Isaiah 35

New International Version

Joy of the Redeemed

35 The desert^(A) and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.^(B)
Like the crocus,^(C) ²it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.^(D)
The glory of Lebanon^(E) will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel^(F) and Sharon;^(G)
they will see the glory^(H) of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.^(I)

³Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees^(J) that give way;
⁴say^(K) to those with fearful hearts,^(L)
    “Be strong, do not fear;^(M)
your God will come,^(N)
    he will come with vengeance;^(O)
with divine retribution
    he will come to save^(P) you.”

⁵Then will the eyes of the blind be opened^(Q)
    and the ears of the deaf^(R) unstopped.
⁶Then will the lame^(S) leap like a deer,^(T)
    and the mute tongue^(U) shout for joy.^(V)
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams^(W) in the desert.
⁷The burning sand will become a pool,
    the thirsty ground^(X) bubbling springs.^(Y)
In the haunts where jackals^(Z) once lay,
    grass and reeds^(AA) and papyrus will grow.

⁸And a highway^(AB) will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;^(AC)
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean^(AD) will not journey on it;
    wicked fools will not go about on it.
⁹No lion^(AE) will be there,
    nor any ravenous beast;^(AF)
    they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed^(AG) will walk there,
¹⁰    and those the Lord has rescued^(AH) will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;^(AI)
    everlasting joy^(AJ) will crown their heads.
Gladness^(AK) and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.^(AL)

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Matthew 24:36-44

New International Version

The Day and Hour Unknown^(A)^(B)

³⁶“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,^[a] but only the Father.^(C) ³⁷As it was in the days of Noah,^(D) so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,^(E) up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.^(F) ⁴⁰Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.^(G) ⁴¹Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.^(H)

⁴²“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.^(I) ⁴³But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming,^(J) he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴So you also must be ready,^(K) because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

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Footnotes

Matthew 24:36 Some manuscripts do not have nor the Son.

James 5:7-10

New International Version

Patience in Suffering

⁷Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.^(A) See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting^(B) for the autumn and spring rains.^(C) ⁸You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming^(D) is near.^(E) ⁹Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,^(F) or you will be judged. The Judge^(G) is standing at the door!^(H)

¹⁰Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets^(I) who spoke in the name of the Lord.

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Isaiah 11:1-10

New International Version

The Branch From Jesse

11 A shoot^(A) will come up from the stump^(B) of Jesse;^(C)
    from his roots a Branch^(D) will bear fruit.^(E)
²The Spirit^(F) of the Lord will rest on him—
    the Spirit of wisdom^(G) and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,^(H)
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
³and he will delight in the fear^(I) of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,^(J)
    or decide by what he hears with his ears;^(K)
⁴but with righteousness^(L) he will judge the needy,^(M)
    with justice^(N) he will give decisions for the poor^(O) of the earth.
He will strike^(P) the earth with the rod of his mouth;^(Q)
    with the breath^(R) of his lips he will slay the wicked.^(S)
⁵Righteousness will be his belt^(T)
    and faithfulness^(U) the sash around his waist.^(V)

⁶The wolf will live with the lamb,^(W)
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling^[a] together;
    and a little child will lead them.
⁷The cow will feed with the bear,
    their young will lie down together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox.^(X)
⁸The infant^(Y) will play near the cobra’s den,
    and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s^(Z) nest.
⁹They will neither harm nor destroy^(AA)
    on all my holy mountain,^(AB)
for the earth^(AC) will be filled with the knowledge^(AD) of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

¹⁰In that day^(AE) the Root of Jesse^(AF) will stand as a banner^(AG) for the peoples; the nations^(AH) will rally to him,^(AI) and his resting place^(AJ) will be glorious.^(AK)