The Futility of Idols

21 “Present your case,” says the Lord.
“Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the (A)King of Jacob.
22 “Let(B) them bring forth and show us what will happen;
Let them show the (C)former things, what they were,
That we may [a]consider them,
And know the latter end of them;
Or declare to us things to come.
23 (D)Show the things that are to come hereafter,
That we may know that you are gods;
Yes, (E)do good or do evil,
That we may be dismayed and see it together.
24 Indeed (F)you are nothing,
And your work is nothing;
He who chooses you is an abomination.

25 “I have raised up one from the north,
And he shall come;
From the [b]rising of the sun (G)he shall call on My name;
(H)And he shall come against princes as though mortar,
As the potter treads clay.
26 (I)Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know?
And former times, that we may say, ‘He is righteous’?
Surely there is no one who shows,
Surely there is no one who declares,
Surely there is no one who hears your words.
27 (J)The first time (K)I said to Zion,
‘Look, there they are!’
And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings.
28 (L)For I looked, and there was no man;
I looked among them, but there was no counselor,
Who, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29 (M)Indeed they are all [c]worthless;
Their works are nothing;
Their molded images are wind and confusion.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 41:22 Lit. set our heart on them
  2. Isaiah 41:25 East
  3. Isaiah 41:29 So with MT, Vg.; DSS, Syr., Tg. nothing; LXX omits first line

21 “Present your case,(A)” says the Lord.
    “Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.(B)
22 “Tell us, you idols,
    what is going to happen.(C)
Tell us what the former things(D) were,
    so that we may consider them
    and know their final outcome.
Or declare to us the things to come,(E)
23     tell us what the future holds,
    so we may know(F) that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,(G)
    so that we will be dismayed(H) and filled with fear.
24 But you are less than nothing(I)
    and your works are utterly worthless;(J)
    whoever chooses you is detestable.(K)

25 “I have stirred(L) up one from the north,(M) and he comes—
    one from the rising sun who calls on my name.
He treads(N) on rulers as if they were mortar,
    as if he were a potter treading the clay.
26 Who told of this from the beginning,(O) so we could know,
    or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’?
No one told of this,
    no one foretold(P) it,
    no one heard any words(Q) from you.
27 I was the first to tell(R) Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’
    I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news.(S)
28 I look but there is no one(T)
    no one among the gods to give counsel,(U)
    no one to give answer(V) when I ask them.
29 See, they are all false!
    Their deeds amount to nothing;(W)
    their images(X) are but wind(Y) and confusion.

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What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched(A)

That (B)which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have (C)seen with our eyes, (D)which we have looked upon, and (E)our hands have handled, concerning the (F)Word of life— (G)the life (H)was manifested, and we have seen, (I)and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was (J)with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is (K)with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you (L)that [a]your joy may be full.

Fellowship with Him and One Another

(M)This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that (N)God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (O)If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we (P)walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and (Q)the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we (R)confess our sins, He is (S)faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to (T)cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we (U)make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

The Test of Knowing Christ

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, (V)we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And (W)He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but (X)also for the whole world.

The Test of Knowing Him

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a (Y)liar, and the truth is not in him. But (Z)whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God [b]is perfected (AA)in him. By this we know that we are in Him. (AB)He who says he abides in Him (AC)ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 1:4 NU, M our
  2. 1 John 2:5 has been completed

The Incarnation of the Word of Life

That which was from the beginning,(A) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,(B) which we have looked at and our hands have touched(C)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared;(D) we have seen it and testify to it,(E) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,(F) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,(G) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.(H) We write this(I) to make our[a] joy complete.(J)

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

This is the message we have heard(K) from him and declare to you: God is light;(L) in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,(M) we lie and do not live out the truth.(N) But if we walk in the light,(O) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.(P)

If we claim to be without sin,(Q) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.(R) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins(S) and purify us from all unrighteousness.(T) 10 If we claim we have not sinned,(U) we make him out to be a liar(V) and his word is not in us.(W)

My dear children,(X) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate(Y) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,(Z) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.(AA)

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

We know(AB) that we have come to know him(AC) if we keep his commands.(AD) Whoever says, “I know him,”(AE) but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.(AF) But if anyone obeys his word,(AG) love for God[c] is truly made complete in them.(AH) This is how we know(AI) we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
  2. 1 John 1:7 Or every
  3. 1 John 2:5 Or word, God’s love