He has toldyou, O man,whatis good;And whatdoes the LORDrequireof you But to dojustice,to lovekindness,And to walkhumblywith your God?
To dorighteousnessand justiceIs desiredby the LORDmorethansacrifice.
So,as those who have been chosenof God,holyand beloved,puton a heartof compassion,kindness,humility,gentlenessand patience;
Thussaysthe LORD,"Dojusticeand righteousness,and deliverthe one who has been robbedfrom the powerof [his] oppressor.Also do not mistreat[or] doviolenceto the stranger,the orphan,or the widow;and do not shedinnocentbloodin thisplace.
For I delightin loyaltyratherthansacrifice,And in the knowledgeof Godratherthanburntofferings.
Samuelsaid,"Has the LORDas much delightin burntofferingsand sacrificesAs in obeyingthe voiceof the LORD?Behold,to obeyis betterthansacrifice,[And] to heedthanthe fatof rams.
"For My handmadeallthesethings,Thus allthesethingscameinto being,"declaresthe LORD."But to thisoneI will look,To him whois humbleand contriteof spirit,and whotremblesat My word.
To sumup, allof you be harmonious,sympathetic,brotherly,kindhearted,and humble in spirit;
"Be merciful,justas your Fatheris merciful.
"But woeto you Pharisees!For you pay titheof mintand rueand every[kind of] garden herb,and [yet] disregardjusticeand the loveof God;but these are the thingsyou shouldhave donewithoutneglectingthe others.
"But let justicerolldownlike watersAnd righteousnesslike an ever-flowingstream.
"Blessedare the merciful,for they shall receive mercy.
Be kindto one another,tender-hearted,forgivingeach other,justas Godin Christalsohas forgivenyou.
"For I have chosenhim, sothat he may commandhis childrenand his householdafterhim to keepthe wayof the LORDby doingrighteousnessand justice,sothat the LORDmay bringupon AbrahamwhatHe has spokenabouthim."
The conclusion,when allhas been heard,[is]: fearGodand keepHis commandments,becausethis[applies to] everyperson.
Therefore, returnto your God,Observekindnessand justice,And waitfor your Godcontinually.
For thussaysthe highand exaltedOne Who livesforever,whose nameis Holy,"I dwell[on] a highand holyplace, And [also] with the contriteand lowlyof spiritIn order to revivethe spiritof the lowlyAnd to revivethe heartof the contrite.
"Blessedare the poorin spirit,for theirsis the kingdomof heaven.
Seekthe LORD,Allyou humbleof the earthWhohave carriedout His ordinances;Seekrighteousness,seekhumility.Perhapsyou will be hiddenIn the dayof the LORD'Sanger.
"NowI, Nebuchadnezzar,praise,exaltand honorthe Kingof heaven,for allHis worksare true and His waysjust,and He is ableto humblethose whowalkin pride."
Alldaylong he is graciousand lends,And his descendantsare a blessing.
"Then You camedownon MountSinai,And spokewith them from heaven;You gavethem justordinancesand true laws,Goodstatutesand commandments.
Lightarisesin the darknessfor the upright;[He is] graciousand compassionateand righteous.
[It is] goodthat he waitssilentlyFor the salvationof the LORD.
He has givenfreelyto the poor,His righteousnessenduresforever;His hornwill be exaltedin honor.
But as for me, the nearnessof Godis my good;I have madethe LordGODmy refuge,That I may tellof allYour works.
"Becauseyour heartwas tenderand you humbledyourselfbeforeGodwhen you heardHis wordsagainstthisplaceand againstits inhabitants,and [because] you humbledyourselfbeforeMe, toreyour clothesand weptbeforeMe, I trulyhave heardyou," declaresthe LORD.
But are you willingto recognize,you foolishfellow,that faithwithoutworksis useless?
But ifI dothe very thingI do not want[to do], I agreewith the Law, [confessing] that the Lawis good.
However, Hezekiahhumbledthe prideof his heart,both he and the inhabitantsof Jerusalem,so that the wrathof the LORDdid not comeon them in the daysof Hezekiah.
"Moreover,as for me, farbe it from me that I should sinagainst the LORDby ceasingto prayfor you; but I will instructyou in the goodand rightway.
On the contrary,whoare you, Oman,who answers backto God?The thing moldedwill not sayto the molder,"Whydid you makeme like this,"will it?
but [only] onethingis necessary,for Maryhas chosenthe goodpart,whichshall not be taken awayfrom her."
so that you may rememberand be ashamedand neveropenyour mouthanymorebecauseof your humiliation,when I have forgivenyou for allthat you have done,"the LordGODdeclares.
Moreover, he did not humblehimself beforethe LORDas his fatherManassehhad done,but Amonmultipliedguilt.
Nowmay our LordJesusChristHimselfand Godour Father,who has lovedus and givenus eternalcomfortand goodhopeby grace,
Then Enochwalkedwith Godthreehundredyearsafterhe becamethe fatherof Methuselah,and he had[other] sonsand daughters.
I alsowas actingwith hostilityagainstthem, to bringthem into the landof their enemies--oriftheir uncircumcisedheartbecomeshumbledso that they thenmakeamendsfor their iniquity,
His prayeralso and [how God] was entreatedby him, and allhis sin,his unfaithfulness,and the siteson whichhe builthighplacesand erectedthe Asherimand the carvedimages,beforehe humbledhimself, behold,they are writtenin the recordsof the Hozai.
For howdo you know,O wife,whetheryou will saveyour husband?Orhowdo you know,O husband,whetheryou will saveyour wife?
Neverthelesssomemenof Asher,Manassehand Zebulunhumbledthemselves and cameto Jerusalem.
But He saidto him, "Man,whoappointedMe a judgeorarbitratoroveryou?"
"See,I have setbeforeyou todaylifeand prosperity,and deathand adversity;
Thussaysthe LORD,"Preservejusticeand dorighteousness,For My salvationis aboutto comeAnd My righteousnessto be revealed.
"But when I sayto the wicked,'You will surelydie,'and he turnsfrom his sinand practicesjusticeand righteousness,
The voiceof the LORDwill callto the city--And it is soundwisdomto fearYour name:"Hear,O tribe.Whohas appointedits time?
"Thushas the LORDof hostssaid,Dispensetrue~justiceand practicekindnessand compassioneachto his brother;
"You shall therefore obeythe LORDyour God,and doHis commandmentsand His statuteswhichI commandyou today."
"Now,therefore, fearthe LORDand serveHim in sincerityand truth;and putawaythe godswhichyour fathersservedbeyondthe Riverand in Egypt,and servethe LORD.
I will singof lovingkindnessand justice,To You, O LORD,I will singpraises.
Thussaysthe LORD,"Let not a wisemanboastof his wisdom,and let not the mightymanboastof his might,let not a richmanboastof his riches;
"He pledthe causeof the afflictedand needy;Thenit was well.Is not that what it means to knowMe?" Declaresthe LORD.
