Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

85 LORD, You have been favorable to Your land. You have brought back the captives of Jacob.

² You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people and covered all their sins. Selah.

⁸ I will listen to what the LORD God will say. For He will speak peace to His people, and to His saints, so that they do not turn again to folly.

⁹ Surely, His salvation is near to those who fear Him, so that glory may dwell in our land.

¹⁰ Mercy and truth shall meet, righteousness and peace shall kiss.

¹¹ Truth shall bud out of the Earth and righteousness shall look down from Heaven.

¹² Indeed, the LORD shall give good things and our land shall give her increase.

¹³ Righteousness shall go before Him and shall set her steps in the way. A prayer of David

6 Come and let us return to the LORD. For He has torn and He will heal us. He has wounded us and He will bind us up.

² After two days, He will revive us. On the third day, He will raise us up and we shall live in His sight.

³ Then we shall have knowledge and endeavor to know the LORD. His going forth is prepared as the morning. And He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter rain, to the earth.

⁴ “O Ephraim, what shall I do with you? O Judah, how shall I entreat you? For your goodness is as a morning cloud. And as the morning dew it goes away.

⁵ “Therefore, I have cut them down by the Prophets. I have killed them by the Words of My Mouth. And the judgments of you were as the light that goes forth.

⁶ “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than Burnt Offerings.

² We always give God thanks for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,

³ unceasingly remembering your work of faith and diligent love and the patience of your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (in the sight of God our Father),

⁴ knowing - beloved brothers - that you are the Elect of God.

⁵ For our Gospel did not come to you in word only, but in power also and in the Holy Ghost and much certainty (as you know how we behaved among you for your sakes).

⁶ And you became followers of us and of the Lord and received the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost,

⁷ so that you were examples to all believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

⁸ For the Word of the Lord has resounded from you - not only in Macedonia and in Achaia - but in all quarters. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we need not say anything.

⁹ For they themselves tell of how we approached you and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

¹⁰ and to look for His Son from Heaven - Whom He raised from the dead – Who is Jesus; Who delivers us from the wrath to come.