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Isaiah 45-47
New Life Version
Isaiah 45-47
New Life Version
Cyrus to Lead
45 This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, whom He has chosen, whose right hand He has held, “I send him to put nations under his power, and to take away the power of kings. And I will open doors in front of him so that gates will not be shut. 2 I will go before you and make the hard places smooth. I will break the brass doors to pieces, and cut through their iron gates. 3 I will give you riches hidden in the darkness and things of great worth that are hidden in secret places. Then you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by name. 4 For the good of Jacob My servant and Israel My chosen one, I called you by your name. I gave you a name of honor, when you had not known Me. 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other. There is no God besides Me. I will give you strength, even though you have not known Me. 6 Then men may know from sunrise to sunset that there is no God besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. 7 I make light and I make darkness. I bring good and I make trouble. I am the Lord Who does all these things.
8 “Send down, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds pour down what is right and good. Let the earth open up and bring the fruit of saving power. And let what is right and good grow with it. I the Lord have made it.
9 “It is bad for the one who works against His Maker. He is just a clay pot among the other pots of earth. Will the clay say to the pot-maker, ‘What are you doing?’ or, your work say, ‘He has no hands’? 10 It is bad for him who says to his father, ‘To what are you giving life?’ or to a woman, ‘To what are you giving birth?’”
11 The Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, says, “Will you ask Me about the things to come for My children? Will you tell Me about the work of My hands? 12 I made the earth, and made man upon it. I spread out the heavens with My hands, and put all the stars in their places. 13 I have sent Cyrus to do what is right and good. And I will make all his ways smooth. He will build My city and without any money will set My people free who were taken away,” says the Lord of All.
14 The Lord says, “The riches of Egypt and the good things of Cush and the tall Sabeans will come over to you and be yours. They will walk behind you in chains and bow down to you. They will beg you, saying, ‘For sure God is with you, and there is no other God. There is none other.’” 15 It is true that You are a God Who hides Himself, O God of Israel, the One Who saves! 16 All of them will be put to shame and troubled. Those who make false gods will go away together in shame. 17 Israel has been saved forever by the Lord. You will never be put to shame for all time.
18 This is what the Lord Who made the heavens, the God Who planned and made the earth, and everything in it and did not make it a waste place, but made it a place for people to live in, says, “I am the Lord, and there is no other. 19 I have not spoken in secret in some dark land. I did not say to the children of Jacob, ‘Look for Me for nothing.’ I the Lord speak the truth. I say what is right.
20 “Gather together and come. Come near together, you who are left of the nations. They have no learning, who carry around their false god made of wood and pray to a god who cannot save. 21 Make your need known. Yes, let them talk it over together. Who said this would happen from long ago? Who has been saying it for a long time? Is it not I, the Lord? There is no other God besides Me, a God Who is right and good, a God Who saves. There is none except Me. 22 Look to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other. 23 By Myself I have sworn. The Word has gone out from My mouth in truth, and will not turn back: ‘Every knee will bow down before Me. And every tongue will say that I am God.’ 24 They will say of Me, ‘Strength and what is right and good are only found in the Lord.’ Men will come to Him, and all who were angry at Him will be put to shame. 25 In the Lord all the children of Israel will be made right, and will give praise.”
False Gods and the Living God
46 The false gods, Bel and Nebo, bow down. Their objects of worship were put on animals and cattle and the wagons had heavy loads making it hard for the tired animals. 2 They get down, they bow down together. They could not save the heavy load, but are themselves carried away to another land.
3 “Listen to Me, O family of Jacob, and all who are left of the family of Israel. You have been helped by Me before you were born and carried since you were born. 4 Even when you are old I will be the same. And even when your hair turns white, I will help you. I will take care of what I have made. I will carry you, and will save you.
5 “To whom will you compare Me? With whom will you make Me the same and compare Me, that we should be alike? 6 Those who take much gold from the money bag and weigh silver hire one who works with gold, and he makes it into a god. Then they bow down and worship it. 7 They lift it upon their shoulders and carry it. They set it in its place and it stands there. It does not move from its place. When one cries to it, it cannot answer. It cannot take him away from his trouble.
8 “Remember this and be men. Bring it to mind again, you sinners. 9 Remember the things of long ago. For I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is no one like Me. 10 I tell from the beginning what will happen in the end. And from times long ago I tell of things which have not been done, saying, ‘My Word will stand. And I will do all that pleases Me.’ 11 I call a strong and hungry bird from the east, the man from a far country who will do what I have planned. I have spoken, and I will make it happen. I have planned it, and I will do it.
12 “Listen to Me, you strong-willed people who are far from being right and good. 13 I bring near what is right and good. It is not far away. And My saving power is ready now. I will save Zion, and will bring My great power to Israel.
Babylon Is Punished
47 “Come down and sit in the dust, O pure daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O people of the Babylonians. For you will no longer be called soft and gentle. 2 Take the heavy stones and grind grain. Take off your face-covering and your clothing. Take the covering off your legs, and cross the rivers. 3 Your body will not be covered, and your shame will be seen. I will punish, and will not show pity to any man.” 4 The One Who bought us and saves us, the Lord of All is His name, the Holy One of Israel. 5 “Sit and be quiet, and go into darkness, O people of the Babylonians. For you will no more be called the queen of nations. 6 I was angry with My people. I made My chosen nation unclean, and gave them into your hand. You did not show loving-kindness to them. On the older people you made your load very heavy. 7 You said, ‘I will be a queen forever.’ So you did not think about these things, or remember what might happen.
8 “So now hear this, you who love the desires of the body, who live without fear of danger. You say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me. I will not sit as a woman whose husband has died, and I will not lose my children.’ 9 But these two things will come upon you all at once in one day. You will lose your children and your husband. All this trouble will come to you, even with all your witchcraft and the strong power of your sinful secret ways. 10 You trusted in your sin and said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and learning have led you the wrong way, for you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’ 11 Much trouble will come upon you, and you will not know how to get away from it. Trouble will fall on you, and there will be no way for you to pay that it might go away. You will not know it but all at once you will be destroyed.
12 “Keep on with your sinful secret ways and all your witchcraft that you have used since you were young. It might be that you will get something from it. Maybe you can cause fear. 13 You are tired with your many wise men. Now call the star watchers, those who tell by the stars what will happen in the future, those who tell the future by the new moons. Have them stand up and save you from what will come upon you. 14 See, they have become like dry grass. Fire burns them. They cannot take themselves away from the power of the fire. This is no fire for making one warm, or fire to sit by! 15 This is how those are to you, with whom you have worked since you were young. Each one has gone on in his own wrong way. There is no one who can save you.
Isaiah 45-47
New International Version
Isaiah 45-47
New International Version
45 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed,(A)
to Cyrus,(B) whose right hand I take hold(C) of
to subdue nations(D) before him
and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him
so that gates will not be shut:
2 I will go before you(E)
and will level(F) the mountains[a];
I will break down gates(G) of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.(H)
3 I will give you hidden treasures,(I)
riches stored in secret places,(J)
so that you may know(K) that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name.(L)
4 For the sake of Jacob my servant,(M)
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge(N) me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;(O)
apart from me there is no God.(P)
I will strengthen you,(Q)
though you have not acknowledged me,
6 so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting(R)
people may know(S) there is none besides me.(T)
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form the light and create darkness,(U)
I bring prosperity and create disaster;(V)
I, the Lord, do all these things.
8 “You heavens above, rain(W) down my righteousness;(X)
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation(Y) spring up,
let righteousness flourish with it;
I, the Lord, have created it.
9 “Woe to those who quarrel(Z) with their Maker,(AA)
those who are nothing but potsherds(AB)
among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,(AC)
‘What are you making?’(AD)
Does your work say,
‘The potter has no hands’?(AE)
10 Woe to the one who says to a father,
‘What have you begotten?’
or to a mother,
‘What have you brought to birth?’
11 “This is what the Lord says—
the Holy One(AF) of Israel, and its Maker:(AG)
Concerning things to come,
do you question me about my children,
or give me orders about the work of my hands?(AH)
12 It is I who made the earth(AI)
and created mankind on it.
My own hands stretched out the heavens;(AJ)
I marshaled their starry hosts.(AK)
13 I will raise up Cyrus[b](AL) in my righteousness:
I will make all his ways straight.(AM)
He will rebuild my city(AN)
and set my exiles free,
but not for a price or reward,(AO)
says the Lord Almighty.”
14 This is what the Lord says:
“The products(AP) of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,[c]
and those tall Sabeans(AQ)—
they will come over to you(AR)
and will be yours;
they will trudge behind you,(AS)
coming over to you in chains.(AT)
They will bow down before you
and plead(AU) with you, saying,
‘Surely God is with you,(AV) and there is no other;
there is no other god.(AW)’”
15 Truly you are a God who has been hiding(AX) himself,
the God and Savior(AY) of Israel.
16 All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced;(AZ)
they will go off into disgrace together.
17 But Israel will be saved(BA) by the Lord
with an everlasting salvation;(BB)
you will never be put to shame or disgraced,(BC)
to ages everlasting.
18 For this is what the Lord says—
he who created the heavens,
he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth,(BD)
he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,(BE)
but formed it to be inhabited(BF)—
he says:
“I am the Lord,
and there is no other.(BG)
19 I have not spoken in secret,(BH)
from somewhere in a land of darkness;(BI)
I have not said to Jacob’s descendants,(BJ)
‘Seek(BK) me in vain.’
I, the Lord, speak the truth;
I declare what is right.(BL)
20 “Gather together(BM) and come;
assemble, you fugitives from the nations.
Ignorant(BN) are those who carry(BO) about idols of wood,
who pray to gods that cannot save.(BP)
21 Declare what is to be, present it—
let them take counsel together.
Who foretold(BQ) this long ago,
who declared it from the distant past?(BR)
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no God apart from me,(BS)
a righteous God(BT) and a Savior;(BU)
there is none but me.
22 “Turn(BV) to me and be saved,(BW)
all you ends of the earth;(BX)
for I am God, and there is no other.(BY)
23 By myself I have sworn,(BZ)
my mouth has uttered in all integrity(CA)
a word that will not be revoked:(CB)
Before me every knee will bow;(CC)
by me every tongue will swear.(CD)
24 They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone
are deliverance(CE) and strength.(CF)’”
All who have raged against him
will come to him and be put to shame.(CG)
25 But all the descendants(CH) of Israel
will find deliverance(CI) in the Lord
and will make their boast in him.(CJ)
Gods of Babylon
46 Bel(CK) bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols(CL) are borne by beasts of burden.[d]
The images that are carried(CM) about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
2 They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.(CN)
3 “Listen(CO) to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant(CP) of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,(CQ)
and have carried(CR) since you were born.(CS)
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs(CT)
I am he,(CU) I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain(CV) you and I will rescue you.
5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?(CW)
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith(CX) to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.(CY)
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry(CZ) it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.(DA)
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;(DB)
it cannot save(DC) them from their troubles.
8 “Remember(DD) this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.(DE)
9 Remember the former things,(DF) those of long ago;(DG)
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.(DH)
10 I make known the end from the beginning,(DI)
from ancient times,(DJ) what is still to come.(DK)
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,(DL)
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon(DM) a bird of prey;(DN)
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned,(DO) that I will do.(DP)
12 Listen(DQ) to me, you stubborn-hearted,(DR)
you who are now far from my righteousness.(DS)
13 I am bringing my righteousness(DT) near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation(DU) will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,(DV)
my splendor(DW) to Israel.
The Fall of Babylon
47 “Go down, sit in the dust,(DX)
Virgin Daughter(DY) Babylon;
sit on the ground without a throne,
queen city of the Babylonians.[e](DZ)
No more will you be called
tender or delicate.(EA)
2 Take millstones(EB) and grind(EC) flour;
take off your veil.(ED)
Lift up your skirts,(EE) bare your legs,
and wade through the streams.
3 Your nakedness(EF) will be exposed
and your shame(EG) uncovered.
I will take vengeance;(EH)
I will spare no one.(EI)”
5 “Sit in silence,(EN) go into darkness,(EO)
queen city of the Babylonians;(EP)
no more will you be called
queen(EQ) of kingdoms.(ER)
6 I was angry(ES) with my people
and desecrated my inheritance;(ET)
I gave them into your hand,(EU)
and you showed them no mercy.(EV)
Even on the aged
you laid a very heavy yoke.
7 You said, ‘I am forever(EW)—
the eternal queen!’(EX)
But you did not consider these things
or reflect(EY) on what might happen.(EZ)
8 “Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure,
lounging in your security(FA)
and saying to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.(FB)
I will never be a widow(FC)
or suffer the loss of children.’
9 Both of these will overtake you
in a moment,(FD) on a single day:
loss of children(FE) and widowhood.(FF)
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries(FG)
and all your potent spells.(FH)
10 You have trusted(FI) in your wickedness
and have said, ‘No one sees me.’(FJ)
Your wisdom(FK) and knowledge mislead(FL) you
when you say to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
11 Disaster(FM) will come upon you,
and you will not know how to conjure it away.
A calamity will fall upon you
that you cannot ward off with a ransom;
a catastrophe you cannot foresee
will suddenly(FN) come upon you.
12 “Keep on, then, with your magic spells
and with your many sorceries,(FO)
which you have labored at since childhood.
Perhaps you will succeed,
perhaps you will cause terror.
13 All the counsel you have received has only worn you out!(FP)
Let your astrologers(FQ) come forward,
those stargazers who make predictions month by month,
let them save(FR) you from what is coming upon you.
14 Surely they are like stubble;(FS)
the fire(FT) will burn them up.
They cannot even save themselves
from the power of the flame.(FU)
These are not coals for warmth;
this is not a fire to sit by.
15 That is all they are to you—
these you have dealt with
and labored(FV) with since childhood.
All of them go on in their error;
there is not one that can save(FW) you.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 45:2 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
- Isaiah 45:13 Hebrew him
- Isaiah 45:14 That is, the upper Nile region
- Isaiah 46:1 Or are but beasts and cattle
- Isaiah 47:1 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 5
Colossians 3
New Life Version
Colossians 3
New Life Version
The New Life Lived by the Power of Christ
3 If then you have been raised with Christ, keep looking for the good things of heaven. This is where Christ is seated on the right side of God. 2 Keep your minds thinking about things in heaven. Do not think about things on the earth. 3 You are dead to the things of this world. Your new life is now hidden in God through Christ. 4 Christ is our life. When He comes again, you will also be with Him to share His shining-greatness.
The Old Person Put Aside
5 Destroy the desires to sin that are in you. These desires are: sex sins, anything that is not clean, a desire for sex sins, and wanting something someone else has. This is worshiping a god. 6 It is because of these sins that the anger of God comes down on those who do not obey Him. 7 You used to do these sins when you lived that kind of life. 8 Put out of your life these things also: anger, bad temper, bad feelings toward others, talk that hurts people, speaking against God, and dirty talk. 9 Do not lie to each other. You have put out of your life your old ways. 10 You have now become a new person and are always learning more about Christ. You are being made more like Christ. He is the One Who made you. 11 There is no difference in men in this new life. Greeks and Jews are the same. The man who has gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew and the one who has not are the same. There is no difference between nations. Men who are servants and those who are free are the same. Christ is everything. He is in all of us.
12 God has chosen you. You are holy and loved by Him. Because of this, your new life should be full of loving-pity. You should be kind to others and have no pride. Be gentle and be willing to wait for others. 13 Try to understand other people. Forgive each other. If you have something against someone, forgive him. That is the way the Lord forgave you. 14 And to all these things, you must add love. Love holds everything and everybody together and makes all these good things perfect. 15 Let the peace of Christ have power over your hearts. You were chosen as a part of His body. Always be thankful.
16 Let the teaching of Christ and His words keep on living in you. These make your lives rich and full of wisdom. Keep on teaching and helping each other. Sing the Songs of David and the church songs and the songs of heaven with hearts full of thanks to God. 17 Whatever you say or do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through the Lord Jesus.
How Families Should Live
18 Wives, obey your husbands. This is what the Lord wants you to do. 19 Husbands, love your wives. Do not hold hard feelings against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything. The Lord is pleased when you do. 21 Fathers, do not be so hard on your children that they will give up trying to do what is right.
22 You who are servants who are owned by someone, obey your owners. Work hard for them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Work for them as you would for the Lord because you honor God. 23 Whatever work you do, do it with all your heart. Do it for the Lord and not for men. 24 Remember that you will get your reward from the Lord. He will give you what you should receive. You are working for the Lord Christ. 25 If anyone does wrong, he will suffer for it. God does not respect one person more than another.
Colossians 3
New International Version
Colossians 3
New International Version
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)
Footnotes
- Colossians 3:4 Some manuscripts our
- Colossians 3:6 Some early manuscripts coming on those who are disobedient
- Colossians 3:21 Or Parents
New Life Version (NLV)
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