When its branches get brittle, ¹  they break; women come and use them for kindling. ²  For these people lack understanding, ³  therefore the one who made them has no compassion on them; the one who formed them has no mercy on them.

Just as it is written in the law of Moses, so all this calamity has come on us. Still we have not tried to pacify ¹  the LORD our God by turning back from our sin and by seeking wisdom ²  from your reliable moral standards. ³ 

So I ¹  began to shepherd the flock destined for slaughter, the most afflicted ²  of all the flock. Then I took two staffs, ³  calling one “Pleasantness” ⁴  and the other “Binders,” ⁵  and I tended the flock.

For there is no partiality with God.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

Grace be with you all. ¹ 

“Very well,” he replied, ¹  “I will grant this request too ²  and will not overthrow ³  the town you mentioned.

There he said to them, “I can tell that your father’s attitude toward me has changed, ¹  but the God of my father has been with me.

Of Asher he said: Asher is blessed with children, may he be favored by his brothers and may he dip his foot in olive oil. ¹ 

I, the servant of my lord ¹  the king, give it all to the king!” Araunah also told the king, “May the Lord your God show you favor!”

Jehoahaz asked for the Lord’s mercy ¹  and the Lord responded favorably, ²  for he saw that Israel was oppressed by the king of Syria. ³ 

May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice! May they continually say, ¹  “May the Lord be praised, ²  for he wants his servant to be secure.” ³ 

You will rise up and have compassion on Zion. ¹  For it is time to have mercy on her, for the appointed time has come.

Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, ¹  or of God? Or am I trying to please people? ²  If I were still trying to please ³  people, ⁴  I would not be a slave ⁵  of Christ!

Preach the message, ¹  be ready ²  whether it is convenient or not, ³  reprove, rebuke, exhort ⁴  with complete patience and instruction.

For this finds God’s favor, ¹  if because of conscience toward God ²  someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly.

Taking an oath, David again ¹  said, “Your father is very much aware of the fact ²  that I have found favor with you, and he has thought, ³  ‘Don’t let Jonathan know about this, or he will be upset.’ But as surely as the Lord lives and you live, there is about one step between me and death!”

And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval ¹  more than all the other young women. ²  So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen ³  in place of Vashti.

Again, ¹  I observed this on the earth: ²  the race is not always ³  won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity ⁴  does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success ⁵  always come to those with the most knowledge – for time and chance may overcome ⁶  them all.

This is what the Lord says: “At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you; in the day of deliverance I will help you; I will protect you ¹  and make you a covenant mediator for people, ²  to rebuild ³  the land ⁴  and to reassign the desolate property.