Font Size
Isaiah 47-48
Christian Standard Bible
Isaiah 47-48
Christian Standard Bible
The Fall of Babylon
47 “Go down and sit in the dust,(A)
Virgin Daughter Babylon.(B)
Sit on the ground without a throne,
Daughter Chaldea!
For you will no longer be called pampered and spoiled.
2 Take millstones and grind flour;(C)
remove your veil,
strip off your skirt, bare your thigh,
wade through the streams.
3 Your nakedness will be uncovered,
and your disgrace will be exposed.(D)
I will take vengeance;
I will spare no one.”[a]
4 The Holy One of Israel is our Redeemer;(E)
The Lord of Armies is his name.
5 “Daughter Chaldea,
sit in silence(F) and go into darkness.
For you will no longer be called mistress of kingdoms.
6 I was angry with my people;
I profaned my possession,
and I handed them over to you.
You showed them no mercy;
you made your yoke very heavy on the elderly.
7 You said, ‘I will be the queen forever.’
You did not take these things to heart
or think about their outcome.
8 “So now hear this, lover of luxury,
who sits securely,(G)
who says to herself,
‘I am, and there is no one else.
I will never be a widow
or know the loss of children.’(H)
9 These two things will happen to you
suddenly, in one day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will happen to you in their entirety,
in spite of your many sorceries(I)
and the potency of your spells.
10 You were secure in your wickedness;
you said, ‘No one sees me.’(J)
Your wisdom and knowledge
led you astray.
You said to yourself,
‘I am, and there is no one else.’
11 But disaster will happen to you;
you will not know how to avert it.
And it will fall on you,
but you will be unable to ward it off.[b]
Devastation will happen to you suddenly
and unexpectedly.(K)
12 So take your stand with your spells
and your many sorceries,
which you have wearied yourself with from your youth.
Perhaps you will be able to succeed;
perhaps you will inspire terror!
13 You are worn out with your many consultations.
So let the astrologers stand and save you—
those who observe the stars,(L)
those who predict monthly
what will happen to you.
14 Look, they are like stubble;(M)
fire burns them.(N)
They cannot rescue themselves
from the power of the flame.
This is not a coal for warming themselves,
or a fire to sit beside!
15 This is what they are to you—
those who have wearied you
and have traded with you from your youth—
each wanders on his own way;
no one can save you.
Israel Must Leave Babylon
48 “Listen to this, house of Jacob—
those who are called by the name Israel
and have descended from[c] Judah,(O)
who swear by the name of the Lord(P)
and declare the God of Israel,
but not in truth or righteousness.
2 For they are named after the holy city,
and lean on the God of Israel;(Q)
his name is the Lord of Armies.
3 I declared the past events long ago;
they came out of my mouth; I proclaimed them.
Suddenly I acted, and they occurred.
4 Because I know that you are stubborn,
and your neck is iron[d]
and your forehead bronze,(R)
5 therefore I declared to you long ago.
I announced it to you before it occurred,
so you could not claim, ‘My idol caused them;
my carved image and cast idol control them.’(S)
6 You have heard it. Observe it all.
Will you not acknowledge it?
From now on I will announce new things to you,
hidden things that you have not known.(T)
7 They have been created now, and not long ago;
you have not heard of them before today,
so you could not claim, ‘I already knew them!’
8 You have never heard; you have never known;
for a long time your ears have not been open.
For I knew that you were very treacherous,
and were known as a rebel from birth.(U)
9 I will delay my anger for the sake of my name,
and I will restrain myself for your benefit and for my praise,
so that you will not be destroyed.
10 Look, I have refined you,(V) but not as silver;
I have tested[e] you in the furnace of affliction.
11 I will act for my own sake, indeed, my own,(W)
for how can I[f] be defiled?
I will not give my glory to another.(X)
12 “Listen to me, Jacob,
and Israel, the one called by me:
I am he; I am the first,
I am also the last.(Y)
13 My own hand founded the earth,
and my right hand spread out the heavens;(Z)
when I summoned them,
they stood up together.
14 All of you, assemble and listen!
Who among the idols[g] has declared these things?
The Lord loves him;[h]
he will accomplish his will against Babylon,(AA)
and his arm will be against the Chaldeans.
15 I—I have spoken;
yes, I have called him;(AB)
I have brought him,
and he will succeed in his mission.(AC)
16 Approach me and listen to this.
From the beginning I have not spoken in secret;(AD)
from the time anything existed, I was there.”
And now the Lord God
has sent me and his Spirit.(AE)
17 This is what the Lord, your Redeemer,(AF) the Holy One of Israel(AG) says:
I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you for your benefit,
who leads you in the way you should go.
18 If only you had paid attention to my commands.
Then your peace would have been like a river,(AH)
and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.(AI)
19 Your descendants would have been as countless as the sand,(AJ)
and the offspring of your body like its grains;
their name would not be cut off
or eliminated from my presence.
20 Leave Babylon,
flee from the Chaldeans!
Declare with a shout of joy,
proclaim this,
let it go out to the end of the earth;
announce,
“The Lord has redeemed his servant(AK) Jacob!”
21 They did not thirst
when he led them through the deserts;
he made water flow from the rock for them;(AL)
he split the rock, and water gushed out.
22 “There is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.(AM)
Isaiah 47-48
New International Version
Isaiah 47-48
New International Version
The Fall of Babylon
47 “Go down, sit in the dust,(A)
Virgin Daughter(B) Babylon;
sit on the ground without a throne,
queen city of the Babylonians.[a](C)
No more will you be called
tender or delicate.(D)
2 Take millstones(E) and grind(F) flour;
take off your veil.(G)
Lift up your skirts,(H) bare your legs,
and wade through the streams.
3 Your nakedness(I) will be exposed
and your shame(J) uncovered.
I will take vengeance;(K)
I will spare no one.(L)”
5 “Sit in silence,(Q) go into darkness,(R)
queen city of the Babylonians;(S)
no more will you be called
queen(T) of kingdoms.(U)
6 I was angry(V) with my people
and desecrated my inheritance;(W)
I gave them into your hand,(X)
and you showed them no mercy.(Y)
Even on the aged
you laid a very heavy yoke.
7 You said, ‘I am forever(Z)—
the eternal queen!’(AA)
But you did not consider these things
or reflect(AB) on what might happen.(AC)
8 “Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure,
lounging in your security(AD)
and saying to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.(AE)
I will never be a widow(AF)
or suffer the loss of children.’
9 Both of these will overtake you
in a moment,(AG) on a single day:
loss of children(AH) and widowhood.(AI)
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries(AJ)
and all your potent spells.(AK)
10 You have trusted(AL) in your wickedness
and have said, ‘No one sees me.’(AM)
Your wisdom(AN) and knowledge mislead(AO) you
when you say to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
11 Disaster(AP) 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(AQ) come upon you.
12 “Keep on, then, with your magic spells
and with your many sorceries,(AR)
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!(AS)
Let your astrologers(AT) come forward,
those stargazers who make predictions month by month,
let them save(AU) you from what is coming upon you.
14 Surely they are like stubble;(AV)
the fire(AW) will burn them up.
They cannot even save themselves
from the power of the flame.(AX)
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(AY) with since childhood.
All of them go on in their error;
there is not one that can save(AZ) you.
Stubborn Israel
48 “Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob,
you who are called by the name of Israel(BA)
and come from the line of Judah,(BB)
you who take oaths(BC) in the name of the Lord(BD)
and invoke(BE) the God of Israel—
but not in truth(BF) or righteousness—
2 you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city(BG)
and claim to rely(BH) on the God of Israel—
the Lord Almighty is his name:(BI)
3 I foretold the former things(BJ) long ago,
my mouth announced(BK) them and I made them known;
then suddenly(BL) I acted, and they came to pass.
4 For I knew how stubborn(BM) you were;
your neck muscles(BN) were iron,
your forehead(BO) was bronze.
5 Therefore I told you these things long ago;
before they happened I announced(BP) them to you
so that you could not say,
‘My images brought them about;(BQ)
my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’
6 You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not admit them?
“From now on I will tell you of new things,(BR)
of hidden things unknown to you.
7 They are created(BS) now, and not long ago;(BT)
you have not heard of them before today.
So you cannot say,
‘Yes, I knew(BU) of them.’
8 You have neither heard nor understood;(BV)
from of old your ears(BW) have not been open.
Well do I know how treacherous(BX) you are;
you were called a rebel(BY) from birth.
9 For my own name’s sake(BZ) I delay my wrath;(CA)
for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you,
so as not to destroy you completely.(CB)
10 See, I have refined(CC) you, though not as silver;
I have tested(CD) you in the furnace(CE) of affliction.
11 For my own sake,(CF) for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?(CG)
I will not yield my glory to another.(CH)
Israel Freed
12 “Listen(CI) to me, Jacob,
Israel, whom I have called:(CJ)
I am he;(CK)
I am the first and I am the last.(CL)
13 My own hand laid the foundations of the earth,(CM)
and my right hand spread out the heavens;(CN)
when I summon them,
they all stand up together.(CO)
14 “Come together,(CP) all of you, and listen:
Which of the idols has foretold(CQ) these things?
The Lord’s chosen ally(CR)
will carry out his purpose(CS) against Babylon;(CT)
his arm will be against the Babylonians.[b]
15 I, even I, have spoken;
yes, I have called(CU) him.
I will bring him,
and he will succeed(CV) in his mission.
16 “Come near(CW) me and listen(CX) to this:
“From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret;(CY)
at the time it happens, I am there.”
17 This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer,(DC) the Holy One(DD) of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches(DE) you what is best for you,
who directs(DF) you in the way(DG) you should go.
18 If only you had paid attention(DH) to my commands,
your peace(DI) would have been like a river,(DJ)
your well-being(DK) like the waves of the sea.
19 Your descendants(DL) would have been like the sand,(DM)
your children like its numberless grains;(DN)
their name would never be blotted out(DO)
nor destroyed from before me.”
20 Leave Babylon,
flee(DP) from the Babylonians!
Announce this with shouts of joy(DQ)
and proclaim it.
Send it out to the ends of the earth;(DR)
say, “The Lord has redeemed(DS) his servant Jacob.”
21 They did not thirst(DT) when he led them through the deserts;
he made water flow(DU) for them from the rock;
he split the rock
and water gushed out.(DV)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 47:1 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 5
- Isaiah 48:14 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 20
2 Corinthians 1:12-2:17
Christian Standard Bible
2 Corinthians 1:12-2:17
Christian Standard Bible
A Clear Conscience
12 Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony(A) of our conscience(B) is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom(C) but by God’s grace.(D) 13 For we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely— 14 just as you have partially understood us—that we are your reason for pride,(E) just as you also are ours(F) in the day of our[a] Lord Jesus.(G)
A Visit Postponed
15 Because of this confidence, I planned to come to you first,(H) so that you could have a second benefit,[b] 16 and to visit you on my way to Macedonia,(I) and then come to you again from Macedonia and be helped by you(J) on my journey(K) to Judea.(L) 17 Now when I planned this, was I of two minds? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human[c](M) way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18 As God is faithful,(N) our message to you is not “Yes and no.” 19 For the Son of God,(O) Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you—Silvanus,[d](P) Timothy, and I—did not become “Yes and no.” On the contrary, in him it is always “Yes.”(Q) 20 For every one of God’s promises(R) is “Yes” in him. Therefore, through him we also say “Amen”(S) to the glory of God.(T) 21 Now it is God who strengthens us together with you in Christ, and who has anointed(U) us. 22 He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our hearts(V) as a down payment.(W)
23 I call on God as a witness,(X) on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth.(Y) 24 I do not mean that we lord it over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in your(Z) faith.
2 In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit.[e] 2 For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me?[f] 3 I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident(AA) about all of you that my joy will also be yours. 4 For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.
A Sinner Forgiven
5 If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree—not to exaggerate(AB)—to all of you. 6 This punishment by the majority is sufficient for that person. 7 As a result, you should instead forgive(AC) and comfort him. Otherwise, he may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 I wrote for this purpose: to test your character(AD) to see if you are obedient(AE) in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I do too. For what I have forgiven—if I have forgiven anything—it is for your benefit in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we may not be taken advantage(AF) of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
A Trip to Macedonia
12 When I came to Troas(AG) to preach the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord opened a door(AH) for me, 13 I had no rest(AI) in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus.(AJ) Instead, I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia.(AK)
A Ministry of Life or Death
14 But thanks be to God,(AL) who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place.(AM) 15 For to God we are the fragrance(AN) of Christ among those who are being saved(AO) and among those who are perishing.(AP) 16 To some we are an aroma of death(AQ) leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life(AR) leading to life. Who is adequate for these things? 17 For we do not market the word of God(AS) for profit like so many.[g] On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.
2 Corinthians 1:12-2:17
New International Version
2 Corinthians 1:12-2:17
New International Version
Paul’s Change of Plans
12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience(A) testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity[a](B) and godly sincerity.(C) We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom(D) but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.(E)
15 Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you(F) first so that you might benefit twice.(G) 16 I wanted to visit you on my way(H) to Macedonia(I) and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way(J) to Judea.(K) 17 Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner(L) so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?
18 But as surely as God is faithful,(M) our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God,(N) Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas[b](O) and Timothy(P)—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always(Q) been “Yes.” 20 For no matter how many promises(R) God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen”(S) is spoken by us to the glory of God.(T) 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm(U) in Christ. He anointed(V) us, 22 set his seal(W) of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.(X)
23 I call God as my witness(Y)—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you(Z) that I did not return to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over(AA) your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.(AB) 2 1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.(AC) 2 For if I grieve you,(AD) who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did,(AE) so that when I came I would not be distressed(AF) by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence(AG) in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you(AH) out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.
Forgiveness for the Offender
5 If anyone has caused grief,(AI) he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment(AJ) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,(AK) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you(AL) was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.(AM) 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan(AN) might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.(AO)
Ministers of the New Covenant
12 Now when I went to Troas(AP) to preach the gospel of Christ(AQ) and found that the Lord had opened a door(AR) for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind,(AS) because I did not find my brother Titus(AT) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.(AU)
14 But thanks be to God,(AV) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma(AW) of the knowledge(AX) of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma(AY) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.(AZ) 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death;(BA) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?(BB) 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.(BC) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,(BD) as those sent from God.(BE)
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 1:12 Many manuscripts holiness
- 2 Corinthians 1:19 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
Psalm 106:35-41
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 106:35-41
Christian Standard Bible
35 but mingled with the nations
and adopted their ways.(A)
36 They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.(B)
37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.(C)
38 They shed innocent blood—
the blood of their sons and daughters
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
so the land became polluted with blood.(D)
39 They defiled themselves by their actions
and prostituted themselves by their deeds.(E)
40 Therefore the Lord’s anger burned against his people,
and he abhorred his own inheritance.(F)
41 He handed them over to the nations;
those who hated them ruled over them.(G)
Psalm 106:35-41
New International Version
Psalm 106:35-41
New International Version
35 but they mingled(A) with the nations
and adopted their customs.
36 They worshiped their idols,(B)
which became a snare(C) to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons(D)
and their daughters to false gods.(E)
38 They shed innocent blood,
the blood of their sons(F) and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was desecrated by their blood.
39 They defiled themselves(G) by what they did;
by their deeds they prostituted(H) themselves.
Proverbs 23:9-10
Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 23:9-10
Christian Standard Bible
10 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker,(B)
and don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
Footnotes
- 23:9 Lit in the ears of
Proverbs 23:9-10
New International Version
Proverbs 23:9-10
New International Version
Saying 10
9 Do not speak to fools,
for they will scorn your prudent words.(A)
Saying 11
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(B)
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.