15 For this is what the high and exalted(A) One says—
    he who lives forever,(B) whose name is holy:
“I live in a high(C) and holy place,
    but also with the one who is contrite(D) and lowly in spirit,(E)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.(F)
16 I will not accuse(G) them forever,
    nor will I always be angry,(H)
for then they would faint away because of me—
    the very people(I) I have created.
17 I was enraged by their sinful greed;(J)
    I punished them, and hid(K) my face in anger,
    yet they kept on in their willful ways.(L)
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal(M) them;
    I will guide(N) them and restore comfort(O) to Israel’s mourners,
19     creating praise on their lips.(P)
Peace, peace,(Q) to those far and near,”(R)
    says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
20 But the wicked(S) are like the tossing sea,(T)
    which cannot rest,
    whose waves cast up mire(U) and mud.
21 “There is no peace,”(V) says my God, “for the wicked.”(W)

True Fasting

58 “Shout it aloud,(X) do not hold back.
    Raise your voice like a trumpet.(Y)
Declare to my people their rebellion(Z)
    and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.(AA)
For day after day they seek(AB) me out;
    they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
    and has not forsaken(AC) the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
    and seem eager for God to come near(AD) them.
‘Why have we fasted,’(AE) they say,
    ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled(AF) ourselves,
    and you have not noticed?’(AG)

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please(AH)
    and exploit all your workers.
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,(AI)
    and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
    and expect your voice to be heard(AJ) on high.
Is this the kind of fast(AK) I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble(AL) themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed(AM)
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?(AN)
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?

“Is not this the kind of fasting(AO) I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice(AP)
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed(AQ) free
    and break every yoke?(AR)
Is it not to share your food with the hungry(AS)
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter(AT)
when you see the naked, to clothe(AU) them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?(AV)
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,(AW)
    and your healing(AX) will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a](AY) will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.(AZ)
Then you will call,(BA) and the Lord will answer;(BB)
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger(BC) and malicious talk,(BD)
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,(BE)
then your light(BF) will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.(BG)
11 The Lord will guide(BH) you always;
    he will satisfy your needs(BI) in a sun-scorched land(BJ)
    and will strengthen(BK) your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,(BL)
    like a spring(BM) whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins(BN)
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;(BO)
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,(BP)
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath(BQ)
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight(BR)
    and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
    and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,(BS)
14 then you will find your joy(BT) in the Lord,
    and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights(BU) of the land
    and to feast on the inheritance(BV) of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.(BW)

Sin, Confession and Redemption

59 Surely the arm(BX) of the Lord is not too short(BY) to save,
    nor his ear too dull to hear.(BZ)
But your iniquities have separated(CA)
    you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
    so that he will not hear.(CB)
For your hands are stained with blood,(CC)
    your fingers with guilt.(CD)
Your lips have spoken falsely,(CE)
    and your tongue mutters wicked things.
No one calls for justice;(CF)
    no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely(CG) on empty arguments, they utter lies;(CH)
    they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.(CI)
They hatch the eggs of vipers(CJ)
    and spin a spider’s web.(CK)
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.(CL)
Their deeds are evil deeds,
    and acts of violence(CM) are in their hands.
Their feet rush into sin;
    they are swift to shed innocent blood.(CN)
They pursue evil schemes;(CO)
    acts of violence mark their ways.(CP)
The way of peace they do not know;(CQ)
    there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;(CR)
    no one who walks along them will know peace.(CS)

So justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;(CT)
    for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like the blind(CU) we grope along the wall,
    feeling our way like people without eyes.
At midday we stumble(CV) as if it were twilight;
    among the strong, we are like the dead.(CW)
11 We all growl like bears;
    we moan mournfully like doves.(CX)
We look for justice, but find none;
    for deliverance, but it is far away.

12 For our offenses(CY) are many in your sight,
    and our sins testify(CZ) against us.
Our offenses are ever with us,
    and we acknowledge our iniquities:(DA)
13 rebellion(DB) and treachery against the Lord,
    turning our backs(DC) on our God,
inciting revolt and oppression,(DD)
    uttering lies(DE) our hearts have conceived.
14 So justice(DF) is driven back,
    and righteousness(DG) stands at a distance;
truth(DH) has stumbled in the streets,
    honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth(DI) is nowhere to be found,
    and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

The Lord looked and was displeased
    that there was no justice.(DJ)
16 He saw that there was no one,(DK)
    he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;(DL)
so his own arm achieved salvation(DM) for him,
    and his own righteousness(DN) sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate,(DO)
    and the helmet(DP) of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments(DQ) of vengeance(DR)
    and wrapped himself in zeal(DS) as in a cloak.
18 According to what they have done,
    so will he repay(DT)
wrath to his enemies
    and retribution to his foes;
    he will repay the islands(DU) their due.
19 From the west,(DV) people will fear the name of the Lord,
    and from the rising of the sun,(DW) they will revere his glory.(DX)
For he will come like a pent-up flood
    that the breath(DY) of the Lord drives along.[b]

20 “The Redeemer(DZ) will come to Zion,(EA)
    to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”(EB)
declares the Lord.

21 “As for me, this is my covenant(EC) with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit,(ED) who is on you, will not depart from you,(EE) and my words that I have put in your mouth(EF) will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 58:8 Or your righteous One
  2. Isaiah 59:19 Or When enemies come in like a flood, / the Spirit of the Lord will put them to flight

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)

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

Thanksgiving and Prayer

I thank my God every time I remember you.(G) In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray(H) with joy because of your partnership(I) in the gospel from the first day(J) until now, being 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)

It 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. God can testify(Q) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

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

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains(V) for Christ. 14 And 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)

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.(Y) 17 The 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) 18 But 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, 19 for 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) 20 I 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) 21 For to me, to live is Christ(AI) and to die is gain. 22 If 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! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart(AJ) and be with Christ,(AK) which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

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Footnotes

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Philippians 1:13 Or whole palace
  4. Philippians 1:19 Or vindication; or salvation

Psalm 71(A)

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(B)
    let me never be put to shame.(C)
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
    turn your ear(D) to me and save me.
Be my rock of refuge,
    to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.(E)
Deliver(F) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,(G)
    from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.(H)

For you have been my hope,(I) Sovereign Lord,
    my confidence(J) since my youth.
From birth(K) I have relied on you;
    you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.(L)
    I will ever praise(M) you.
I have become a sign(N) to many;
    you are my strong refuge.(O)
My mouth(P) is filled with your praise,
    declaring your splendor(Q) all day long.

Do not cast(R) me away when I am old;(S)
    do not forsake(T) me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies(U) speak against me;
    those who wait to kill(V) me conspire(W) together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken(X) him;
    pursue him and seize him,
    for no one will rescue(Y) him.”
12 Do not be far(Z) from me, my God;
    come quickly, God, to help(AA) me.
13 May my accusers(AB) perish in shame;(AC)
    may those who want to harm me
    be covered with scorn and disgrace.(AD)

14 As for me, I will always have hope;(AE)
    I will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth will tell(AF) of your righteous deeds,(AG)
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,(AH) Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught(AI) me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.(AJ)
18 Even when I am old and gray,(AK)
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power(AL) to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.(AM)

19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,(AN)
    you who have done great things.(AO)
    Who is like you, God?(AP)
20 Though you have made me see troubles,(AQ)
    many and bitter,
    you will restore(AR) my life again;
from the depths of the earth(AS)
    you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor(AT)
    and comfort(AU) me once more.

22 I will praise you with the harp(AV)
    for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,(AW)
    Holy One of Israel.(AX)
23 My lips will shout for joy(AY)
    when I sing praise to you—
    I whom you have delivered.(AZ)
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
    all day long,(BA)
for those who wanted to harm me(BB)
    have been put to shame and confusion.(BC)

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The schemes of folly are sin,
    and people detest a mocker.

Saying 25

10 If you falter in a time of trouble,
    how small is your strength!(A)

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