Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
40 Therefore the (A)anger of the Lord was kindled against His people,
And He (B)loathed His [a](C)inheritance.
41 So (D)He handed them over to the [b]nations,
And those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also (E)oppressed them,
And they were subdued under their [c]power.
43 Many times He would (F)rescue them;
They, however, were rebellious in their (G)plan,
And they (H)sank down into their guilt.
A Satire on Idolatry
10 Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, house of Israel. 2 This is what the Lord says:
“(A)Do not learn the way of the nations,
And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens,
Although the nations are terrified by them;
3 For the customs of the peoples are (B)futile;
For (C)it is wood cut from the forest,
The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.
4 They (D)decorate the idol with silver and gold;
They (E)fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not totter.
5 They are like a scarecrow in a cucumber field,
And they (F)cannot speak;
They must be (G)carried,
Because they cannot walk!
Do not fear them,
For they (H)can do no harm,
Nor can they do any good.”
6 (I)There is none like You, Lord;
You are (J)great, and Your name is great in might.
7 (K)Who would not fear You, O (L)King of the nations?
For it is Your due!
For among all the (M)wise men of the nations
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You.
8 But they are altogether (N)stupid and foolish;
The instruction from idols is nothing but wood!
9 Beaten (O)silver is brought from (P)Tarshish,
And (Q)gold from Uphaz,
The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith;
Their clothing is of violet and purple;
They are all the (R)work of skilled people.
10 But the Lord is the (S)true God;
He is the (T)living God and the (U)everlasting King.
The (V)earth quakes at His wrath,
And the nations cannot (W)endure His indignation.
11 [a]This is what you shall say to them: “The (X)gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will (Y)perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”
12 It is (Z)He who made the earth by His power,
Who (AA)established the world by His wisdom;
And by His understanding He has (AB)stretched out the heavens.
13 When He utters His (AC)voice, there is a roar of waters in the heavens,
And He makes the (AD)clouds ascend from the end of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain,
And brings out the (AE)wind from His storehouses.
14 Every person is (AF)stupid, devoid of knowledge;
Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,
For his cast metal images are deceitful,
And there is no breath in them.
15 They are (AG)worthless, a work of mockery;
At the (AH)time of their punishment they will perish.
16 The (AI)Portion of Jacob is not like these;
For He is the [b](AJ)Maker of everything,
And (AK)Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;
The (AL)Lord of armies is His name.
19 For though I am (A)free from all people, I have made myself (B)a slave to all, so that I may (C)gain more. 20 (D)To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though (E)not being under the Law myself, so that I might gain those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are (F)without the Law, I became (G)as one without the Law, though not being without the law of God but (H)under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are without the Law. 22 To the (I)weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; I have become (J)all things to all people, (K)so that I may by all means save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
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