Repentance to Bring Blessing

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

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10.
  2. Hosea 14:2 Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
  3. Hosea 14:8 Or Hebrew; Septuagint What more has Ephraim

Restoration of Israel

30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write(A) in a book all the words I have spoken to you. The days(B) are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring(C) my people Israel and Judah back from captivity[a] and restore(D) them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 30:3 Or will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah

10 “‘So do not be afraid,(A) Jacob my servant;(B)
    do not be dismayed, Israel,’
declares the Lord.
‘I will surely save(C) you out of a distant place,
    your descendants from the land of their exile.
Jacob will again have peace and security,(D)
    and no one will make him afraid.(E)
11 I am with you(F) and will save you,’
    declares the Lord.
‘Though I completely destroy all the nations
    among which I scatter you,
    I will not completely destroy(G) you.
I will discipline(H) you but only in due measure;
    I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’(I)

12 “This is what the Lord says:

“‘Your wound(J) is incurable,
    your injury beyond healing.(K)
13 There is no one to plead your cause,(L)
    no remedy for your sore,
    no healing(M) for you.
14 All your allies(N) have forgotten you;
    they care nothing for you.
I have struck you as an enemy(O) would
    and punished you as would the cruel,(P)
because your guilt is so great
    and your sins(Q) so many.
15 Why do you cry out over your wound,
    your pain that has no cure?(R)
Because of your great guilt and many sins
    I have done these things to you.(S)

16 “‘But all who devour(T) you will be devoured;
    all your enemies will go into exile.(U)
Those who plunder(V) you will be plundered;
    all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
17 But I will restore you to health
    and heal(W) your wounds,’
declares the Lord,
‘because you are called an outcast,(X)
    Zion for whom no one cares.’(Y)

18 “This is what the Lord says:

“‘I will restore the fortunes(Z) of Jacob’s tents(AA)
    and have compassion(AB) on his dwellings;
the city will be rebuilt(AC) on her ruins,
    and the palace will stand in its proper place.
19 From them will come songs(AD) of thanksgiving(AE)
    and the sound of rejoicing.(AF)
I will add to their numbers,(AG)
    and they will not be decreased;
I will bring them honor,(AH)
    and they will not be disdained.
20 Their children(AI) will be as in days of old,
    and their community will be established(AJ) before me;
    I will punish(AK) all who oppress them.
21 Their leader(AL) will be one of their own;
    their ruler will arise from among them.(AM)
I will bring him near(AN) and he will come close to me—
    for who is he who will devote himself
    to be close to me?’
declares the Lord.
22 “‘So you will be my people,(AO)
    and I will be your God.(AP)’”

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A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you,(A) brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,(B) holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform(C) to the pattern of this world,(D) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.(E) Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is(F)—his good, pleasing(G) and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

For by the grace given me(H) I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,(I) so in Christ we, though many, form one body,(J) and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts,(K) according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,(L) then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith;(M) if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;(N) if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;(O) if it is giving, then give generously;(P) if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

Love must be sincere.(Q) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.(R) 10 Be devoted to one another in love.(S) Honor one another above yourselves.(T) 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,(U) serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope,(V) patient in affliction,(W) faithful in prayer.(X) 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.(Y) Practice hospitality.(Z)

14 Bless those who persecute you;(AA) bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.(AB) 16 Live in harmony with one another.(AC) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.(AD)

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.(AE) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.(AF) 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.(AG) 19 Do not take revenge,(AH) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d](AI) says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e](AJ)

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 12:6 Or the
  2. Romans 12:8 Or to provide for others
  3. Romans 12:16 Or willing to do menial work
  4. Romans 12:19 Deut. 32:35
  5. Romans 12:20 Prov. 25:21,22

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.(A)
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.(B)
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.(C)
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you(D) and insult you(E)
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.(F)

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,(G) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.(H)

24 “But woe to you who are rich,(I)
    for you have already received your comfort.(J)
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.(K)
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.(L)
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.(M)

Love for Enemies(N)

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,(O) 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.(P) 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.(Q) 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.(R)

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?(S) Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?(T) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them,(U) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children(V) of the Most High,(W) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful,(X) just as your Father(Y) is merciful.

Judging Others(Z)

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.(AA) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.(AB) 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.(AC) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”(AD)

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