I will rescue you from the power of wicked and violent people. I, the LORD, have spoken."

The LORD Almighty says, "The people of Israel and of Judah are oppressed. All who captured them are guarding them closely and will not let them go.

Shout for joy, you heavens! Shout, deep places of the earth! Shout for joy, mountains, and every tree of the forest! The LORD has shown his greatness by saving his people Israel.

Go out from Babylon, go free! Shout the news gladly; make it known everywhere: "The LORD has saved his servant Israel!"

Can you take away a soldier's loot? Can you rescue the prisoners of a tyrant?

I will not save this people from the world of the dead or rescue them from the power of death. Bring on your plagues, death! Bring on your destruction, world of the dead! I will no longer have pity for this people.

like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people."

He gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good.

Since the children, as he calls them, are people of flesh and blood, Jesus himself became like them and shared their human nature. He did this so that through his death he might destroy the Devil, who has the power over death,

and in this way set free those who were slaves all their lives because of their fear of death.

Listen to my cry for help, for I am sunk in despair. Save me from my enemies; they are too strong for me.

"No one can break into a strong man's house and take away his belongings unless he first ties up the strong man; then he can plunder his house.

Jesus answered them, "How wrong you are! It is because you don't know the Scriptures or God's power.

"When a strong man, with all his weapons ready, guards his own house, all his belongings are safe.

But when a stronger man attacks him and defeats him, he carries away all the weapons the owner was depending on and divides up what he stole.