Is. 46:1–13

46:1 Bel kneels down,

Nebo bends low.

Their images weigh down animals and beasts.

Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals.

2Together they bend low and kneel down;

they are unable to rescue the images;

they themselves head off into captivity.

3“Listen to me, O family of Jacob,

all you who are left from the family of Israel,

you who have been carried from birth,

you who have been supported from the time you left the womb.

4Even when you are old, I will take care of you,

even when you have gray hair, I will carry you.

I made you and I will support you;

I will carry you and rescue you.

5To whom can you compare and liken me?

Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!

6Those who empty out gold from a purse

and weigh out silver on the scale

hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god.

They then bow down and worship it.

7They put it on their shoulder and carry it;

they put it in its place and it just stands there;

it does not move from its place.

Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;

it does not deliver him from his distress.

8Remember this, so you can be brave.

Think about it, you rebels!

9Remember what I accomplished in antiquity.

Truly I am God, I have no peer;

I am God, and there is none like me,

10who announces the end from the beginning

and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred;

who says, ‘My plan will be realized,

I will accomplish what I desire;’

11who summons an eagle from the east,

from a distant land, one who carries out my plan.

Yes, I have decreed,

yes, I will bring it to pass;

I have formulated a plan,

yes, I will carry it out.

12Listen to me, you stubborn people,

you who distance yourselves from doing what is right.

13I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away;

I am bringing my salvation near, it does not wait.

I will save Zion;

I will adorn Israel with my splendor.

Ps. 30

30:1 A psalm, a song used at the dedication of the temple; by David.

I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up

and did not allow my enemies to gloat over me.

2O Lord my God,

I cried out to you and you healed me.

3O Lord, you pulled me up from Sheol;

you rescued me from among those descending into the grave.

4Sing to the Lord, you faithful followers of his;

give thanks to his holy name.

5For his anger lasts only a brief moment,

and his good favor restores one’s life.

One may experience sorrow during the night,

but joy arrives in the morning.

6In my self-confidence I said,

“I will never be shaken.”

7O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure.

Then you rejected me and I was terrified.

8To you, O Lord, I cried out;

I begged the Lord for mercy:

9“What profit is there in taking my life,

in my descending into the Pit?

Can the dust of the grave praise you?

Can it declare your loyalty?

10Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me.

O Lord, deliver me.”

11Then you turned my lament into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy.

12So now my heart will sing to you and not be silent;

O Lord my God, I will always give thanks to you.

John 12:44–50

12:44 But Jesus shouted out, “The one who believes in me does not believe in me, but in the one who sent me, 45and the one who sees me sees the one who sent me. 46I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness. 47If anyone hears my words and does not obey them, I do not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48The one who rejects me and does not accept my words has a judge; the word I have spoken will judge him at the last day. 49For I have not spoken from my own authority, but the Father himself who sent me has commanded me what I should say and what I should speak. 50And I know that his commandment is eternal life. Thus the things I say, I say just as the Father has told me.”