Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁹ The makers of idols are all of them nothing, and their best beloved things shall not profit them. They are their witnesses, that they do not see, nor understand, that they may be ashamed.

¹⁰ Who hath formed a god, and made a graven thing that is profitable for nothing?

¹¹ Behold, all the partakers thereof shall be confounded: for the makers are men: they shall all assemble together, they shall stand and fear, and shall be confounded together.

¹² The smith hath wrought with his file, with coals, and with hammers he hath formed it, and hath wrought with the strength of his arm: he shall hunger and faint, he shall drink no water, and shall be weary.

¹³ The carpenter hath stretched out his rule, he hath formed it with a plane: he hath made it with corners, and hath fashioned it round with the compass: and he hath made the image of a man as it were a beautiful man dwelling in a house.

¹⁴ He hath cut down cedars, taken the holm, and the oak that stood among the trees of the forest: he hath planted the pine tree, which the rain hath nourished.

¹⁵ And it hath served men for fuel: he took thereof, and warmed himself: and he kindled it, and baked bread: but of the rest he made a god, and adored it: he made a graven thing, and bowed down before it.

¹⁶ Part of it he burnt with fire, and with part of it he dressed his meat: he boiled pottage, and was filled, and was warmed, and said: Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire.

¹⁷ But the residue thereof he made a god, and a graven thing for himself: he boweth down before it, and adoreth it, and prayeth unto it, saying: Deliver me, for thou art my God.

¹³ For God making promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom he might swear, swore by himself,

¹⁴ Saying: Unless blessing I shall bless thee, and multiplying I shall multiply thee.

¹⁵ And so patiently enduring he obtained the promise.

¹⁶ For men swear by one greater than themselves: and an oath for confirmation is the end of all their controversy.

¹⁷ Wherein God, meaning more abundantly to shew to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed an oath:

¹⁸ That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have the strongest comfort, who have fled for refuge to hold fast the hope set before us.

¹⁹ Which we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, and which entereth in even within the veil;

²⁰ Where the forerunner Jesus is entered for us, made a high priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.