Righteous Reign of the Branch

11 Then a (A)shoot will spring from the (B)stem of Jesse,
And a (C)Branch from (D)his roots will bear fruit.
The (E)Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,
The spirit of (F)wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and (G)strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
And He will delight in the fear of the Lord,
And He will not judge by what His eyes (H)see,
Nor make decisions by what His ears hear;
But with (I)righteousness He will judge the (J)poor,
And decide with fairness for the (K)humble of the earth;
And He will strike the earth with the (L)rod of His mouth,
And with the (M)breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
Also (N)righteousness will be the belt around His hips,
And (O)faithfulness the belt around His waist.

And the (P)wolf will dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,
And the calf and the young lion [a]and the fattened steer will be together;
And a little boy will lead them.
Also the cow and the bear will graze,
Their young will lie down together,
And the (Q)lion will eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
They will (R)not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the (S)earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.

10 Then on that day
The (T)nations will resort to the (U)root of Jesse,
Who will stand as a (V)signal flag for the peoples;
And His (W)resting place will be [b]glorious.

The Restored Remnant

11 Then it will happen on that day that the Lord
Will again recover with His hand the second time
The (X)remnant of His people who will remain,
From (Y)Assyria, (Z)Egypt, Pathros, Cush, (AA)Elam, Shinar, Hamath,
And from the [c](AB)islands of the sea.
12 And He will lift up a (AC)flag for the nations
And (AD)assemble the banished ones of Israel,
And will gather the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.
13 Then the (AE)jealousy of Ephraim will depart,
And those who harass Judah will be eliminated;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
And Judah will not harass Ephraim.
14 They will (AF)swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines on the (AG)west;
Together they will (AH)plunder the [d]people of the east;
[e]They will possess (AI)Edom and (AJ)Moab,
And the sons of Ammon will be [f]subject to them.
15 And the Lord will [g](AK)utterly destroy
The tongue of the [h]Sea of Egypt;
And He will (AL)wave His hand over the (AM)Euphrates River
With His scorching wind;
And He will strike it into seven streams
And make people walk over in dry sandals.
16 And there will be a (AN)highway from Assyria
For the (AO)remnant of His people who will be left,
Just as there was for Israel
On (AP)the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt.

Thanksgiving Expressed

12 Then you will say on that day,
(AQ)I will give thanks to You, Lord;
For although (AR)You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away,
And You comfort me.
Behold, (AS)God is my salvation,
I will (AT)trust and not be afraid;
For (AU)the Lord God is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.”
Therefore you will joyously (AV)draw water
From the (AW)springs of salvation.
And on that day you will (AX)say,
(AY)Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name.
(AZ)Make known His deeds among the peoples;
[i]Make them remember that His name is exalted.”
(BA)Praise the Lord in song, for He has done [j]glorious things;
Let this be known throughout the earth.
(BB)Rejoice and shout for joy, you inhabitant of Zion,
For (BC)great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Prophecies about Babylon

13 The (BD)pronouncement concerning (BE)Babylon which (BF)Isaiah the son of Amoz saw:

(BG)Lift up a flag on the [k](BH)bare hill,
Raise your voice to them,
(BI)Wave the hand that they may (BJ)enter the doors of the nobles.
I have commanded My consecrated ones,
I have also called for My (BK)warriors
Who boast in My eminence,
To execute My anger.
A (BL)sound of a roar on the mountains,
Like that of many people!
A sound of an uproar of kingdoms,
Of nations gathered together!
The Lord of armies is mustering the army for battle.
They are coming from a distant country,
From the [l](BM)farthest horizons,
The Lord and the weapons of His (BN)indignation,
To (BO)destroy the whole land.

Judgment on the Day of the Lord

Wail, for the (BP)day of the Lord is near!
It will come as (BQ)destruction from [m]the Almighty.
Therefore (BR)all hands will fall limp,
And every human (BS)heart will melt.
They will be (BT)terrified,
Pains and anguish will take hold of them;
They will (BU)writhe like a woman in labor,
They will look at one another in astonishment,
Their faces aflame.
Behold, (BV)the day of the Lord is coming,
Cruel, with fury and burning anger,
To make the land a desolation;
And He will exterminate its sinners from it.
10 For the (BW)stars of heaven and their constellations
Will not flash their light;
The (BX)sun will be dark when it rises
And the moon will not shed its light.
11 So I will (BY)punish the world for its evil
And the (BZ)wicked for their wrongdoing;
I will also put an end to the (CA)audacity of the proud
And humiliate the (CB)arrogance of the [n](CC)tyrants.
12 I will make mortal man (CD)scarcer than pure gold
And mankind than the (CE)gold of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will make the (CF)heavens tremble,
And (CG)the earth will be shaken from its place
At the fury of the Lord of armies
In (CH)the day of His burning anger.
14 And it will be that, like a hunted gazelle,
Or like (CI)sheep with no one to gather them,
Each of them will turn to his own people,
And each of them will flee to his own land.
15 Anyone who is found will be (CJ)thrust through,
And anyone who is captured will fall by the sword.
16 Their (CK)little ones also will be dashed to pieces
Before their eyes;
Their houses will be plundered
And their wives raped.

Babylon Will Fall to the Medes

17 Behold, I am going to (CL)stir up the Medes against them,
Who will not value silver or (CM)take pleasure in gold.
18 And their bows will [o]mow down the (CN)young men,
They will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb,
Nor will their (CO)eye pity [p]children.
19 And (CP)Babylon, the (CQ)beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride,
Will be as when God (CR)overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 It will (CS)never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation;
Nor will the (CT)Arab pitch his tent there,
Nor will shepherds allow their flocks to lie down there.
21 But (CU)desert creatures will lie down there,
And their houses will be full of [q]owls;
Ostriches also will live there, and [r]shaggy goats will frolic there.
22 [s]Hyenas will howl in their fortified towers
And jackals in their luxurious (CV)palaces.
Her fateful time also [t]will soon come,
And her days will not be prolonged.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 11:6 Some ancient versions will feed together
  2. Isaiah 11:10 Lit glory
  3. Isaiah 11:11 Or coastlands
  4. Isaiah 11:14 Lit sons
  5. Isaiah 11:14 Lit Edom and Moab will be the outstretching of their hand
  6. Isaiah 11:14 Lit their obedience
  7. Isaiah 11:15 Another reading is dry up the tongue
  8. Isaiah 11:15 Perhaps the Red Sea
  9. Isaiah 12:4 Or Proclaim to them that
  10. Isaiah 12:5 Or gloriously
  11. Isaiah 13:2 Or wind-swept mountain
  12. Isaiah 13:5 Lit end of heaven
  13. Isaiah 13:6 Heb Shaddai
  14. Isaiah 13:11 Or violent
  15. Isaiah 13:18 Lit dash in pieces
  16. Isaiah 13:18 Lit sons
  17. Isaiah 13:21 Or howling creatures
  18. Isaiah 13:21 Or goat demons
  19. Isaiah 13:22 Or howling creatures
  20. Isaiah 13:22 Lit is near to come

The Branch From Jesse

11 A shoot(A) will come up from the stump(B) of Jesse;(C)
    from his roots a Branch(D) will bear fruit.(E)
The Spirit(F) of the Lord will rest on him—
    the Spirit of wisdom(G) and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,(H)
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord
and he will delight in the fear(I) of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,(J)
    or decide by what he hears with his ears;(K)
but with righteousness(L) he will judge the needy,(M)
    with justice(N) he will give decisions for the poor(O) of the earth.
He will strike(P) the earth with the rod of his mouth;(Q)
    with the breath(R) of his lips he will slay the wicked.(S)
Righteousness will be his belt(T)
    and faithfulness(U) the sash around his waist.(V)

The wolf will live with the lamb,(W)
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
    and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
    their young will lie down together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox.(X)
The infant(Y) will play near the cobra’s den,
    and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s(Z) nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy(AA)
    on all my holy mountain,(AB)
for the earth(AC) will be filled with the knowledge(AD) of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

10 In that day(AE) the Root of Jesse(AF) will stand as a banner(AG) for the peoples; the nations(AH) will rally to him,(AI) and his resting place(AJ) will be glorious.(AK) 11 In that day(AL) the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant(AM) of his people from Assyria,(AN) from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt,(AO) from Cush,[b](AP) from Elam,(AQ) from Babylonia,[c] from Hamath(AR) and from the islands(AS) of the Mediterranean.(AT)

12 He will raise a banner(AU) for the nations
    and gather(AV) the exiles of Israel;(AW)
he will assemble the scattered people(AX) of Judah
    from the four quarters of the earth.(AY)
13 Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish,
    and Judah’s enemies[d] will be destroyed;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
    nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.(AZ)
14 They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia(BA) to the west;
    together they will plunder the people to the east.(BB)
They will subdue Edom(BC) and Moab,(BD)
    and the Ammonites(BE) will be subject to them.(BF)
15 The Lord will dry up(BG)
    the gulf of the Egyptian sea;
with a scorching wind(BH) he will sweep his hand(BI)
    over the Euphrates River.(BJ)
He will break it up into seven streams
    so that anyone can cross over in sandals.(BK)
16 There will be a highway(BL) for the remnant(BM) of his people
    that is left from Assyria,(BN)
as there was for Israel
    when they came up from Egypt.(BO)

Songs of Praise

12 In that day(BP) you will say:

“I will praise(BQ) you, Lord.
    Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away(BR)
    and you have comforted(BS) me.
Surely God is my salvation;(BT)
    I will trust(BU) and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself,(BV) is my strength(BW) and my defense[e];
    he has become my salvation.(BX)
With joy you will draw water(BY)
    from the wells(BZ) of salvation.

In that day(CA) you will say:

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;(CB)
    make known among the nations(CC) what he has done,
    and proclaim that his name is exalted.(CD)
Sing(CE) to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;(CF)
    let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy,(CG) people of Zion,
    for great(CH) is the Holy One of Israel(CI) among you.(CJ)

A Prophecy Against Babylon

13 A prophecy(CK) against Babylon(CL) that Isaiah son of Amoz(CM) saw:(CN)

Raise a banner(CO) on a bare hilltop,
    shout to them;
beckon to them
    to enter the gates(CP) of the nobles.
I have commanded those I prepared for battle;
    I have summoned my warriors(CQ) to carry out my wrath(CR)
    those who rejoice(CS) in my triumph.

Listen, a noise on the mountains,
    like that of a great multitude!(CT)
Listen, an uproar(CU) among the kingdoms,
    like nations massing together!
The Lord Almighty(CV) is mustering(CW)
    an army for war.
They come from faraway lands,
    from the ends of the heavens(CX)
the Lord and the weapons(CY) of his wrath(CZ)
    to destroy(DA) the whole country.

Wail,(DB) for the day(DC) of the Lord is near;
    it will come like destruction(DD) from the Almighty.[f](DE)
Because of this, all hands will go limp,(DF)
    every heart will melt with fear.(DG)
Terror(DH) will seize them,
    pain and anguish will grip(DI) them;
    they will writhe like a woman in labor.(DJ)
They will look aghast at each other,
    their faces aflame.(DK)

See, the day(DL) of the Lord is coming
    —a cruel(DM) day, with wrath(DN) and fierce anger(DO)
to make the land desolate
    and destroy the sinners within it.
10 The stars of heaven and their constellations
    will not show their light.(DP)
The rising sun(DQ) will be darkened(DR)
    and the moon will not give its light.(DS)
11 I will punish(DT) the world for its evil,
    the wicked(DU) for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty(DV)
    and will humble(DW) the pride of the ruthless.(DX)
12 I will make people(DY) scarcer than pure gold,
    more rare than the gold of Ophir.(DZ)
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;(EA)
    and the earth will shake(EB) from its place
at the wrath(EC) of the Lord Almighty,
    in the day of his burning anger.(ED)

14 Like a hunted(EE) gazelle,
    like sheep without a shepherd,(EF)
they will all return to their own people,
    they will flee(EG) to their native land.(EH)
15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through;
    all who are caught will fall(EI) by the sword.(EJ)
16 Their infants(EK) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
    their houses will be looted and their wives violated.(EL)

17 See, I will stir up(EM) against them the Medes,(EN)
    who do not care for silver
    and have no delight in gold.(EO)
18 Their bows(EP) will strike down the young men;(EQ)
    they will have no mercy(ER) on infants,
    nor will they look with compassion on children.(ES)
19 Babylon,(ET) the jewel of kingdoms,(EU)
    the pride and glory(EV) of the Babylonians,[g]
will be overthrown(EW) by God
    like Sodom and Gomorrah.(EX)
20 She will never be inhabited(EY)
    or lived in through all generations;
there no nomads(EZ) will pitch their tents,
    there no shepherds will rest their flocks.
21 But desert creatures(FA) will lie there,
    jackals(FB) will fill her houses;
there the owls(FC) will dwell,
    and there the wild goats(FD) will leap about.
22 Hyenas(FE) will inhabit her strongholds,(FF)
    jackals(FG) her luxurious palaces.
Her time is at hand,(FH)
    and her days will not be prolonged.(FI)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 11:6 Hebrew; Septuagint lion will feed
  2. Isaiah 11:11 That is, the upper Nile region
  3. Isaiah 11:11 Hebrew Shinar
  4. Isaiah 11:13 Or hostility
  5. Isaiah 12:2 Or song
  6. Isaiah 13:6 Hebrew Shaddai
  7. Isaiah 13:19 Or Chaldeans

Unity of the Spirit

Therefore I, (A)the prisoner of the Lord, (B)urge you to (C)walk in a manner worthy of the (D)calling with which you have been (E)called, with all (F)humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another (G)in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the (H)bond of peace. There is (I)one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one (J)hope of your calling; (K)one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all (L)who is over all and through all and in all.

But (M)to each one of us (N)grace was given (O)according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore [a]it says,

(P)When He ascended on high,
He (Q)led captive the captives,
And He gave gifts to people.”

(Now this expression, “He (R)ascended,” what [b]does it mean except that He also [c]had descended into (S)the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended (T)far above all the heavens, so that He might (U)fill all things.) 11 And He (V)gave (W)some as apostles, some as prophets, some as (X)evangelists, some as [d]pastors and (Y)teachers, 12 (Z)for the equipping of the [e]saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of (AA)the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to (AB)the unity of the faith, and of the [f](AC)knowledge of the Son of God, to a (AD)mature man, to the measure of the stature [g]which belongs to the (AE)fullness of Christ. 14 [h]As a result, we are (AF)no longer to be children, (AG)tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by (AH)craftiness [i]in (AI)deceitful scheming; 15 but [j]speaking the truth (AJ)in love, [k]we are to (AK)grow up in all aspects into Him who is the (AL)head, that is, Christ, 16 from whom (AM)the whole body, being fitted and held together [l]by what every joint supplies, according to the [m]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself (AN)in love.

The Christian’s Walk

17 (AO)So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, (AP)that you are to no longer walk just as the [n]Gentiles also walk, in the (AQ)futility of their minds, 18 being (AR)darkened in their understanding, [o](AS)excluded from the life of God because of the (AT)ignorance that is in them, because of the (AU)hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having (AV)become callous, (AW)have given themselves up to (AX)indecent behavior [p]for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not (AY)learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you (AZ)have heard Him and have (BA)been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to (BB)rid yourselves of the (BC)old [q]self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the (BD)lusts of deceit, 23 and that you are to be (BE)renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to (BF)put on the (BG)new [r]self, which [s](BH)in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

25 Therefore, (BI)ridding yourselves of falsehood, (BJ)speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are (BK)parts of one another. 26 (BL)Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not (BM)give the devil [t]an opportunity. 28 The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather (BN)he must labor, (BO)producing with his own hands what is good, (BP)so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. 29 Let no [u](BQ)unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for (BR)edification [v]according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 (BS)Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, [w]by whom you were (BT)sealed for the day of redemption. 31 (BU)All bitterness, wrath, anger, [x]clamor, and slander must be (BV)removed from you, along with all (BW)malice. 32 (BX)Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, (BY)just as God in Christ also has forgiven [y]you.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 Or He
  2. Ephesians 4:9 Lit is it except
  3. Ephesians 4:9 One early ms had first descended
  4. Ephesians 4:11 From Gr for shepherds
  5. Ephesians 4:12 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  6. Ephesians 4:13 Or true knowledge
  7. Ephesians 4:13 Lit of the fullness
  8. Ephesians 4:14 Lit So that we will no longer be
  9. Ephesians 4:14 Lit with regard to the scheming of deceit
  10. Ephesians 4:15 Or holding to; or being truthful in
  11. Ephesians 4:15 Or let’s grow up
  12. Ephesians 4:16 Lit through every joint of the supply
  13. Ephesians 4:16 Lit working in measure
  14. Ephesians 4:17 I.e., unbelieving Gentiles
  15. Ephesians 4:18 Or alienated
  16. Ephesians 4:19 Or greedy for the practice of every kind of impurity
  17. Ephesians 4:22 Lit person
  18. Ephesians 4:24 Lit person
  19. Ephesians 4:24 Lit according to God
  20. Ephesians 4:27 Lit a place
  21. Ephesians 4:29 Lit rotten
  22. Ephesians 4:29 Lit of the need
  23. Ephesians 4:30 Lit in
  24. Ephesians 4:31 Or shouting
  25. Ephesians 4:32 Two early mss us

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

As a prisoner(A) for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy(B) of the calling(C) you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another(D) in love.(E) Make every effort to keep the unity(F) of the Spirit through the bond of peace.(G) There is one body(H) and one Spirit,(I) just as you were called to one hope when you were called(J); one Lord,(K) one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all,(L) who is over all and through all and in all.(M)

But to each one of us(N) grace(O) has been given(P) as Christ apportioned it. This is why it[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives(Q)
    and gave gifts to his people.”[b](R)

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended(S) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)(T) 11 So Christ himself gave(U) the apostles,(V) the prophets,(W) the evangelists,(X) the pastors and teachers,(Y) 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ(Z) may be built up(AA) 13 until we all reach unity(AB) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God(AC) and become mature,(AD) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.(AE)

14 Then we will no longer be infants,(AF) tossed back and forth by the waves,(AG) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.(AH) 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love,(AI) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,(AJ) that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows(AK) and builds itself up(AL) in love,(AM) as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer(AN) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.(AO) 18 They are darkened in their understanding(AP) and separated from the life of God(AQ) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.(AR) 19 Having lost all sensitivity,(AS) they have given themselves over(AT) to sensuality(AU) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off(AV) your old self,(AW) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;(AX) 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;(AY) 24 and to put on(AZ) the new self,(BA) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.(BB)

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully(BC) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.(BD) 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]:(BE) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.(BF) 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,(BG) doing something useful with their own hands,(BH) that they may have something to share with those in need.(BI)

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,(BJ) but only what is helpful for building others up(BK) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,(BL) with whom you were sealed(BM) for the day of redemption.(BN) 31 Get rid of(BO) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.(BP) 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,(BQ) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.(BR)

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 Or God
  2. Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
  3. Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth
  4. Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint)