In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on his throne, high and exalted, and his robe filled the whole Temple.

May they know that you alone are the LORD, supreme ruler over all the earth.

LORD Almighty, you are ruler of all the earth; you are much greater than all the gods.

Even though you are so high above, you care for the lowly, and the proud cannot hide from you.

This is the decision of the alert and watchful angels. So then, let all people everywhere know that the Supreme God has power over human kingdoms and that he can give them to anyone he chooses---even to those who are least important.'

"This, then, is what it means, Your Majesty, and this is what the Supreme God has declared will happen to you.

You will be driven away from human society and will live with wild animals. For seven years you will eat grass like an ox and sleep in the open air, where the dew will fall on you. Then you will admit that the Supreme God controls all human kingdoms and that he can give them to anyone he chooses.

"When the seven years had passed," said the king, "I looked up at the sky, and my sanity returned. I praised the Supreme God and gave honor and glory to the one who lives forever. "He will rule forever, and his kingdom will last for all time.

Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary. No one understands his thoughts.

Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and worshiped the LORD, the Everlasting God.

God has always been your defense; his eternal arms are your support. He drove out your enemies as you advanced, and told you to destroy them all.

Before you created the hills or brought the world into being, you were eternally God, and will be God forever.

Your throne, O LORD, has been firm from the beginning, and you existed before time began.

I was made in the very beginning, at the first, before the world began.

But you, LORD, are the true God, you are the living God and the eternal king. When you are angry, the world trembles; the nations cannot endure your anger.

The LORD says, "Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times."

Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all!

To the eternal King, immortal and invisible, the only God---to him be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.

Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.

They were calling out to each other: "Holy, holy, holy! The LORD Almighty is holy! His glory fills the world."

" LORD, who among the gods is like you? Who is like you, wonderful in holiness? Who can work miracles and mighty acts like yours?

"No one is holy like the LORD; there is none like him, no protector like our God.

If I knew he would, I would leap for joy, no matter how great my pain. I know that God is holy; I have never opposed what he commands.

Everyone will praise his great and majestic name. Holy is he!

He set his people free and made an eternal covenant with them. Holy and mighty is he!

because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me. His name is holy;

He was holy and good, but you rejected him, and instead you asked Pilate to do you the favor of turning loose a murderer.

"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: "This is the message from the one who is holy and true. He has the key that belonged to David, and when he opens a door, no one can close it, and when he closes it, no one can open it.

Each one of the four living creatures had six wings, and they were covered with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop singing: "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come."

Who will not stand in awe of you, Lord? Who will refuse to declare your greatness? You alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship you, because your just actions are seen by all."

The LORD says, "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house, then, could you build for me, what kind of place for me to live in?

"But can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough?

Sing to God, sing praises to his name; prepare a way for him who rides on the clouds. His name is the LORD ---be glad in his presence!

God, who lives in his sacred Temple, cares for orphans and protects widows.

The LORD rules over all nations; his glory is above the heavens.

but he bends down to see the heavens and the earth.

Our God is in heaven; he does whatever he wishes.

LORD, I look up to you, up to heaven, where you rule.

Be silent, everyone, in the presence of the LORD, for he is coming from his holy dwelling place.

This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven: May your holy name be honored;

He alone is immortal; he lives in the light that no one can approach. No one has ever seen him; no one can ever see him. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.

The LORD says, "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house, then, could you build for me, what kind of place for me to live in?

I myself created the whole universe! I am pleased with those who are humble and repentant, who fear me and obey me.

In his suffering he became humble, turned to the LORD his God, and begged him for help.

God accepted Manasseh's prayer and answered it by letting him go back to Jerusalem and rule again. This convinced Manasseh that the LORD was God.

and you repented and humbled yourself before me, tearing your clothes and weeping, when you heard how I threatened to punish Jerusalem and its people. I have heard your prayer,

The LORD is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope.

My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble and repentant heart.

Even though you are so high above, you care for the lowly, and the proud cannot hide from you.

"Go through the whole city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the forehead of everyone who is distressed and troubled because of all the disgusting things being done in the city."

I will forgive all the wrongs you have done, but you will remember them and be too ashamed to open your mouth." The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

"Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

"Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them!

But the grace that God gives is even stronger. As the scripture says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

In the same way you younger people must submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve one another; for the scripture says, "God resists the proud, but shows favor to the humble."

The Sovereign LORD has filled me with his Spirit. He has chosen me and sent me To bring good news to the poor, To heal the broken-hearted, To announce release to captives And freedom to those in prison.

To give to those who mourn in Zion Joy and gladness instead of grief, A song of praise instead of sorrow. They will be like trees That the LORD himself has planted. They will all do what is right, And God will be praised for what he has done.

He heals the broken-hearted and bandages their wounds.

"Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them!

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed

So he got up and started back to his father. "He was still a long way from home when his father saw him; his heart was filled with pity, and he ran, threw his arms around his son, and kissed him.

But the father called to his servants. 'Hurry!' he said. 'Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet.

For this son of mine was dead, but now he is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found.' And so the feasting began.

He helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God.

Now, however, you should forgive him and encourage him, in order to keep him from becoming so sad as to give up completely.

But God, who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us with the coming of Titus.