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Isaiah 57:14-59:21
New International Version
Isaiah 57:14-59:21
New International Version
Comfort for the Contrite
14 And it will be said:
“Build up, build up, prepare the road!(A)
Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”(B)
15 For this is what the high and exalted(C) One says—
he who lives forever,(D) whose name is holy:
“I live in a high(E) and holy place,
but also with the one who is contrite(F) and lowly in spirit,(G)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.(H)
16 I will not accuse(I) them forever,
nor will I always be angry,(J)
for then they would faint away because of me—
the very people(K) I have created.
17 I was enraged by their sinful greed;(L)
I punished them, and hid(M) my face in anger,
yet they kept on in their willful ways.(N)
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal(O) them;
I will guide(P) them and restore comfort(Q) to Israel’s mourners,
19 creating praise on their lips.(R)
Peace, peace,(S) to those far and near,”(T)
says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
20 But the wicked(U) are like the tossing sea,(V)
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire(W) and mud.
21 “There is no peace,”(X) says my God, “for the wicked.”(Y)
True Fasting
58 “Shout it aloud,(Z) do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.(AA)
Declare to my people their rebellion(AB)
and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.(AC)
2 For day after day they seek(AD) me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken(AE) the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near(AF) them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’(AG) they say,
‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled(AH) ourselves,
and you have not noticed?’(AI)
“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please(AJ)
and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,(AK)
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard(AL) on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast(AM) I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble(AN) themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed(AO)
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?(AP)
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting(AQ) I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice(AR)
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed(AS) free
and break every yoke?(AT)
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry(AU)
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter(AV)—
when you see the naked, to clothe(AW) them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?(AX)
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,(AY)
and your healing(AZ) will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a](BA) will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.(BB)
9 Then you will call,(BC) and the Lord will answer;(BD)
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger(BE) and malicious talk,(BF)
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,(BG)
then your light(BH) will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.(BI)
11 The Lord will guide(BJ) you always;
he will satisfy your needs(BK) in a sun-scorched land(BL)
and will strengthen(BM) your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,(BN)
like a spring(BO) whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins(BP)
and will raise up the age-old foundations;(BQ)
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,(BR)
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath(BS)
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight(BT)
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,(BU)
14 then you will find your joy(BV) in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights(BW) of the land
and to feast on the inheritance(BX) of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.(BY)
Sin, Confession and Redemption
59 Surely the arm(BZ) of the Lord is not too short(CA) to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear.(CB)
2 But your iniquities have separated(CC)
you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
so that he will not hear.(CD)
3 For your hands are stained with blood,(CE)
your fingers with guilt.(CF)
Your lips have spoken falsely,(CG)
and your tongue mutters wicked things.
4 No one calls for justice;(CH)
no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely(CI) on empty arguments, they utter lies;(CJ)
they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.(CK)
5 They hatch the eggs of vipers(CL)
and spin a spider’s web.(CM)
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
6 Their cobwebs are useless for clothing;
they cannot cover themselves with what they make.(CN)
Their deeds are evil deeds,
and acts of violence(CO) are in their hands.
7 Their feet rush into sin;
they are swift to shed innocent blood.(CP)
They pursue evil schemes;(CQ)
acts of violence mark their ways.(CR)
8 The way of peace they do not know;(CS)
there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;(CT)
no one who walks along them will know peace.(CU)
9 So justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;(CV)
for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like the blind(CW) we grope along the wall,
feeling our way like people without eyes.
At midday we stumble(CX) as if it were twilight;
among the strong, we are like the dead.(CY)
11 We all growl like bears;
we moan mournfully like doves.(CZ)
We look for justice, but find none;
for deliverance, but it is far away.
12 For our offenses(DA) are many in your sight,
and our sins testify(DB) against us.
Our offenses are ever with us,
and we acknowledge our iniquities:(DC)
13 rebellion(DD) and treachery against the Lord,
turning our backs(DE) on our God,
inciting revolt and oppression,(DF)
uttering lies(DG) our hearts have conceived.
14 So justice(DH) is driven back,
and righteousness(DI) stands at a distance;
truth(DJ) has stumbled in the streets,
honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth(DK) is nowhere to be found,
and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.
The Lord looked and was displeased
that there was no justice.(DL)
16 He saw that there was no one,(DM)
he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;(DN)
so his own arm achieved salvation(DO) for him,
and his own righteousness(DP) sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate,(DQ)
and the helmet(DR) of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments(DS) of vengeance(DT)
and wrapped himself in zeal(DU) as in a cloak.
18 According to what they have done,
so will he repay(DV)
wrath to his enemies
and retribution to his foes;
he will repay the islands(DW) their due.
19 From the west,(DX) people will fear the name of the Lord,
and from the rising of the sun,(DY) they will revere his glory.(DZ)
For he will come like a pent-up flood
that the breath(EA) of the Lord drives along.[b]
20 “The Redeemer(EB) will come to Zion,(EC)
to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”(ED)
declares the Lord.
21 “As for me, this is my covenant(EE) with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit,(EF) who is on you, will not depart from you,(EG) and my words that I have put in your mouth(EH) will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 58:8 Or your righteous One
- Isaiah 59:19 Or When enemies come in like a flood, / the Spirit of the Lord will put them to flight
Isaiah 57:14-59:21
King James Version
Isaiah 57:14-59:21
King James Version
14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
58 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.
9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
59 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
5 They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.
19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.
21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.
Ephesians 3
New International Version
Ephesians 3
New International Version
God’s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles
3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner(A) of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me(B) for you, 3 that is, the mystery(C) made known to me by revelation,(D) as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight(E) into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.(F) 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs(G) together with Israel, members together of one body,(H) and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.(I)
7 I became a servant of this gospel(J) by the gift of God’s grace given me(K) through the working of his power.(L) 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people,(M) this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles(N) the boundless riches of Christ,(O) 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,(P) which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God(Q) should be made known(R) to the rulers and authorities(S) in the heavenly realms,(T) 11 according to his eternal purpose(U) that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God(V) with freedom and confidence.(W) 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
A Prayer for the Ephesians
14 For this reason I kneel(X) before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches(Y) he may strengthen you with power(Z) through his Spirit in your inner being,(AA) 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts(AB) through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted(AC) and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,(AD) to grasp how wide and long and high and deep(AE) is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge(AF)—that you may be filled(AG) to the measure of all the fullness of God.(AH)
20 Now to him who is able(AI) to do immeasurably more than all we ask(AJ) or imagine, according to his power(AK) that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.(AL)
Footnotes
- Ephesians 3:15 The Greek for family (patria) is derived from the Greek for father (pater).
Ephesians 3
King James Version
Ephesians 3
King James Version
3 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
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Psalm 111
New International Version
Psalm 111
New International Version
Psalm 111[a]
1 Praise the Lord.[b]
I will extol the Lord(A) with all my heart(B)
in the council(C) of the upright and in the assembly.(D)
2 Great are the works(E) of the Lord;
they are pondered by all(F) who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures(G) forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.(H)
5 He provides food(I) for those who fear him;(J)
he remembers his covenant(K) forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,(L)
giving them the lands of other nations.(M)
7 The works of his hands(N) are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.(O)
8 They are established for ever(P) and ever,
enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He provided redemption(Q) for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome(R) is his name.
Footnotes
- Psalm 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 111:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
Psalm 111
King James Version
Psalm 111
King James Version
111 Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
2 The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
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