Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 Show us, O Lord, your kindness[a]
and grant us your salvation.
9 [b]I will listen for God’s response;
surely the Lord will proclaim peace to his people, his saints,[c]
to those who turn to him with their whole heart.
10 His salvation is indeed near for those who fear him;
his glory[d] will dwell in our land.
11 [e]Kindness and faithfulness[f] will meet;
righteousness and peace will embrace.
12 Faithfulness will spring forth from the earth,
and righteousness[g] will look down from heaven.
13 [h]The Lord will grant us prosperity,[i]
and our land will yield its harvest.
Chapter 6
Steadfast Love Rather than Sacrifice Is What Pleases Me
1 [a]“Come, let us return to the Lord;
he has wounded us, but he will heal us;
he has struck us down, but he will bind up our wounds.
2 After two days he will revive us;
on the third day[b] he will raise us up
to live in his presence.
3 Let us know the Lord;
let us strive to know him.
His coming is as sure as the dawn;
he will come to us like a shower,
like the spring rains that water the earth.”
4 What can I do with you, Ephraim?
What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like a morning mist,
like the dew that quickly evaporates.
5 That is the reason why I cut them to pieces
by means of the prophets.
I have slaughtered them by the word of my mouth,
and my judgment goes forth like the dawn.
6 For steadfast love rather than sacrifice is what pleases me,
and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Evangelization Is the Work of the Spirit[a]
A Model for All Believers.[b] 2 We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers. 3 We constantly remember before our God and Father your work of faith and your labor of love and your perseverance in hope[c] in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Brethren, beloved by God, we know that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel[d] came to you not merely in words alone but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with profound conviction. And you are fully aware what sort of people we proved to be when we were among you for your sake.
6 And you in turn became imitators[e] of us and of the Lord, for despite great suffering you received the word with joy in the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became a model for all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.[f]
8 Not only has the word of the Lord rung forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but also your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore, we do not have the need to speak about it. 9 For the people themselves report what kind of reception we had from you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 10 and await his Son from heaven whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who will deliver us from the wrath that is to come.
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