Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God

¹³ “You have spoken arrogantly^(A) against me,” says the Lord.

“Yet you ask,^(B) ‘What have we said against you?’

¹⁴ “You have said, ‘It is futile^(C) to serve^(D) God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements^(E) and going about like mourners^(F) before the Lord Almighty? ¹⁵ But now we call the arrogant^(G) blessed. Certainly evildoers^(H) prosper,^(I) and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”

The Faithful Remnant

¹⁶ Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard.^(J) A scroll^(K) of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared^(L) the Lord and honored his name.

¹⁷ “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my^(M) treasured possession.^(N) I will spare^(O) them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son^(P) who serves him. ¹⁸ And you will again see the distinction between the righteous^(Q) and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.^(R)

Psalm 46^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.^[b] A song.

¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness^(A) and brought us into the kingdom^(B) of the Son he loves,^{(C) 14} in whom we have redemption,^(D) the forgiveness of sins.^(E)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

¹⁵ The Son is the image^(F) of the invisible God,^(G) the firstborn^(H) over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created:^(I) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;^(J) all things have been created through him and for him.^{(K) 17} He is before all things,^(L) and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head^(M) of the body, the church;^(N) he is the beginning and the firstborn^(O) from among the dead,^(P) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased^(Q) to have all his fullness^(R) dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile^(S) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,^(T) by making peace^(U) through his blood,^(V) shed on the cross.

²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed^(A) for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.^{(B) 29} For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’^{(C) 30} Then

³¹ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”^(E)

³² Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.^{(F) 33} When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴ Jesus said, “Father,^(G) forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”^[b](H) And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.^(I)

³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him.^(J) They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”^(K)

³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him.^(L) They offered him wine vinegar^{(M) 37} and said, “If you are the king of the Jews,^(N) save yourself.”

³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.^(O)

³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”^(P)

⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”^(Q)

⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.^[c]”^(R)

⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”^(S)