Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
2 See, God has come to rescue me;
I will trust in Him and not be afraid,
For the Eternal, indeed, the Eternal is my strength and my song.
My very own God has rescued me.
God has given His people a new surety and confidence, a new sense of purpose, strength, and determination.
3 With joy in each step, you will drink deeply from the springs of salvation.
4 You’ll want to sing out that day,
People: Give thanks to the Eternal; call on His name.
Spread the news throughout the world of what He has done
and how great is His name!
5 Sing praises to the Eternal!
Everyone, everywhere should know that God acts in amazing ways.
6 You who live in this God-blessed place, this Zion, shout out and sing for joy!
For God is great, and God is here—with us and around us—the Holy One of Israel.
Didn’t God institute the festivals? Didn’t He instruct His people to sacrifice? Didn’t He inspire the singers and songwriters to praise His name? Yes. Even the most beautiful ceremony can become empty ritual, and a sacred time should not be mixed with activities that displease God. He wants more than pious exercises; He wants His people to follow His instructions, to do what is right, and to honor Him because they recognize that He is the one all-powerful God.
6 Grief is coming to those who live comfortably in Zion
and those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria;
The noteworthy of this nation
and those respected by the people of Israel have much to dread.
2 Go over to Calneh and look at what happened there,
then cross over to the great city of Hamath in Aram,
Then go down to Gath, the city of the Philistines.
Are you any more powerful than these fallen kingdoms were?
Are your lands any larger than theirs?
3 You try to hold off the evil day,
but your actions bring the reign of violence ever nearer.
4 Grief is coming to those who lounge on beds inlaid with ivory,
who stretch out on their luxurious sofas,
And who feast on lambs from their flocks
and stall-fattened calves anytime, not just during festivals.
5 Grief is coming to those who sing foolish songs to the sounds of the harp,
who think they can play like David;
6 Who guzzle fine wine by the gallon from elegant bowls;
who apply expensive oils to their bodies, when cheaper ones will do,
But they are not grieved by the awful state of Joseph’s people.
7 That is why they will be the first ones carried off into exile,
and their lives of leisure and feasting will disappear.
8 The Eternal Lord has sworn by His own holiness,
and the Eternal God, the Commander of heavenly armies,
Promises this:
Eternal One: I detest the pride of Israel, descendants of My servant Jacob,
and I hate their fortresses,
And I will hand over the city and all its wealth to their enemies.
8 Now, brothers and sisters, let me tell you about the amazing gift of God’s grace that’s happening throughout the churches in Macedonia. 2 Even in the face of severe anguish and hard times, their elation and poverty have overflowed into a wealth of generosity. 3 I watched as they willingly gave what they could afford and then went beyond to give even more. 4 They came to us on their own, begging to take part in this work of grace to support the poor saints in Judea. 5 We were so overwhelmed—none of us expected their reaction—that they truly turned their lives over to the Lord and then gave themselves to support us in our work as we answer the call of God. 6 That’s why we asked Titus to finish what he started among you regarding this gracious work of charity. 7 Just as you are rich in everything—in faith and speech, in knowledge and all sincerity, and in the love we have shown among you[a]—now I ask you to invest richly in this gracious work too. 8 I am not going to command you, but I am going to offer you the chance to prove your love genuine in the same way others have done. 9 You know the grace that has come to us through our Lord Jesus the Anointed. He set aside His infinite riches and was born into the lowest circumstance so that you may gain great riches through His humble poverty. 10-11 Listen, it’s been a year since we called your attention to this opportunity to demonstrate God’s grace, so here’s my advice: pull together your resources and finish what you started.
Remember how excited you were at first; it’s time to complete this task in the same spirit. 12 Now if there is a willingness to help, give within your means. That’s perfectly acceptable. No one expects you to go without or borrow to give. 13-14 The objective is not to go under so others will have some relief; the objective is to use this opportunity today to supply their needs out of your abundance. One day it may be the other way around, and they will need to supply your needs from what they have. That’s equality. 15 As it is written, “The one who gathered plenty didn’t have more than he needed; the one who gathered little didn’t have less.”[b]
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.