Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Song of Ascents
The Exiles Restored
Habakkuk Waits for God’s Answer
2 “I will stand at my guard post
and station myself on a tower.
I will wait and see what the Lord[a] will say about me
and what I[b] will answer when he reprimands me.[c]”
God’s Reply to the Prophet’s Complaint
2 When he answered, the Lord told me:
“Write out the revelation,
engraving it clearly on the tablets,
so that a courier may run with it.[d]
3 For the revelation pertains to an appointed time—
it speaks truthfully[e] about the end.
Though it delays, wait for it,
because it will surely come about—
it will not be late!
4 “Notice their[f] arrogance—
they have no inward uprightness[g]—
but the righteous will live by their faith.
5 Moreover, just as wine leads astray the proud and powerful man,
he[h] remains restless;
he[i] has expanded his appetite—
like the afterlife[j] or death itself, he[k] is never satisfied.
He[l] gathers to himself all of the nations,
taking captive all of the people for himself.”
7 But whatever things were assets to me, these I now consider a loss for the sake of the Messiah.[a] 8 What is more, I continue to consider all these things to be a loss for the sake of what is far more valuable, knowing the Messiah[b] Jesus, my Lord. It is because of him that I have experienced the loss of all those things. Indeed, I consider them rubbish[c] in order to gain the Messiah[d] 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the Law, but one that comes through the faithfulness[e] of the Messiah,[f] the righteousness that comes from God and that depends on faith. 10 I want to know the Messiah[g]—what his resurrection power is like and what it means to share in his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 though I hope to experience the resurrection from the dead.
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