But after I have uprooted the people of those nations, I will relent ¹  and have pity on them. I will restore the people of each of those nations to their own lands ²  and to their own country.

They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, ¹  and sprawl out on their couches. They eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the middle of the pen.

Amos replied ¹  to Amaziah, “I was not a prophet by profession. ²  No, ³  I was a herdsman who also took care of ⁴  sycamore fig trees. ⁵ 

Where now is the den of the lions, ¹  the feeding place ²  of the young lions, where ³  the lion, lioness, ⁴  and lion cub once prowled ⁵  and no one disturbed them? ⁶ 

“The Lord who rules over all said, ‘Exercise true judgment and show brotherhood and compassion to each other.

saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.”

Other seed fell among the thorns, ¹  and they grew up and choked it, ²  and it did not produce grain.

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ ¹  and, ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ ² 

You gave me no kiss of greeting, ¹  but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet.

For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. ¹ 

Instead, ¹  be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you. ² 

For no one has ever hated his own body ¹  but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church,

Fathers, ¹  do not provoke your children to anger, ²  but raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, ¹  kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

And we urge you, brothers and sisters, ¹  admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.

save ¹  others by snatching them out of the fire; have mercy ²  on others, coupled with a fear of God, ³  hating even the clothes stained ⁴  by the flesh. ⁵ 

Pharaoh ¹  had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, ²  and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” ³  So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.

“Listen, Israel! Today you are moving forward to do battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not fear and tremble or be terrified because of them,

Today I am weak, even though I am anointed as king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too much for me to bear! ¹  May the Lord punish appropriately the one who has done this evil thing!” ² 

Let us rise early to go to the vineyards, to see if the vines have budded, to see if their blossoms have opened, if the pomegranates are in bloom – there I will give you my love.