1 Thessalonians 1:4-7

New Living Translation

⁴We know, dear brothers and sisters,^[a] that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. ⁵For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance^[b] that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. ⁶So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. ⁷As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.^[c]

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Footnotes

1:4 Greek brothers.
1:5 Or with the power of the Holy Spirit, so you can have full assurance.
1:7 Macedonia and Achaia were the northern and southern regions of Greece.

Isaiah 63:7-14

New Living Translation

Praise for Deliverance

⁷I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love.
    I will praise the Lord for all he has done.
I will rejoice in his great goodness to Israel,
    which he has granted according to his mercy and love.
⁸He said, “They are my very own people.
    Surely they will not betray me again.”
    And he became their Savior.
⁹In all their suffering he also suffered,
    and he personally^[a] rescued them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them.
    He lifted them up and carried them
    through all the years.
¹⁰But they rebelled against him
    and grieved his Holy Spirit.
So he became their enemy
    and fought against them.

¹¹Then they remembered those days of old
    when Moses led his people out of Egypt.
They cried out, “Where is the one who brought Israel through the sea,
    with Moses as their shepherd?
Where is the one who sent his Holy Spirit
    to be among his people?
¹²Where is the one whose power was displayed
    when Moses lifted up his hand—
the one who divided the sea before them,
    making himself famous forever?
¹³Where is the one who led them through the bottom of the sea?
    They were like fine stallions
    racing through the desert, never stumbling.
¹⁴As with cattle going down into a peaceful valley,
    the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
You led your people, Lord,
    and gained a magnificent reputation.”