Observances of Fasts

58 (A)Cry loudly, do not hold back;
Raise your voice like a trumpet,
And declare to My people their (B)wrongdoing,
And to the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet they (C)seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways,
As a nation that has done (D)righteousness
And (E)has not forsaken the ordinance of their God.
They ask Me for just decisions,
They delight (F)in the nearness of God.
‘Why have we (G)fasted and You do not see?
Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not [a]notice?’
Behold, on the (H)day of your fast you find your desire,
And oppress all your workers.
Behold, you fast for contention and (I)strife, and to strike with a wicked fist.
You do not fast like you have done today to (J)make your voice heard on high!
Is it a fast like this that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it for bowing [b]one’s head like a reed
And for spreading out (K)sackcloth and ashes as a bed?
Will you call this a fast, even an (L)acceptable day to the Lord?
Is this not the fast that I choose:
To (M)release the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the ropes of the yoke,
And to (N)let the oppressed go free,
And (O)break every yoke?
Is it not to (P)break your bread [c]with the hungry
And (Q)bring the homeless poor into the house;
When you see the (R)naked, to cover him;
And not to (S)hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then your (T)light will break out like the dawn,
And your (U)recovery will spring up quickly;
And your (V)righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the (W)Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will (X)call, and the Lord will answer;
You will cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you (Y)remove the yoke from your midst,
The [d](Z)pointing of the finger and (AA)speaking wickedness,

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 58:3 Lit know
  2. Isaiah 58:5 Lit his
  3. Isaiah 58:7 Lit for
  4. Isaiah 58:9 I.e., an abusive gesture

Disciples and the World

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but (A)if the salt has become tasteless, how [a]can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.

14 “You are (B)the light of the world. A city set on a [b]hill cannot be hidden; 15 (C)nor do people light a lamp and put it under a [c]basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may (D)see your good works, and (E)glorify your Father who is in heaven.

17 “Do not presume that I came to abolish the (F)Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, (G)until heaven and earth pass away, not [d]the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished! 19 Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches [e]others to do the same, shall be called least (H)in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever [f]keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 “For I say to you that unless your (I)righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:13 Lit will
  2. Matthew 5:14 Or mountain
  3. Matthew 5:15 Lit peck-measure
  4. Matthew 5:18 Lit one iota (Heb yodh) or one projection (serif)
  5. Matthew 5:19 Lit people
  6. Matthew 5:19 Lit does

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