Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Restore Our Fortunes, O Lord

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.

^18 (A)In that day there will be ^(B)five cities in the land of Egypt that ^(C)speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts. One of these will be called the City of Destruction.^[a]

¹⁹ In that day there will be an ^(D)altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a ^(E)pillar to the Lord at its border. ^20 (F)It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, ^(G)he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. ^21 (H)And the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day ^(I)and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. ^22 (J)And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.

^23 (K)In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, ^(L)and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

²⁴ In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, ^(M)a blessing in the midst of the earth, ²⁵ whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt ^(N)my people, and Assyria ^(O)the work of my hands, and ^(P)Israel my inheritance.”

^2 (A)May grace and peace be multiplied to you ^(B)in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Confirm Your Calling and Election

³ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him ^(C)who called us to^[a] his own glory and excellence,^{[b] 4} by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become ^(D)partakers of the divine nature, ^(E)having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith ^(F)with virtue,^[c] and virtue ^(G)with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control ^(H)with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷ and godliness ^(I)with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection ^(J)with love. ⁸ For if these qualities^[d] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or ^(K)unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he ^(L)is blind, having forgotten that he was ^(M)cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers,^[e] be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and ^(N)election, for if you practice these qualities ^(O)you will never fall. ¹¹ For in this way there will be richly provided for you ^(P)an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

¹² Therefore I intend ^(Q)always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in ^(R)the truth that you have. ¹³ I think it right, as long as I am in this ^(S)body,^{[f] (T)}to stir you up by way of reminder, ^14 (U)since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, ^(V)as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. ¹⁵ And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.