Is. 62:1–12

62:1 For the sake of Zion I will not be silent;

for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be quiet,

until her vindication shines brightly

and her deliverance burns like a torch.

2Nations will see your vindication,

and all kings your splendor.

You will be called by a new name

that the Lord himself will give you.

3You will be a majestic crown in the hand of the Lord,

a royal turban in the hand of your God.

4You will no longer be called, “Abandoned,”

and your land will no longer be called “Desolate.”

Indeed, you will be called “My Delight is in Her”

and your land “Married.”

For the Lord will take delight in you,

and your land will be married to him.

5As a young man marries a young woman,

so your sons will marry you.

As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride,

so your God will rejoice over you.

6I post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;

they should keep praying all day and all night.

You who pray to the Lord, don’t be silent!

7Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem,

until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.

8The Lord swears an oath by his right hand,

by his strong arm:

“I will never again give your grain

to your enemies as food,

and foreigners will not drink your wine,

which you worked hard to produce.

9“But those who harvest the grain will eat it,

and will praise the Lord.

Those who pick the grapes will drink the wine

in the courts of my holy sanctuary.”

10Come through! Come through the gates!

Prepare the way for the people!

Build it—build the roadway!

Remove the stones.

Lift a signal flag for the nations.

11Look, the Lord announces to the entire earth:

“Say to Daughter Zion,

‘Look, your deliverer comes!

Look, his reward is with him,

and his reward goes before him!’”

12They will be called, “The Holy People,

the Ones Protected by the Lord.”

You will be called, “Sought After,

City Not Abandoned.”

Ps. 50

50:1 A psalm by Asaph.

El, God, the Lord has spoken,

and summoned the earth to come from the east and west.

2From Zion, the most beautiful of all places,

God has come in splendor.

3“May our God come

and not be silent.”

Consuming fire goes ahead of him,

and all around him a storm rages.

4He summons the heavens above,

as well as the earth, so that he might judge his people.

5He says:

“Assemble my covenant people before me,

those who ratified a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

6The heavens declare his fairness,

for God is judge. (Selah)

7He says:

“Listen, my people. I am speaking!

Listen, Israel. I am accusing you.

I am God, your God!

8I am not condemning you because of your sacrifices,

or because of your burnt sacrifices that you continually offer me.

9I do not need to take a bull from your household

or goats from your sheepfolds.

10For every wild animal in the forest belongs to me,

as well as the cattle that graze on a thousand hills.

11I keep track of every bird in the hills,

and the insects of the field are mine.

12Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world and all it contains belong to me.

13Do I eat the flesh of bulls?

Do I drink the blood of goats?

14Present to God a thank offering.

Repay your vows to the Most High.

15Pray to me when you are in trouble.

I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

16God says this to the evildoer:

“How can you declare my commands,

and talk about my covenant?

17For you hate instruction

and reject my words.

18When you see a thief, you join him;

you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives.

19You do damage with words,

and use your tongue to deceive.

20You plot against your brother;

you slander your own brother.

21When you did these things, I was silent,

so you thought I was exactly like you.

But now I will condemn you

and state my case against you.

22Carefully consider this, you who reject God.

Otherwise I will rip you to shreds

and no one will be able to rescue you.

23Whoever presents a thank offering honors me.

To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver.”

Gal. 2:15–3:9

2:15 We are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, 16yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. 17But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages sin? Absolutely not! 18But if I build up again those things I once destroyed, I demonstrate that I am one who breaks God’s law. 19For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God. 20I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified! 2The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? Although you began with the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by human effort? 4Have you suffered so many things for nothing?—if indeed it was for nothing. 5Does God then give you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law or by your believing what you heard?

6Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, 7so then, understand that those who believe are the sons of Abraham. 8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham ahead of time, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9So then those who believe are blessed along with Abraham the believer. (NET Bible)