Isaiah 43-44
Christian Standard Bible
Restoration of Israel
43 Now this is what the Lord says—
the one who created you, Jacob,
and the one who formed you, Israel(A)—
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;(B)
I have called you by your name; you are mine.(C)
2 When you pass through the waters,(D)
I will be with you,(E)
and the rivers will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire,(F)
you will not be scorched,
and the flame will not burn you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,(G)
the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior.(H)
I have given Egypt as a ransom for you,
Cush and Seba in your place.
4 Because you are precious in my sight(I)
and honored, and I love you,(J)
I will give people in exchange for you
and nations instead of your life.
5 Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,(K)
and gather you from the west.(L)
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’
Bring my sons from far away,(M)
and my daughters from the ends of the earth(N)—
7 everyone who bears my name
and is created for my glory.
I have formed them; indeed, I have made them.”
8 Bring out a people who are blind, yet have eyes,(O)
and are deaf, yet have ears.
9 All the nations are gathered together,
and the peoples are assembled.(P)
Who among them can declare this,(Q)
and tell us the former things?
Let them present their witnesses
to vindicate themselves,
so that people may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are my witnesses”(R)—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“and my servant whom I have chosen,(S)
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.(T)
No god was formed before me,
and there will be none after me.(U)
11 I—I am the Lord.
Besides me, there is no Savior.(V)
12 I alone declared, saved, and proclaimed—
and not some foreign god[a] among you.
So you are my witnesses”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“and[b] I am God.(W)
13 Also, from today on I am he alone,
and none can rescue from my power.(X)
I act, and who can reverse it?” (Y)
God’s Deliverance of Rebellious Israel
14 This is what the Lord, your Redeemer,(Z) the Holy One of Israel(AA) says:
Because of you, I will send an army[c] to Babylon
and bring all of them as fugitives,[d]
even the Chaldeans(AB) in the ships in which they rejoice.[e]
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.
16 This is what the Lord says—
who makes a way in the sea,
and a path through raging water,(AC)
17 who brings out the chariot and horse,(AD)
the army and the mighty one together
(they lie down, they do not rise again;
they are extinguished, put out like a wick(AE))—
18 “Do not remember the past events;
pay no attention to things of old.(AF)
19 Look, I am about to do something new;(AG)
even now it is coming. Do you not see it?
Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness,(AH)
rivers[f] in the desert.
20 Wild animals—
jackals and ostriches—will honor me,
because I provide water in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert,(AI)
to give drink to my chosen people.
21 The people I formed for myself
will declare my praise.(AJ)
22 “But, Jacob, you have not called on me,
because, Israel, you have become weary of me.(AK)
23 You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings
or honored me with your sacrifices.(AL)
I have not burdened you with offerings
or wearied you with incense.[g]
24 You have not bought me aromatic cane with silver,
or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins;
you have wearied me(AM) with your iniquities.(AN)
25 “I am the one,I sweep away your transgressions(AO)
for my own sake(AP)
and remember your sins no more.(AQ)
26 Remind me. Let’s argue the case together.(AR)
Recount the facts, so that you may be vindicated.
27 Your first father sinned,(AS)
and your mediators have rebelled against me.(AT)
28 So I defiled the officers of the sanctuary,
and set Jacob apart for destruction(AU)
and Israel for scorn.
Spiritual Blessing
44 “And now listen, Jacob my servant,
Israel whom I have chosen.(AV)
2 This is the word of the Lord
your Maker, the one who formed you from the womb:
He will help you.
Do not fear, Jacob my servant,
Jeshurun[h] whom I have chosen.(AW)
3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit(AX) on your descendants
and my blessing on your offspring.
4 They will sprout among[i] the grass
like poplars by flowing streams.
5 This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;
another will use the name of Jacob;
still another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
and take on the name of Israel.”
No God Other Than the Lord
6 This is what the Lord, the King of Israel and its Redeemer,(AY) the Lord of Armies, says:
I am the first and I am the last.(AZ)
There is no God but me.(BA)
7 Who, like me, can announce the future?
Let him say so and make a case before me,(BB)
since I have established an ancient people.
Let these gods declare[j] the coming things,
and what will take place.
8 Do not be startled or afraid.
Have I not told you and declared it long ago?
You are my witnesses!(BC)
Is there any God but me?(BD)
There is no other Rock;(BE) I do not know any.
9 All who make idols are nothing,
and what they treasure benefits no one.
Their witnesses do not see or know anything,
so they will be put to shame.(BF)
10 Who makes a god or casts a metal image
that benefits no one?(BG)
11 Look, all its worshipers will be put to shame,
and the craftsmen are humans.
They all will assemble and stand;
they all will be startled and put to shame.
12 The ironworker labors over the coals,
shapes the idol with hammers,
and works it with his strong arm.
Also he grows hungry and his strength fails;
he doesn’t drink water and is faint.
13 The woodworker stretches out a measuring line,
he outlines it with a stylus;
he shapes it with chisels
and outlines it with a compass.
He makes it according to a human form,(BH)
like a beautiful person,
to dwell in a temple.
14 He cuts down[k] cedars for his use,
or he takes a cypress or an oak.
He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest.
He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.
15 A person can use it for fuel.
He takes some of it and warms himself;
also he kindles a fire and bakes bread;
he even makes it into a god and worships it;
he makes an idol from it and bows down to it.
16 He burns half of it in a fire,
and he roasts meat on that half.
He eats the roast and is satisfied.
He warms himself and says, “Ah!
I am warm, I see the blaze.”
17 He makes a god or his idol with the rest of it.
He bows down to it and worships;
he prays to it,(BI) “Save me, for you are my god.”
18 Such people[l] do not comprehend
and cannot understand,
for he has shut their eyes[m] so they cannot see,
and their minds so they cannot understand.
19 No one comes to his senses;[n]
no one has the perception or insight to say,
“I burned half of it in the fire,
I also baked bread on its coals,
I roasted meat and ate.
Should I make something detestable(BJ) with the rest of it?
Should I bow down to a block of wood?”
20 He feeds on[o] ashes.
His deceived mind has led him astray,
and he cannot rescue himself,
or say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?” (BK)
21 Remember these things, Jacob,
and Israel, for you are my servant;
I formed you, you are my servant;
Israel, you will never be forgotten by me.[p](BL)
22 I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud,(BM)
and your sins like a mist.
Return to me,(BN)
for I have redeemed you.(BO)
23 Rejoice, heavens,(BP) for the Lord has acted;
shout, depths of the earth.
Break out into singing, mountains,
forest, and every tree in it.
For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
and glorifies himself through Israel.(BQ)
Restoration of Israel through Cyrus
24 This is what the Lord, your Redeemer(BR) who formed you from the womb,(BS) says:
I am the Lord, who made everything;
who stretched out the heavens by myself;(BT)
who alone spread out the earth;
25 who destroys the omens of the false prophets
and makes fools of diviners;
who confounds the wise
and makes their knowledge foolishness;(BU)
26 who confirms the message of his servant
and fulfills the counsel of his messengers;
who says to Jerusalem, “She will be inhabited,”
and to the cities of Judah, “They will be rebuilt,”
and I will restore her ruins;
27 who says to the depths of the sea, “Be dry,”
and I will dry up your rivers;
28 who says to Cyrus,(BV) “My shepherd,
he will fulfill all my pleasure”(BW)
and says to Jerusalem, “She will be rebuilt,”(BX)
and of the temple, “Its foundation will be laid.”
Footnotes
- 43:12 Lit not a foreigner
- 43:12 Or that
- 43:14 an army supplied for clarity
- 43:14 Or will break down all their bars
- 43:14 Hb obscure
- 43:19 DSS read paths
- 43:23 I.e., with demands for offerings and incense
- 44:2 = Upright One
- 44:4 Some Hb mss, DSS, LXX read as among
- 44:7 Lit declare them—
- 44:14 Lit To cut down for himself
- 44:18 Lit They
- 44:18 Or for their eyes are shut
- 44:19 Lit No one returns to his heart
- 44:20 Or He shepherds
- 44:21 DSS, LXX, Tg read Israel, do not forget me
1 Corinthians 16
Christian Standard Bible
Collection for the Jerusalem Church
16 Now about the collection(A) for the saints: Do the same as I instructed the Galatian(B) churches. 2 On the first day of the week,(C) each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.(D) 3 When I arrive, I will send with letters(E) those you recommend to carry your gift to Jerusalem.(F) 4 If it is suitable for me to go as well, they will travel with me.
Paul’s Travel Plans
5 I will come to you after I pass through Macedonia(G)—for I will be traveling through Macedonia— 6 and perhaps I will remain with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I go. 7 I don’t want to see you now just in passing, since I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows.(H) 8 But I will stay in Ephesus(I) until Pentecost,(J) 9 because a wide door(K) for effective ministry has opened for me[a]—yet many oppose me. 10 If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear while with you, because he is doing the Lord’s work,(L) just as I am. 11 So let no one look down(M) on him. Send him on his way in peace so that he can come to me, because I am expecting him with the brothers.
12 Now about our brother Apollos:(N) I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers, but he was not at all willing to come now. However, he will come when he has an opportunity.
Final Exhortation
13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith,(O) be courageous,[b] be strong. 14 Do everything in love.(P)
15 Brothers and sisters, you know the household of Stephanas: They are the firstfruits(Q) of Achaia(R) and have devoted themselves to serving the saints. I urge you 16 also to submit to such people, and to everyone who works and labors with them. 17 I am delighted to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus present, because these men have made up for your absence. 18 For they have refreshed my spirit(S) and yours. Therefore recognize(T) such people.
Conclusion
19 The churches of Asia(U) send you greetings.(V) Aquila and Priscilla(W) send you greetings warmly in the Lord, along with the church that meets in their home.(X) 20 All the brothers and sisters send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.(Y)
21 This greeting is in my own hand(Z)—Paul. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him. Our Lord, come![c] 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.(AA) 24 My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 106:21-27
Christian Standard Bible
21 They forgot God their Savior,
who did great things in Egypt,(A)
22 wondrous works in the land of Ham,[a]
awe-inspiring acts at the Red Sea.(B)
23 So he said he would have destroyed them—
if Moses his chosen one
had not stood before him in the breach
to turn his wrath away from destroying them.(C)
24 They despised the pleasant land
and did not believe his promise.(D)
25 They grumbled in their tents
and did not listen to the Lord.(E)
26 So he raised his hand against them with an oath
that he would make them fall in the desert(F)
27 and would disperse their descendants[b]
among the nations,
scattering them throughout the lands.(G)
Proverbs 23:4-5
Christian Standard Bible
4 Don’t wear yourself out to get rich;(A)
because you know better, stop!
5 As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears,(B)
for it makes wings for itself
and flies like an eagle to the sky.
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.
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