Isaiah 29:13-24

New International Version

¹³The Lord says:

“These people^(A) come near to me with their mouth
    and honor me with their lips,^(B)
    but their hearts are far from me.^(C)
Their worship of me
    is based on merely human rules they have been taught.^[a]^(D)
¹⁴Therefore once more I will astound these people
    with wonder upon wonder;^(E)
the wisdom of the wise^(F) will perish,
    the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.^(G)”
¹⁵Woe to those who go to great depths
    to hide^(H) their plans from the Lord,
who do their work in darkness and think,
    “Who sees us?^(I) Who will know?”^(J)
¹⁶You turn things upside down,
    as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!^(K)
Shall what is formed say to the one who formed^(L) it,
    “You did not make me”?
Can the pot say to the potter,^(M)
    “You know nothing”?^(N)

¹⁷In a very short time,^(O) will not Lebanon^(P) be turned into a fertile field^(Q)
    and the fertile field seem like a forest?^(R)
¹⁸In that day^(S) the deaf^(T) will hear the words of the scroll,
    and out of gloom and darkness^(U)
    the eyes of the blind will see.^(V)
¹⁹Once more the humble^(W) will rejoice in the Lord;
    the needy^(X) will rejoice in the Holy One^(Y) of Israel.
²⁰The ruthless^(Z) will vanish,^(AA)
    the mockers^(AB) will disappear,
    and all who have an eye for evil^(AC) will be cut down—
²¹those who with a word make someone out to be guilty,
    who ensnare the defender in court^(AD)
    and with false testimony^(AE) deprive the innocent of justice.^(AF)

²²Therefore this is what the Lord, who redeemed^(AG) Abraham,^(AH) says to the descendants of Jacob:

“No longer will Jacob be ashamed;^(AI)
    no longer will their faces grow pale.^(AJ)
²³When they see among them their children,^(AK)
    the work of my hands,^(AL)
they will keep my name holy;^(AM)
    they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One^(AN) of Jacob,
    and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
²⁴Those who are wayward^(AO) in spirit will gain understanding;^(AP)
    those who complain will accept instruction.”^(AQ)

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Footnotes

Isaiah 29:13 Hebrew; Septuagint They worship me in vain; / their teachings are merely human rules

Psalm 80

New International Version

Psalm 80^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” Of Asaph. A psalm.

¹Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.^(A)
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,^(B)
    shine forth ²before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.^(C)
Awaken^(D) your might;
    come and save us.^(E)

³Restore^(F) us,^(G) O God;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.^(H)

⁴How long,^(I) Lord God Almighty,
    will your anger smolder^(J)
    against the prayers of your people?
⁵You have fed them with the bread of tears;^(K)
    you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.^(L)
⁶You have made us an object of derision^[b] to our neighbors,
    and our enemies mock us.^(M)

⁷Restore us, God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.^(N)

⁸You transplanted a vine^(O) from Egypt;
    you drove out^(P) the nations and planted^(Q) it.
⁹You cleared the ground for it,
    and it took root and filled the land.
¹⁰The mountains were covered with its shade,
    the mighty cedars with its branches.
¹¹Its branches reached as far as the Sea,^[c]
    its shoots as far as the River.^[d]^(R)

¹²Why have you broken down its walls^(S)
    so that all who pass by pick its grapes?
¹³Boars from the forest ravage^(T) it,
    and insects from the fields feed on it.
¹⁴Return to us, God Almighty!
    Look down from heaven and see!^(U)
Watch over this vine,
¹⁵    the root your right hand has planted,
    the son^[e] you have raised up for yourself.

¹⁶Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire;^(V)
    at your rebuke^(W) your people perish.
¹⁷Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,
    the son of man^(X) you have raised up for yourself.
¹⁸Then we will not turn away from you;
    revive^(Y) us, and we will call on your name.

¹⁹Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.

Footnotes

Psalm 80:1 In Hebrew texts 80:1-19 is numbered 80:2-20.
Psalm 80:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text contention
Psalm 80:11 Probably the Mediterranean
Psalm 80:11 That is, the Euphrates
Psalm 80:15 Or branch

Revelation 21:22-22:5

New International Version

²²I did not see a temple^(A) in the city, because the Lord God Almighty^(B) and the Lamb^(C) are its temple. ²³The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God^(D) gives it light,^(E) and the Lamb^(F) is its lamp. ²⁴The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.^(G) ²⁵On no day will its gates^(H) ever be shut,^(I) for there will be no night there.^(J) ²⁶The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.^(K) ²⁷Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,^(L) but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.^(M)

Eden Restored

22 Then the angel showed me the river^(N) of the water of life,^(O) as clear as crystal,^(P) flowing^(Q) from the throne of God and of the Lamb ²down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life,^(R) bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.^(S) ³No longer will there be any curse.^(T) The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.^(U) ⁴They will see his face,^(V) and his name will be on their foreheads.^(W) ⁵There will be no more night.^(X) They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.^(Y) And they will reign for ever and ever.^(Z)

Luke 1:39-56

New International Version

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,^(A) ⁴⁰where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.^(B) ⁴²In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,^(C) and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord^(D) should come to me? ⁴⁴As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song^(E)

⁴⁶And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord^(F)
⁴⁷    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,^(G)
⁴⁸for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.^(H)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,^(I)
⁴⁹    for the Mighty One has done great things^(J) for me—
    holy is his name.^(K)
⁵⁰His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.^(L)
⁵¹He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;^(M)
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.^(N)
⁵²He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.^(O)
⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things^(P)
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful^(Q)
⁵⁵to Abraham and his descendants^(R) forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”