Isaiah 49-51

New International Version

The Servant of the Lord

49 Listen^(A) to me, you islands;^(B)
    hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born^(C) the Lord called^(D) me;
    from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.^(E)
²He made my mouth^(F) like a sharpened sword,^(G)
    in the shadow of his hand^(H) he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow^(I)
    and concealed me in his quiver.
³He said to me, “You are my servant,^(J)
    Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.^(K)”
⁴But I said, “I have labored in vain;^(L)
    I have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand,^(M)
    and my reward^(N) is with my God.”^(O)

⁵And now the Lord says—
    he who formed me in the womb^(P) to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
    and gather Israel^(Q) to himself,
for I am^[a] honored^(R) in the eyes of the Lord
    and my God has been my strength^(S)—
⁶he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant^(T)
    to restore the tribes of Jacob
    and bring back those of Israel I have kept.^(U)
I will also make you a light^(V) for the Gentiles,^(W)
    that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”^(X)

⁷This is what the Lord says—
    the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel^(Y)—
to him who was despised^(Z) and abhorred by the nation,
    to the servant of rulers:
“Kings^(AA) will see you and stand up,
    princes will see and bow down,^(AB)
because of the Lord, who is faithful,^(AC)
    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen^(AD) you.”

Restoration of Israel

⁸This is what the Lord says:

“In the time of my favor^(AE) I will answer you,
    and in the day of salvation I will help you;^(AF)
I will keep^(AG) you and will make you
    to be a covenant for the people,^(AH)
to restore the land^(AI)
    and to reassign its desolate inheritances,^(AJ)
⁹to say to the captives,^(AK) ‘Come out,’
    and to those in darkness,^(AL) ‘Be free!’

“They will feed beside the roads
    and find pasture on every barren hill.^(AM)
¹⁰They will neither hunger nor thirst,^(AN)
    nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.^(AO)
He who has compassion^(AP) on them will guide^(AQ) them
    and lead them beside springs^(AR) of water.
¹¹I will turn all my mountains into roads,
    and my highways^(AS) will be raised up.^(AT)
¹²See, they will come from afar^(AU)—
    some from the north, some from the west,^(AV)
    some from the region of Aswan.^[b]”

¹³Shout for joy,^(AW) you heavens;
    rejoice, you earth;^(AX)
    burst into song, you mountains!^(AY)
For the Lord comforts^(AZ) his people
    and will have compassion^(BA) on his afflicted ones.^(BB)

¹⁴But Zion^(BC) said, “The Lord has forsaken^(BD) me,
the Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
    and have no compassion on the child^(BE) she has borne?
Though she may forget,
    I will not forget you!^(BF)
¹⁶See, I have engraved^(BG) you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls^(BH) are ever before me.
¹⁷Your children hasten back,
    and those who laid you waste^(BI) depart from you.
¹⁸Lift up your eyes and look around;
    all your children gather^(BJ) and come to you.
As surely as I live,^(BK)” declares the Lord,
    “you will wear^(BL) them all as ornaments;
    you will put them on, like a bride.

¹⁹“Though you were ruined and made desolate^(BM)
    and your land laid waste,^(BN)
now you will be too small for your people,^(BO)
    and those who devoured^(BP) you will be far away.
²⁰The children born during your bereavement
    will yet say in your hearing,
‘This place is too small for us;
    give us more space to live in.’^(BQ)
²¹Then you will say in your heart,
    ‘Who bore me these?^(BR)
I was bereaved^(BS) and barren;
    I was exiled and rejected.^(BT)
    Who brought these^(BU) up?
I was left^(BV) all alone,^(BW)
    but these—where have they come from?’”

²²This is what the Sovereign Lord^(BX) says:

“See, I will beckon to the nations,
    I will lift up my banner^(BY) to the peoples;
they will bring^(BZ) your sons in their arms
    and carry your daughters on their hips.^(CA)
²³Kings^(CB) will be your foster fathers,
    and their queens your nursing mothers.^(CC)
They will bow down^(CD) before you with their faces to the ground;
    they will lick the dust^(CE) at your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;^(CF)
    those who hope^(CG) in me will not be disappointed.^(CH)”

²⁴Can plunder be taken from warriors,^(CI)
or captives be rescued from the fierce^[c]?

²⁵But this is what the Lord says:

“Yes, captives^(CJ) will be taken from warriors,^(CK)
    and plunder retrieved from the fierce;^(CL)
I will contend with those who contend with you,^(CM)
    and your children I will save.^(CN)
²⁶I will make your oppressors^(CO) eat^(CP) their own flesh;
    they will be drunk on their own blood,^(CQ) as with wine.
Then all mankind will know^(CR)
    that I, the Lord, am your Savior,^(CS)
    your Redeemer,^(CT) the Mighty One of Jacob.^(CU)”

Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience

50 This is what the Lord says:

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce^(CV)
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
    did I sell^(CW) you?
Because of your sins^(CX) you were sold;^(CY)
    because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
²When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?^(CZ)
Was my arm too short^(DA) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength^(DB) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke^(DC) I dry up the sea,^(DD)
    I turn rivers into a desert;^(DE)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
³I clothe the heavens with darkness^(DF)
    and make sackcloth^(DG) its covering.”

⁴The Sovereign Lord^(DH) has given me a well-instructed tongue,^(DI)
    to know the word that sustains the weary.^(DJ)
He wakens me morning by morning,^(DK)
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.^(DL)
⁵The Sovereign Lord^(DM) has opened my ears;^(DN)
    I have not been rebellious,^(DO)
    I have not turned away.
⁶I offered my back to those who beat^(DP) me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;^(DQ)
I did not hide my face
    from mocking and spitting.^(DR)
⁷Because the Sovereign Lord^(DS) helps^(DT) me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,^(DU)
    and I know I will not be put to shame.^(DV)
⁸He who vindicates^(DW) me is near.^(DX)
    Who then will bring charges against me?^(DY)
    Let us face each other!^(DZ)
Who is my accuser?
    Let him confront me!
⁹It is the Sovereign Lord^(EA) who helps^(EB) me.
    Who will condemn^(EC) me?
They will all wear out like a garment;
    the moths^(ED) will eat them up.

¹⁰Who among you fears^(EE) the Lord
    and obeys^(EF) the word of his servant?^(EG)
Let the one who walks in the dark,
    who has no light,^(EH)
trust^(EI) in the name of the Lord
    and rely on their God.
¹¹But now, all you who light fires
    and provide yourselves with flaming torches,^(EJ)
go, walk in the light of your fires^(EK)
    and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:^(EL)
    You will lie down in torment.^(EM)

Everlasting Salvation for Zion

51 “Listen^(EN) to me, you who pursue righteousness^(EO)
    and who seek^(EP) the Lord:
Look to the rock^(EQ) from which you were cut
    and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
²look to Abraham,^(ER) your father,
    and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
When I called him he was only one man,
    and I blessed him and made him many.^(ES)
³The Lord will surely comfort^(ET) Zion^(EU)
    and will look with compassion on all her ruins;^(EV)
he will make her deserts like Eden,^(EW)
    her wastelands^(EX) like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness^(EY) will be found in her,
    thanksgiving^(EZ) and the sound of singing.

⁴“Listen to me, my people;^(FA)
    hear me,^(FB) my nation:
Instruction^(FC) will go out from me;
    my justice^(FD) will become a light to the nations.^(FE)
⁵My righteousness draws near speedily,
    my salvation^(FF) is on the way,^(FG)
    and my arm^(FH) will bring justice to the nations.
The islands^(FI) will look to me
    and wait in hope^(FJ) for my arm.
⁶Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
    look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke,^(FK)
    the earth will wear out like a garment^(FL)
    and its inhabitants die like flies.
But my salvation^(FM) will last forever,^(FN)
    my righteousness will never fail.^(FO)

⁷“Hear me, you who know what is right,^(FP)
    you people who have taken my instruction to heart:^(FQ)
Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals
    or be terrified by their insults.^(FR)
⁸For the moth will eat them up like a garment;^(FS)
    the worm^(FT) will devour them like wool.
But my righteousness will last forever,^(FU)
    my salvation through all generations.”

⁹Awake, awake,^(FV) arm^(FW) of the Lord,
    clothe yourself with strength!^(FX)
Awake, as in days gone by,
    as in generations of old.^(FY)
Was it not you who cut Rahab^(FZ) to pieces,
    who pierced that monster^(GA) through?
¹⁰Was it not you who dried up the sea,^(GB)
    the waters of the great deep,^(GC)
who made a road in the depths of the sea^(GD)
    so that the redeemed^(GE) might cross over?
¹¹Those the Lord has rescued^(GF) will return.
    They will enter Zion with singing;^(GG)
    everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy^(GH) will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.^(GI)

¹²“I, even I, am he who comforts^(GJ) you.
    Who are you that you fear^(GK) mere mortals,^(GL)
    human beings who are but grass,^(GM)
¹³that you forget^(GN) the Lord your Maker,^(GO)
    who stretches out the heavens^(GP)
    and who lays the foundations of the earth,
that you live in constant terror^(GQ) every day
    because of the wrath of the oppressor,
    who is bent on destruction?
For where is the wrath of the oppressor?^(GR)
¹⁴    The cowering prisoners will soon be set free;^(GS)
they will not die in their dungeon,
    nor will they lack bread.^(GT)
¹⁵For I am the Lord your God,
    who stirs up the sea^(GU) so that its waves roar^(GV)—
    the Lord Almighty^(GW) is his name.
¹⁶I have put my words in your mouth^(GX)
    and covered you with the shadow of my hand^(GY)—
I who set the heavens in place,
    who laid the foundations of the earth,^(GZ)
    and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.^(HA)’”

The Cup of the Lord’s Wrath

¹⁷Awake, awake!^(HB)
    Rise up, Jerusalem,
you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord
    the cup^(HC) of his wrath,^(HD)
you who have drained to its dregs^(HE)
    the goblet that makes people stagger.^(HF)
¹⁸Among all the children^(HG) she bore
    there was none to guide her;^(HH)
among all the children she reared
    there was none to take her by the hand.^(HI)
¹⁹These double calamities^(HJ) have come upon you—
    who can comfort you?^(HK)—
ruin and destruction,^(HL) famine^(HM) and sword^(HN)—
    who can^[d] console you?
²⁰Your children have fainted;
    they lie at every street corner,^(HO)
    like antelope caught in a net.^(HP)
They are filled with the wrath^(HQ) of the Lord,
    with the rebuke^(HR) of your God.

²¹Therefore hear this, you afflicted^(HS) one,
    made drunk,^(HT) but not with wine.
²²This is what your Sovereign Lord says,
    your God, who defends^(HU) his people:
“See, I have taken out of your hand
    the cup^(HV) that made you stagger;
from that cup, the goblet of my wrath,
    you will never drink again.
²³I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,^(HW)
    who said to you,
    ‘Fall prostrate^(HX) that we may walk^(HY) on you.’
And you made your back like the ground,
    like a street to be walked on.”^(HZ)

Footnotes

Isaiah 49:5 Or him, / but Israel would not be gathered; / yet I will be
Isaiah 49:12 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text Sinim
Isaiah 49:24 Dead Sea Scrolls, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint and verse 25); Masoretic Text righteous
Isaiah 51:19 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text / how can I

Philippians 1

New International Version

1 Paul and Timothy,^(A) servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people^(B) in Christ Jesus at Philippi,^(C) together with the overseers^(D) and deacons^[a]:^(E)

²Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(F)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³I thank my God every time I remember you.^(G) ⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray^(H) with joy ⁵because of your partnership^(I) in the gospel from the first day^(J) until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion^(K) until the day of Christ Jesus.^(L)

⁷It is right^(M) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart^(N) and, whether I am in chains^(O) or defending^(P) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸God can testify^(Q) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹And this is my prayer: that your love^(R) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^(S) ¹⁰so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,^(T) ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness^(U) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

¹²Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard^[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains^(V) for Christ. ¹⁴And because of my chains,^(W) most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.^(X)

¹⁵It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.^(Y) ¹⁷The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,^(Z) not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.^(AA) ¹⁸But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹for I know that through your prayers^(AB) and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ^(AC) what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.^[d]^(AD) ²⁰I eagerly expect^(AE) and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage^(AF) so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,^(AG) whether by life or by death.^(AH) ²¹For to me, to live is Christ^(AI) and to die is gain. ²²If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³I am torn between the two: I desire to depart^(AJ) and be with Christ,^(AK) which is better by far; ²⁴but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

²⁷Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy^(AL) of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm^(AM) in the one Spirit,^[e] striving together^(AN) as one for the faith of the gospel ²⁸without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. ²⁹For it has been granted to you^(AO) on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer^(AP) for him, ³⁰since you are going through the same struggle^(AQ) you saw^(AR) I had, and now hear^(AS) that I still have.

Footnotes

Philippians 1:1 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Romans 16:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.
Philippians 1:12 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 14; and in 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21.
Philippians 1:13 Or whole palace
Philippians 1:19 Or vindication; or salvation
Philippians 1:27 Or in one spirit