Separation from God

59 Behold, (A)the Lords hand is not so short
That it cannot save;
(B)Nor is His ear so dull
That it cannot hear.
But your (C)wrongdoings have caused a separation between you and your God,
And your sins have hidden His [a]face from you so that He does (D)not hear.
For your (E)hands are defiled with blood,
And your fingers with wrongdoing;
Your lips have spoken (F)deceit,
Your tongue mutters wickedness.
(G)No one sues righteously and (H)no one pleads [b]honestly.
They (I)trust in confusion and speak lies;
They (J)conceive trouble and give birth to disaster.
They hatch vipers’ eggs and (K)weave the spider’s web;
The one who eats of their eggs dies,
And from what is crushed, a snake breaks out.
Their webs will not become clothing,
Nor will they (L)cover themselves with their works;
Their (M)works are works of wrongdoing,
And an (N)act of violence is in their [c]hands.
(O)Their feet run to evil,
And they hurry to shed innocent blood;
(P)Their thoughts are thoughts of wrongdoing,
Devastation and destruction are in their paths.
They do not know the (Q)way of peace,
And there is (R)no justice in their tracks;
They have made their paths crooked,
(S)Whoever walks on [d]them does not know peace.

A Confession of Wickedness

Therefore (T)justice is far from us,
And righteousness does not reach us;
We (U)hope for light, but there is darkness,
For brightness, but we walk in gloom.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 59:2 As in ancient versions; MT faces
  2. Isaiah 59:4 Lit in truth
  3. Isaiah 59:6 Lit palms
  4. Isaiah 59:8 Lit it

Sin, Confession and Redemption

59 Surely the arm(A) of the Lord is not too short(B) to save,
    nor his ear too dull to hear.(C)
But your iniquities have separated(D)
    you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
    so that he will not hear.(E)
For your hands are stained with blood,(F)
    your fingers with guilt.(G)
Your lips have spoken falsely,(H)
    and your tongue mutters wicked things.
No one calls for justice;(I)
    no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely(J) on empty arguments, they utter lies;(K)
    they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.(L)
They hatch the eggs of vipers(M)
    and spin a spider’s web.(N)
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
    and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
Their cobwebs are useless for clothing;
    they cannot cover themselves with what they make.(O)
Their deeds are evil deeds,
    and acts of violence(P) are in their hands.
Their feet rush into sin;
    they are swift to shed innocent blood.(Q)
They pursue evil schemes;(R)
    acts of violence mark their ways.(S)
The way of peace they do not know;(T)
    there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;(U)
    no one who walks along them will know peace.(V)

So justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;(W)
    for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.

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10 as it is written:

(A)There is no righteous person, not even one;
11 There is no one who understands,
There is no one who seeks out God;
12 They have all turned aside, together they have become [a]corrupt;
There is no one who does good,
There is not even one.”
13 (B)Their throat is an open grave,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
(C)The venom of [b]asps is under their lips”;
14 (D)Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15 (E)Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And they have not known the way of peace.”
18 (F)There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:12 Or depraved
  2. Romans 3:13 I.e., venomous snakes

10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”[a](A)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[b](B)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[c](C)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[d](D)
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[e](E)
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[f](F)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
  2. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  3. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  4. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
  5. Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
  6. Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1

34 They will (A)not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all (B)know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will (C)forgive their wrongdoing, and their (D)sin I will no longer remember.”

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34 No longer will they teach(A) their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know(B) me,
    from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive(C) their wickedness
    and will remember their sins(D) no more.”

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28 for (A)this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for (B)many for forgiveness of sins.

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28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant,(A) which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 26:28 Some manuscripts the new

(A)In [a]Him we have (B)redemption (C)through His blood, the (D)forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to (E)the riches of His grace

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:7 Lit whom

In him we have redemption(A) through his blood,(B) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches(C) of God’s grace

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God Is Light

(A)This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that (B)God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. (C)If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we (D)lie and (E)do not practice the truth; but if we (F)walk in the Light as (G)He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and (H)the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (I)If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the (J)truth is not in us. (K)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and (L)cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 (M)If we say that we have not sinned, we (N)make Him a liar and (O)His word is not in us.

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Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

This is the message we have heard(A) from him and declare to you: God is light;(B) in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,(C) we lie and do not live out the truth.(D) But if we walk in the light,(E) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[a] sin.(F)

If we claim to be without sin,(G) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.(H) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins(I) and purify us from all unrighteousness.(J) 10 If we claim we have not sinned,(K) we make him out to be a liar(L) and his word is not in us.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 1:7 Or every

Therefore (A)do not be ashamed of the (B)testimony of our Lord or of me (C)His prisoner, but join with me in (D)suffering for the (E)gospel according to the power of God, who (F)saved us and (G)called us with a holy (H)calling, (I)not according to our works, but according to His own (J)purpose and grace, which was granted to us in (K)Christ Jesus from (L)all eternity, 10 but has (M)now been revealed by the (N)appearing of our Savior (O)Christ Jesus, who (P)abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

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So do not be ashamed(A) of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner.(B) Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel,(C) by the power of God. He has saved(D) us and called(E) us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done(F) but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed(G) through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,(H) who has destroyed death(I) and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

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For there is (A)one God, and (B)one mediator also between God and mankind, the (C)man Christ Jesus,

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For there is one God(A) and one mediator(B) between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,(C)

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Christ Is Our Advocate

(A)My little children, I am (B)writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, (C)we have an [a](D)Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 2:1 Or Intercessor

My dear children,(A) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate(B) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

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The Prodigal Son

11 And He said, “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me (A)the share of the estate that [a]is coming to me.’ And so he divided his [b](B)wealth between them. 13 And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his estate in [c]wild living. 14 Now when he had [d]spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began doing without. 15 So he went and [e]hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he longed to have his fill of the carob pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving him anything. 17 But when he came to [f]his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired laborers have more than enough bread, but I am dying here [g]from hunger! 18 I will set out and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and [h]in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired laborers.”’ 20 So he set out and came to [i]his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and [j](C)embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and [k]in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out (D)the best robe and put it on him, and [l](E)put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let’s eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was (F)dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 15:12 Lit falls
  2. Luke 15:12 Lit means of subsistence
  3. Luke 15:13 Or wasteful
  4. Luke 15:14 Or wasted
  5. Luke 15:15 Lit joined himself to
  6. Luke 15:17 Lit himself
  7. Luke 15:17 Lit by
  8. Luke 15:18 Lit before you
  9. Luke 15:20 Lit his own
  10. Luke 15:20 Lit fell on his neck
  11. Luke 15:21 Lit before you
  12. Luke 15:22 Lit give...into his hand

The Parable of the Lost Son

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.(A) 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’(B) So he divided his property(C) between them.

13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth(D) in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.(E) 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned(F) against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.(G)

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.(H) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe(I) and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger(J) and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;(K) he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.(L)

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19 I will give you (A)the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and (B)whatever you [a]bind on earth [b]shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you [c]loose on earth [d]shall have been loosed in heaven.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 16:19 I.e., forbid
  2. Matthew 16:19 Gr fut. pft. pass. tense
  3. Matthew 16:19 I.e., permit
  4. Matthew 16:19 Gr fut. pft. pass. tense

19 I will give you the keys(A) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[a] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[b] loosed in heaven.”(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 16:19 Or will have been
  2. Matthew 16:19 Or will have been

18 Truly I say to you, (A)whatever you [a]bind on earth [b]shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you [c]loose on earth [d]shall have been loosed in heaven.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:18 I.e., forbid
  2. Matthew 18:18 Gr fut. pft. pass. tense
  3. Matthew 18:18 I.e., permit
  4. Matthew 18:18 Gr fut. pft. pass. tense

18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[a] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[b] loosed in heaven.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
  2. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been

23 (A)If you forgive the sins of any, their sins [a]have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 20:23 I.e., have previously been forgiven

23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”(A)

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