They insist on turning away from me. They will cry out because of the yoke that is on them, but no one will lift it from them.

He said, "If you will obey me completely by doing what I consider right and by keeping my commands, I will not punish you with any of the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians. I am the LORD, the one who heals you."

"I have seen how they acted, but I will heal them. I will lead them and help them, and I will comfort those who mourn.

Return, all of you who have turned away from the LORD; he will heal you and make you faithful. You say, "Yes, we are coming to the LORD because he is our God.

That is why lions from the forest will kill them; wolves from the desert will tear them to pieces, and leopards will prowl through their towns. If those people go out, they will be torn apart because their sins are numerous and time after time they have turned from God.

Is there no medicine in Gilead? Are there no doctors there? Why, then, have my people not been healed?

My people cry out to me, 'Even though our sins accuse us, help us, LORD, as you have promised. We have turned away from you many times; we have sinned against you.

LORD, heal me and I will be completely well; rescue me and I will be perfectly safe. You are the one I praise!

But I will heal this city and its people and restore them to health. I will show them abundant peace and security.

Jesus heard them and answered, "People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick.

Go and find out what is meant by the scripture that says: 'It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.' I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts."

"The LORD did not love you and choose you because you outnumbered other peoples; you were the smallest nation on earth.

But the LORD loved you and wanted to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors. That is why he saved you by his great might and set you free from slavery to the king of Egypt.

The LORD your God is with you; his power gives you victory. The LORD will take delight in you, and in his love he will give you new life. He will sing and be joyful over you,

But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free.

Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son!

But God's mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great,

In our union with Christ Jesus he raised us up with him to rule with him in the heavenly world.

For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it.

He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace by means of Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed,

and said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of Israel and, in obedience to me, execute them in broad daylight, and then I will no longer be angry with the people."

"Because of what Phinehas has done, I am no longer angry with the people of Israel. He refused to tolerate the worship of any god but me, and that is why I did not destroy them in my anger.

But God was merciful to his people. He forgave their sin and did not destroy them. Many times he held back his anger and restrained his fury.

A day is coming when people will sing, "I praise you, LORD! You were angry with me, but now you comfort me and are angry no longer.

Our message is that God was making all human beings his friends through Christ. God did not keep an account of their sins, and he has given us the message which tells how he makes them his friends.

Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness of God.