¹⁵ But you, O Lord, are a God ^(A)merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

^18 (A)Who is a God like you, ^(B)pardoning iniquity
    and passing over transgression
    ^(C)for the remnant of his inheritance?
^(D)He does not retain his anger forever,
    because he delights in steadfast love.
¹⁹ He will ^(E)again have compassion on us;
    ^(F)he will tread our iniquities underfoot.
^(G)You will cast all our^[a] sins
    into the depths of the sea.
^20 (H)You will show faithfulness to Jacob
    and steadfast love to Abraham,
^(I)as you have sworn to our fathers
    from the days of old.

14 ^(A)Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
    for ^(B)you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
² Take with you words
    and return to the Lord;
say to him,
    “Take away all iniquity;
accept ^(C)what is good,
    and we will pay with bulls
    ^(D)the vows^[a] of our lips.
^3 (E)Assyria shall not save us;
    ^(F)we will not ride on horses;
and ^(G)we will say no more, ‘Our God,’
    to the work of our hands.
^(H)In you the orphan finds mercy.”

^20 (A)Is Ephraim my dear son?
    ^(B)Is he my darling child?
For as often as I speak against him,
    I do remember him still.
^(C)Therefore my heart^[a] yearns for him;
    I will surely have mercy on him,
declares the Lord.

^22 (A)“Return, O faithless sons;
    ^(B)I will heal your faithlessness.”
“Behold, we come to you,
    for you are the Lord our God.