Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Who Is like the Lord Our God?
2 (D)Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore!
3 (E)From the rising of the sun to its setting,
(F)the name of the Lord is (G)to be praised!
4 The Lord is (H)high above all nations,
and his (I)glory above the heavens!
5 (J)Who is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who (K)looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He (L)raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them (M)sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He (N)gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
(O)Praise the Lord!
17 And the word of the Lord came to me: 18 (A)“Son of man, the house of Israel has become (B)dross to me; all of them are (C)bronze and tin and iron and lead in the furnace; they are (D)dross of silver. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As one gathers silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into a furnace, (E)to blow the fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you (F)in my anger and in my wrath, and I will put you in and melt you. 21 I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of my wrath, and you shall be melted in the midst of it. 22 As silver is melted in a furnace, so you shall be melted in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the Lord; (G)I have poured out my wrath upon you.”
23 And the word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, say to her, You are a land that is (H)not cleansed (I)or rained upon in the day of indignation. 25 (J)The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is (K)like a roaring lion (L)tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. 26 (M)Her priests (N)have done violence to my law and (O)have profaned my holy things. (P)They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and (Q)they have disregarded my Sabbaths, (R)so that I am profaned among them. 27 (S)Her princes in her midst are like wolves (T)tearing the prey, (U)shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain. 28 And (V)her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, (W)seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord has not spoken. 29 The people of the land (X)have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and (Y)have extorted from the sojourner without justice. 30 (Z)And I sought for a man among them (AA)who should build up the wall (AB)and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. 31 Therefore (AC)I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned (AD)their way upon their heads, declares the Lord God.”
God's Everlasting Love
31 What then shall we say to these things? (A)If God is for us, who can be[a] against us? 32 (B)He who did not spare his own Son but (C)gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? (D)It is God who justifies. 34 (E)Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—(F)who is at the right hand of God, (G)who indeed is interceding for us.[b] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
(H)“For your sake (I)we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than (J)conquerors through (K)him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.