Apparuit benignitas, et humanitas Salvatoris nostri Dei: non ex operibus justitiae, quae fecimus nos, sed secundum suam misericordiam salvos nos fecit.
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
Common translation of the 15th-century latin hymn "Apparuit Benignitas" ("kindness appeared"). The original latin text is attributed either to Thomas à Kempis or to the prolific Anonymous. Translated by English ecclesiast Benjamin Webb in 1854, possibly with the assistance of John Mason Neale.
Often sung to the tune Deo Gracias / The Agincourt Song in the Dorian mode, and most often during the season of Lent.
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O love, how deep, how broad, how high,
it fills the heart with ecstasy, [1]
that God, the Son of God, should take
our mortal form for mortals' sake!
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He sent no angel to our race
of higher or of lower place,
but wore the robe of human frame
himself, and to this lost world came. [2]
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For us baptized, for us he bore
his holy fast and hungered sore,
for us temptation sharp he knew;
for us the tempter overthrew.
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For us he prayed; for us he taught;
for us his daily works he wrought;
by words and signs and actions thus
still seeking not himself, but us.
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For us to wicked men betrayed, [3]
scourged, mocked, in purple robe arrayed, [4]
he bore the shameful cross and death,
for us at length gave up his breath.
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For us he rose from death again;
for us he went on high to reign;
for us he sent his Spirit here,
to guide, to strengthen and to cheer.
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To him whose boundless love has won [5]
salvation for us through his Son,
to God the Father, glory be
both now and through eternity.
[1] Or: "beyond all thought and fantasy", "how passing thought and fantasy"
[2] Or: "and to this world himself he came"
[3] Or: "for us to evil power betrayed", "for us by wickedness betrayed"
[4] Or: "for us, in crown of thorns arrayed"
[5] Or: "All glory to our Lord and God / for love so deep, so high, so broad; / the Trinity whom we adore / forever and forevermore."
My hymnal omits verses two and four.