and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
Between the porch and the altar let the priests weep, let the ministers of the Lord weep and say: “Spare your people, Lord! do not let your heritage become a disgrace, a byword among the nations! Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” The Lord Relents.
Afterward, however, David regretted having numbered the people. David said to the Lord: “I have sinned grievously in what I have done. Take away, Lord, your servant’s guilt, for I have acted very foolishly.”
But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?” Jesus and Beelzebul.
If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. The Golden Rule.
Then the angel said to those standing before him, “Remove his filthy garments.” And to him he said, “Look, I have taken your guilt from you, and I am clothing you in stately robes.”
Go, proclaim these words toward the north, and say: Return, rebel Israel—oracle of the Lord— I will not remain angry with you; For I am merciful, oracle of the Lord, I will not keep my anger forever.