Friday 19 June 2009

1“When Israel was a child, then I loved him,

and called my son out of Egypt.· · · verse 2 is not read3Yet I taught Ephraim to walk.I took them by their arms,but they didn’t know that I healed them.4I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love;and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks;and I bent down to him and I fed him.· · · verses 5–7 are not read8“How can I give you up, Ephraim?How can I hand you over, Israel?How can I make you like Admah?How can I make you like Zeboiim?My heart is turned within me,my compassion is aroused.9I will not execute the fierceness of my anger.I will not return to destroy Ephraim,for I am God, and not man—the Holy One among you.I will not come in wrath.

2Behold, God is my salvation.I will trust, and will not be afraid;for the Lord, the Lord, is my strength and song;and he has become my salvation.”3Therefore with joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation.

4In that day you will say, “Give thanks to the Lord!Call on his name!Declare his doings among the peoples!Proclaim that his name is exalted!

5Sing to the Lord, for he has done excellent things!Let this be known in all the earth!6Cry aloud and shout,you inhabitant of Zion,for the Holy One of Israel is great among you!”

8To me, the very least of all saints,was this grace given,to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,9and to make all men see what is the administration of the mysterywhich for ages has been hidden in God,who created all things through Jesus Christ,10to the intentthat now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalitiesand the powers in the heavenly places,11according to the eternal purposewhich he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.12In him we have boldnessand access in confidence through our faith in him.

· · · verse 13 is not read14For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,16that he would grant you,according to the riches of his glory,that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,17that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith,to the end that you,being rooted and grounded in love,18may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the widthand length and height and depth,19and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge,that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

31Therefore the Jews,because it was the Preparation Day,so that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the cross on the Sabbath (forthat Sabbath was a special one),asked of Pilate that their legs might be brokenand that they might be taken away.32Therefore the soldiers cameand broke the legs of the firstand of the other who was crucified with him;33but when they came to Jesusand saw that he was already dead,they didn’t break his legs.34However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear,and immediately blood and water came out.35He who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true.He knows that he tells the truth, that you may believe.36For these things happenedthat the Scripture might be fulfilled,“A bone of him will not be broken.”37Again another Scripture says,“They will look on him whom they pierced.”