10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, (A)and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Read full chapter

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing(A) prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy(B) of the Lord is your strength.”

Read full chapter

The Lord is (A)my strength and my shield;
My heart (B)trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.

The Lord is [a]their strength,
And He is the (C)saving refuge of His [b]anointed.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 28:8 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. the strength of His people
  2. Psalm 28:8 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah

The Lord is my strength(A) and my shield;
    my heart trusts(B) in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,(C)
    and with my song I praise him.(D)

The Lord is the strength(E) of his people,
    a fortress of salvation(F) for his anointed one.(G)

Read full chapter

22 A (A)merry heart [a]does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:22 Or makes medicine even better

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed(A) spirit dries up the bones.(B)

Read full chapter

(A)Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly (B)I will rather boast in my infirmities, (C)that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Read full chapter

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(A) But he said to me, “My grace(B) is sufficient for you, for my power(C) is made perfect in weakness.(D)(E) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Read full chapter

A Hymn of Praise

12 And (A)in that day you will say:

“O Lord, I will praise You;
Though You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
(B)‘For (C)Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’ ”

Therefore with joy you will draw (D)water
From the wells of salvation.

Read full chapter

Songs of Praise

12 In that day(A) you will say:

“I will praise(B) you, Lord.
    Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away(C)
    and you have comforted(D) me.
Surely God is my salvation;(E)
    I will trust(F) and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself,(G) is my strength(H) and my defense[a];
    he has become my salvation.(I)
With joy you will draw water(J)
    from the wells(K) of salvation.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 12:2 Or song

Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their (A)King.

Read full chapter

Let Israel rejoice(A) in their Maker;(B)
    let the people of Zion be glad in their King.(C)

Read full chapter

that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and (A)their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

Read full chapter

In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.(A)

Read full chapter

19 Therefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar (A)with gladness and feasting, (B)as a holiday, and for (C)sending presents to one another.

Read full chapter

19 That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar(A) as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.(B)

Read full chapter

Go, (A)eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart;
For God has already accepted your works.

Read full chapter

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine(A) with a joyful heart,(B) for God has already approved what you do.

Read full chapter

10 (A)I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For (B)He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
(C)As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Read full chapter

10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices(A) in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,(B)
as a bridegroom adorns his head(C) like a priest,
    and as a bride(D) adorns herself with her jewels.

Read full chapter

22 as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of (A)sending presents to one another and gifts to the (B)poor.

Read full chapter

22 as the time when the Jews got relief(A) from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration.(B) He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food(C) to one another and gifts to the poor.(D)

Read full chapter

The Future Glory of Zion

35 The (A)wilderness and the [a]wasteland shall be glad for them,
And the (B)desert[b] shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
(C)It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice,
Even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
The excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the (D)glory of the Lord,
The excellency of our God.

(E)Strengthen the [c]weak hands,
And make firm the [d]feeble knees.
Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with (F)vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and (G)save you.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 35:1 desert
  2. Isaiah 35:1 Heb. arabah
  3. Isaiah 35:3 Lit. sinking
  4. Isaiah 35:3 tottering or stumbling

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) it 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)

Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees(J) that give way;
say(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.”

Read full chapter

13 and also that (A)every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.

Read full chapter

13 That each of them may eat and drink,(A) and find satisfaction(B) in all their toil—this is the gift of God.(C)

Read full chapter