Jerusalem’s Deliverance Foretold^(A)

37 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes^(B) and put on sackcloth^(C) and went into the temple^(D) of the Lord. ² He sent Eliakim^(E) the palace administrator, Shebna^(F) the secretary, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.^{(G) 3} They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress^(H) and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth^(I) and there is no strength to deliver them. ⁴ It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule^(J) the living God,^(K) and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard.^(L) Therefore pray^(M) for the remnant^(N) that still survives.”

⁵ When King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah, ⁶ Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid^(O) of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed^(P) me. ⁷ Listen! When he hears a certain report,^(Q) I will make him want^(R) to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down^(S) with the sword.’”

⁸ When the field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish,^(T) he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.^(U)

⁹ Now Sennacherib^(V) received a report^(W) that Tirhakah, the king of Cush,^[a](X) was marching out to fight against him. When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word: ¹⁰ “Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive^(Y) you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.’^{(Z) 11} Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?^{(AA) 12} Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors^(AB) deliver them—the gods of Gozan, Harran,^(AC) Rezeph and the people of Eden^(AD) who were in Tel Assar? ¹³ Where is the king of Hamath or the king of Arpad?^(AE) Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim,^(AF) Hena and Ivvah?”^(AG)

Hezekiah’s Prayer^(AH)

¹⁴ Hezekiah received the letter^(AI) from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple^(AJ) of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. ¹⁵ And Hezekiah prayed^(AK) to the Lord: ¹⁶ “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned^(AL) between the cherubim,^(AM) you alone are God^(AN) over all the kingdoms^(AO) of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.^{(AP) 17} Give ear, Lord, and hear;^(AQ) open your eyes, Lord, and see;^(AR) listen to all the words Sennacherib^(AS) has sent to ridicule^(AT) the living God.^(AU)

¹⁸ “It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands.^{(AV) 19} They have thrown their gods into the fire^(AW) and destroyed them,^(AX) for they were not gods^(AY) but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.^{(AZ) 20} Now, Lord our God, deliver^(BA) us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth^(BB) may know that you, Lord, are the only God.^[b](BC)”

Sennacherib’s Fall^(BD)

²¹ Then Isaiah son of Amoz^(BE) sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, ²² this is the word the Lord has spoken against him:

³⁰ “This will be the sign^(CD) for you, Hezekiah:

³³ “Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:

³⁶ Then the angel^(CT) of the Lord went out and put to death^(CU) a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian^(CV) camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! ³⁷ So Sennacherib^(CW) king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh^(CX) and stayed there.

³⁸ One day, while he was worshiping in the temple^(CY) of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat.^(CZ) And Esarhaddon^(DA) his son succeeded him as king.^(DB)

Hezekiah’s Illness^(DC)

38 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz^(DD) went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order,^(DE) because you are going to die; you will not recover.”^(DF)

² Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ³ “Remember, Lord, how I have walked^(DG) before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion^(DH) and have done what is good in your eyes.^(DI)” And Hezekiah wept^(DJ) bitterly.

⁴ Then the word^(DK) of the Lord came to Isaiah: ⁵ “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David,^(DL) says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears;^(DM) I will add fifteen years^(DN) to your life. ⁶ And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend^(DO) this city.

⁷ “‘This is the Lord’s sign^(DP) to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: ⁸ I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.^(DQ)

⁹ A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

²¹ Isaiah had said, “Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”

²² Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign^(FB) that I will go up to the temple of the Lord?”

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,^(A) set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.^{(B) 2} Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.^{(C) 3} For you died,^(D) and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your^[a] life,^(E) appears,^(F) then you also will appear with him in glory.^(G)

⁵ Put to death,^(H) therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:^(I) sexual immorality,^(J) impurity, lust, evil desires and greed,^(K) which is idolatry.^{(L) 6} Because of these, the wrath of God^(M) is coming.^{[b] 7} You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.^{(N) 8} But now you must also rid yourselves^(O) of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander,^(P) and filthy language from your lips.^{(Q) 9} Do not lie to each other,^(R) since you have taken off your old self^(S) with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self,^(T) which is being renewed^(U) in knowledge in the image of its Creator.^{(V) 11} Here there is no Gentile or Jew,^(W) circumcised or uncircumcised,^(X) barbarian, Scythian, slave or free,^(Y) but Christ is all,^(Z) and is in all.

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves^(AA) with compassion, kindness, humility,^(AB) gentleness and patience.^{(AC) 13} Bear with each other^(AD) and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.^{(AE) 14} And over all these virtues put on love,^(AF) which binds them all together in perfect unity.^(AG)

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ^(AH) rule in your hearts, since as members of one body^(AI) you were called to peace.^(AJ) And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ^(AK) dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom^(AL) through psalms,^(AM) hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.^{(AN) 17} And whatever you do,^(AO) whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks^(AP) to God the Father through him.

Instructions for Christian Households^(AQ)

¹⁸ Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands,^(AR) as is fitting in the Lord.

¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

²¹ Fathers,^[c] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

²² Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴ since you know that you will receive an inheritance^(AS) from the Lord as a reward.^(AT) It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ²⁵ Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.^(AU)