E) Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.^(A)

²⁰ He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith^(A) as small as a mustard seed,^(B) you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.^(C) Nothing will be impossible for you.”