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Take words with you
    and return to the Lord;
say to him,
    “Take away all guilt;
accept that which is good,
    and we will offer
    the fruit[a] of our lips.
Assyria shall not save us;
    we will not ride upon horses;
we will say no more, ‘Our God,’
    to the work of our hands.
In you the orphan finds mercy.”

Assurance of Forgiveness

I will heal their disloyalty;
    I will love them freely,
    for my anger has turned from them.
I will be like the dew to Israel;
    he shall blossom like the lily,
    he shall strike root like the forests of Lebanon.[b]
His shoots shall spread out;
    his beauty shall be like the olive tree,
    and his fragrance like that of Lebanon.
They shall again live beneath my[c] shadow,
    they shall flourish as a garden;[d]
they shall blossom like the vine,
    their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

O Ephraim, what have I[e] to do with idols?
    It is I who answer and look after you.[f]
I am like an evergreen cypress;
    your faithfulness[g] comes from me.
Those who are wise understand these things;
    those who are discerning know them.
For the ways of the Lord are right,
    and the upright walk in them,
    but transgressors stumble in them.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:2 Gk Syr: Heb bulls
  2. Hosea 14:5 Cn: Heb like Lebanon
  3. Hosea 14:7 Heb his
  4. Hosea 14:7 Cn: Heb they shall grow grain
  5. Hosea 14:8 Or What more has Ephraim
  6. Hosea 14:8 Heb him
  7. Hosea 14:8 Heb your fruit

Take words with you
    and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
    “Forgive(A) all our sins
and receive us graciously,(B)
    that we may offer the fruit of our lips.[a](C)
Assyria cannot save us;(D)
    we will not mount warhorses.(E)
We will never again say ‘Our gods’(F)
    to what our own hands have made,(G)
    for in you the fatherless(H) find compassion.”

“I will heal(I) their waywardness(J)
    and love them freely,(K)
    for my anger has turned away(L) from them.
I will be like the dew(M) to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.(N)
Like a cedar of Lebanon(O)
    he will send down his roots;(P)
    his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,(Q)
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.(R)
People will dwell again in his shade;(S)
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom(T) like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine(U) of Lebanon.(V)
Ephraim, what more have I[b] to do with idols?(W)
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;(X)
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

Who is wise?(Y) Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.(Z)
The ways of the Lord are right;(AA)
    the righteous walk(AB) in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:2 Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
  2. Hosea 14:8 Or Hebrew; Septuagint What more has Ephraim

The First Commandment

28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; 33 and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’—this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.

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The Greatest Commandment(A)

28 One of the teachers of the law(B) came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[b](C) 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[c](D) There is no commandment greater than these.”

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.(E) 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”(F)

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”(G) And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:29 Or The Lord our God is one Lord
  2. Mark 12:30 Deut. 6:4,5
  3. Mark 12:31 Lev. 19:18