Isaiah 41:21-43:13

New International Version

²¹“Present your case,^(A)” says the Lord.
    “Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.^(B)
²²“Tell us, you idols,
    what is going to happen.^(C)
Tell us what the former things^(D) were,
    so that we may consider them
    and know their final outcome.
Or declare to us the things to come,^(E)
²³    tell us what the future holds,
    so we may know^(F) that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,^(G)
    so that we will be dismayed^(H) and filled with fear.
²⁴But you are less than nothing^(I)
    and your works are utterly worthless;^(J)
    whoever chooses you is detestable.^(K)

²⁵“I have stirred^(L) up one from the north,^(M) and he comes—
    one from the rising sun who calls on my name.
He treads^(N) on rulers as if they were mortar,
    as if he were a potter treading the clay.
²⁶Who told of this from the beginning,^(O) so we could know,
    or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’?
No one told of this,
    no one foretold^(P) it,
    no one heard any words^(Q) from you.
²⁷I was the first to tell^(R) Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’
    I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news.^(S)
²⁸I look but there is no one^(T)—
    no one among the gods to give counsel,^(U)
    no one to give answer^(V) when I ask them.
²⁹See, they are all false!
    Their deeds amount to nothing;^(W)
    their images^(X) are but wind^(Y) and confusion.

The Servant of the Lord

42 “Here is my servant,^(Z) whom I uphold,
    my chosen one^(AA) in whom I delight;^(AB)
I will put my Spirit^(AC) on him,
    and he will bring justice^(AD) to the nations.^(AE)
²He will not shout or cry out,^(AF)
    or raise his voice in the streets.
³A bruised reed^(AG) he will not break,^(AH)
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.^(AI)
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;^(AJ)
⁴    he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice^(AK) on earth.
    In his teaching^(AL) the islands^(AM) will put their hope.”^(AN)

⁵This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens,^(AO) who stretches them out,
    who spreads out the earth^(AP) with all that springs from it,^(AQ)
    who gives breath^(AR) to its people,
    and life to those who walk on it:
⁶“I, the Lord, have called^(AS) you in righteousness;^(AT)
    I will take hold of your hand.^(AU)
I will keep^(AV) you and will make you
    to be a covenant^(AW) for the people
    and a light^(AX) for the Gentiles,^(AY)
⁷to open eyes that are blind,^(AZ)
    to free^(BA) captives from prison^(BB)
    and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.^(BC)

⁸“I am the Lord;^(BD) that is my name!^(BE)
    I will not yield my glory to another^(BF)
    or my praise to idols.^(BG)
⁹See, the former things^(BH) have taken place,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
    I announce^(BI) them to you.”

Song of Praise to the Lord

¹⁰Sing^(BJ) to the Lord a new song,^(BK)
    his praise^(BL) from the ends of the earth,^(BM)
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,^(BN)
    you islands,^(BO) and all who live in them.
¹¹Let the wilderness^(BP) and its towns raise their voices;
    let the settlements where Kedar^(BQ) lives rejoice.
Let the people of Sela^(BR) sing for joy;
    let them shout from the mountaintops.^(BS)
¹²Let them give glory^(BT) to the Lord
    and proclaim his praise^(BU) in the islands.^(BV)
¹³The Lord will march out like a champion,^(BW)
    like a warrior^(BX) he will stir up his zeal;^(BY)
with a shout^(BZ) he will raise the battle cry
    and will triumph over his enemies.^(CA)

¹⁴“For a long time I have kept silent,^(CB)
    I have been quiet and held myself back.^(CC)
But now, like a woman in childbirth,
    I cry out, I gasp and pant.^(CD)
¹⁵I will lay waste^(CE) the mountains^(CF) and hills
    and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn rivers into islands
    and dry up^(CG) the pools.
¹⁶I will lead^(CH) the blind^(CI) by ways they have not known,
    along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light^(CJ) before them
    and make the rough places smooth.^(CK)
These are the things I will do;
    I will not forsake^(CL) them.
¹⁷But those who trust in idols,
    who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’^(CM)
    will be turned back in utter shame.^(CN)

Israel Blind and Deaf

¹⁸“Hear, you deaf;^(CO)
    look, you blind, and see!
¹⁹Who is blind^(CP) but my servant,^(CQ)
    and deaf like the messenger^(CR) I send?
Who is blind like the one in covenant^(CS) with me,
    blind like the servant of the Lord?
²⁰You have seen many things, but you pay no attention;
    your ears are open, but you do not listen.”^(CT)
²¹It pleased the Lord
    for the sake^(CU) of his righteousness
    to make his law^(CV) great and glorious.
²²But this is a people plundered^(CW) and looted,
    all of them trapped in pits^(CX)
    or hidden away in prisons.^(CY)
They have become plunder,
    with no one to rescue them;^(CZ)
they have been made loot,
    with no one to say, “Send them back.”

²³Which of you will listen to this
    or pay close attention^(DA) in time to come?
²⁴Who handed Jacob over to become loot,
    and Israel to the plunderers?^(DB)
Was it not the Lord,^(DC)
    against whom we have sinned?
For they would not follow^(DD) his ways;
    they did not obey his law.^(DE)
²⁵So he poured out on them his burning anger,^(DF)
    the violence of war.
It enveloped them in flames,^(DG) yet they did not understand;^(DH)
    it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.^(DI)

Israel’s Only Savior

43 But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created^(DJ) you, Jacob,
    he who formed^(DK) you, Israel:^(DL)
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed^(DM) you;
    I have summoned you by name;^(DN) you are mine.^(DO)
²When you pass through the waters,^(DP)
    I will be with you;^(DQ)
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,^(DR)
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.^(DS)
³For I am the Lord your God,^(DT)
    the Holy One^(DU) of Israel, your Savior;^(DV)
I give Egypt^(DW) for your ransom,
    Cush^[a]^(DX) and Seba^(DY) in your stead.^(DZ)
⁴Since you are precious and honored^(EA) in my sight,
    and because I love^(EB) you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
⁵Do not be afraid,^(EC) for I am with you;^(ED)
    I will bring your children^(EE) from the east
    and gather^(EF) you from the west.^(EG)
⁶I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
    and to the south,^(EH) ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters^(EI) from the ends of the earth^(EJ)—
⁷everyone who is called by my name,^(EK)
    whom I created^(EL) for my glory,^(EM)
    whom I formed and made.^(EN)”

⁸Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,^(EO)
    who have ears but are deaf.^(EP)
⁹All the nations gather together^(EQ)
    and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold^(ER) this
    and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
    so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
¹⁰“You are my witnesses,^(ES)” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant^(ET) whom I have chosen,
so that you may know^(EU) and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god^(EV) was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.^(EW)
¹¹I, even I, am the Lord,^(EX)
    and apart from me there is no savior.^(EY)
¹²I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god^(EZ) among you.
You are my witnesses,^(FA)” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
¹³    Yes, and from ancient days^(FB) I am he.^(FC)
No one can deliver out of my hand.
    When I act, who can reverse it?”^(FD)

Footnotes

Isaiah 43:3 That is, the upper Nile region

Philippians 1

New International Version

1 Paul and Timothy,^(A) servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people^(B) in Christ Jesus at Philippi,^(C) together with the overseers^(D) and deacons^[a]:^(E)

²Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(F)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³I thank my God every time I remember you.^(G) ⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray^(H) with joy ⁵because of your partnership^(I) in the gospel from the first day^(J) until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion^(K) until the day of Christ Jesus.^(L)

⁷It is right^(M) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart^(N) and, whether I am in chains^(O) or defending^(P) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸God can testify^(Q) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹And this is my prayer: that your love^(R) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^(S) ¹⁰so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,^(T) ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness^(U) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

¹²Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard^[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains^(V) for Christ. ¹⁴And because of my chains,^(W) most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.^(X)

¹⁵It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.^(Y) ¹⁷The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,^(Z) not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.^(AA) ¹⁸But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹for I know that through your prayers^(AB) and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ^(AC) what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.^[d]^(AD) ²⁰I eagerly expect^(AE) and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage^(AF) so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,^(AG) whether by life or by death.^(AH) ²¹For to me, to live is Christ^(AI) and to die is gain. ²²If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³I am torn between the two: I desire to depart^(AJ) and be with Christ,^(AK) which is better by far; ²⁴but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

²⁷Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy^(AL) of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm^(AM) in the one Spirit,^[e] striving together^(AN) as one for the faith of the gospel ²⁸without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. ²⁹For it has been granted to you^(AO) on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer^(AP) for him, ³⁰since you are going through the same struggle^(AQ) you saw^(AR) I had, and now hear^(AS) that I still have.

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Footnotes

Philippians 1:1 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Romans 16:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.
Philippians 1:12 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 14; and in 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21.
Philippians 1:13 Or whole palace
Philippians 1:19 Or vindication; or salvation
Philippians 1:27 Or in one spirit