Bible in 90 Days
The Lord’s Suffering Servant
13 The Lord says, “See, my servant will ·act wisely [or have success].
·People will greatly honor and respect him [He will be raised and exalted; C 52:13—53:12 is the fourth of four “servant songs” in Isaiah; see 42:1].
14 Many people were ·shocked [astonished; appalled] when they saw him.
His appearance was so ·damaged [disfigured; marred] he did not look like a man;
his form ·was so changed they could barely tell he was human [L beyond the sons of man/children of humanity].
15 But now he will ·surprise [startle; or sprinkle; C as the blood of a sacrifice sprinkled on the altar; Lev. 4:6, 17] many nations.
Kings will ·be amazed [L shut their mouths because of him].
They will see things they had not been ·told about him [L told],
and they will understand things they had not heard.”
53 Who ·would have [or has] believed ·what we heard [or our message; John 12:38; Rom. 10:16]?
·Who saw the Lord’s power in this [L And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed]?
2 He grew up like a ·small plant [young plant; tender shoot; 11:1] before ·the Lord [L him],
like a root growing in a ·dry land [parched soil].
He had no special beauty or ·form [majesty] to make us notice him;
there was nothing in his appearance to make us desire him.
3 He was ·hated [despised] and rejected by people.
·He had much pain [L A man of pain/suffering/T sorrows] and ·suffering [one who knew/was acquainted with pain/grief].
People ·would not even look at [turned their backs on; L hid their faces from] him.
He was ·hated [despised], and we ·didn’t even notice him [or did not esteem him].
4 But he ·took [bore] our suffering on him
and ·felt our pain for us [carried our sorrows/sickness].
·We saw his suffering
and thought God was punishing him [L …stricken and afflicted by him; C God].
5 But he was wounded for ·the wrong we did [T our transgressions];
he was crushed for ·the evil we did [T our iniquities].
The punishment, which ·made us well [brought us wholeness/peace], was given to him,
and we are healed because of his ·wounds [lacerations; T stripes; 1 Pet. 2:24].
6 We all have ·wandered away [T gone astray] like sheep;
each of us has gone his own way [1 Pet. 2:25].
But the Lord has put on him ·the punishment
for all the evil we have done [L all of our sins/iniquity].
7 He was ·beaten down [oppressed] and ·punished [treated harshly; T afflicted],
but he didn’t ·say a word [L open his mouth].
He was like a lamb being led to be ·killed [slaughtered].
He was quiet, as a sheep is quiet ·while its wool is being cut [L before its shearers; Acts 8:32; Matt. 26:63; Mark 14:61; John 19:9; 1 Pet. 2:23];
he never opened his mouth.
8 Men took him away ·roughly and unfairly [or after unjustly condemning him; L from oppression and judgment].
·He died without children to continue his family [or Yet no one of his generation objected; L and his generation, who considers/speaks of it?].
He was ·put to death [L cut off from the land of the living];
he was ·punished [struck down] for the ·sins [transgressions] of my people.
9 He was ·buried [assigned his grave] with ·wicked men [criminals],
and ·he died with the rich [or he was put in a rich man’s tomb; L with the rich in his death; Matt. 27:57, 60].
He had done ·nothing wrong [L no violence],
and he had ·never lied [L no deceit in his mouth; 1 Pet. 2:22].
10 But it was the ·Lord who decided [Lord’s will]
to crush him and make him suffer.
The Lord made his life a ·penalty [sin] offering,
but he will still see his ·descendants [offspring; seed] and ·live a long life [L extend his days].
·He will complete the things the Lord wants him to do [L The pleasure/will/purpose of the Lord will prosper in his hands].
11 “After his soul suffers many things,
he will see ·life[a] [or light; or the light of life] and be satisfied.
[By his knowledge/experience] My ·good [righteous] servant will ·make many people right with God [justify many];
he will carry away their ·sins [iniquities].
12 For this reason I will ·make him a great man among people [or give him a portion with the great ones],
and he will ·share in all things [divide the spoils] with those who are strong,
because he ·willingly gave [laid bare; T poured out] his life
and was ·treated like a criminal [L numbered/counted with rebels/trangressors].
But he ·carried away [bore] the sins of many people
and ·asked forgiveness [made intercession] for ·those who sinned [rebels; transgressors].”
People Will Return to Jerusalem
54 The Lord says, “Sing, ·Jerusalem [L barren one; Gal. 4:27].
·You are like a woman who [L …who] never gave birth to children.
Start singing and shout for joy.
You never ·felt the pain of giving birth [were in labor],
·but you will have more children [L for more are the children of the desolate one]
than the woman who has a husband.
2 Make your tent bigger;
stretch ·it [L your tent curtains] out and make it wider.
Do not hold back.
Make the ·ropes [cords] longer
and its stakes stronger,
3 because you will spread out to the right and to the left.
Your ·children [descendants; offspring; seed] will take ·over [possession of] other nations,
and they will ·again live in [resettle] cities that once were ·destroyed [ruined; desolate].
4 “Don’t be afraid, because you will not be ashamed.
Don’t be ·embarrassed [discouraged], because you will not be disgraced.
You will forget the shame ·you felt earlier [L of your youth];
you will not remember the ·shame [disgrace; reproach] ·you felt when you lost your husband [of your widowhood; or of your abandonment].
5 ·The God who made you is like [L For your Maker is] your husband.
His name is the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
The Holy One of Israel [1:4] is ·the one who saves you [your redeemer].
He is called the God of all the earth.
6 You were like a woman ·whose husband left her [deserted; abandoned],
·and you were very sad [L grieved/distressed in spirit].
You were like a wife who married young
and then ·her husband left her [was rejected].
But the Lord ·called you to be his [or will call you back],”
says your God.
7 God says, “I left you for a ·short time [moment],
but with great ·kindness [mercy; compassion] I will bring you back again.
8 I ·became very angry [had a surge/burst of anger]
and hid from you for a ·time [moment],
but I will show you ·mercy [compassion] with ·kindness [lovingkindness; loyalty; covenant love] forever,”
says the Lord ·who saves you [your redeemer].
9 The Lord says, “This day is like the ·time [days] of Noah to me [Gen. 6–9].
I ·promised [swore] then that ·I [L the waters of Noah] would never ·flood [cover] the world again [Gen. 9:11].
In the same way, I ·promise [swore] I will not be angry with you
or ·punish [rebuke] you again.
10 The mountains may ·disappear [move; be shaken],
and the hills may ·come to an end [be removed; disappear],
but my ·love [lovingkindness; loyalty; covenant love] will never ·disappear [be moved/shaken];
my ·promise [covenant; treaty] of peace will not ·come to an end [be removed; disappear],”
says the Lord who ·shows mercy to [has compassion for] you.
11 “·You poor city [L Afflicted one]. Storms have ·hurt [battered; tossed] you,
and you have not been comforted.
But I will rebuild you with ·turquoise stones [gems],
and I will build your foundations with ·sapphires [or lapis lazuli].
12 I will use ·rubies [or agate; or jasper] to build your ·walls [towers; battlements; pinnacles]
and ·shining jewels [or beryl; or garnet; or crystal] for the gates
and precious jewels for all your outer walls.
13 All your children will be taught by the Lord,
and they will have much ·peace [prosperity; wholeness; C Hebrew: shalom].
14 I will ·build [establish] you ·using fairness [in righteousness].
·You will be safe from those who would hurt you [L Tyranny/oppression will be far from you],
·so you will have nothing to fear [terror will be far away].
Nothing will come to make you afraid.
15 ·I will not send anyone to attack you [L If anyone attacks, it is not from me],
and you will defeat those who do attack you.
16 “See, I made the blacksmith.
He fans the fire to make it hotter,
and he ·makes the kind of tool he wants [forges a weapon for his purpose].
In the same way I have made the destroyer to destroy.
17 So no weapon ·that is used [forged] against you will ·defeat you [succeed].
You will ·show that those who speak against you are wrong [refute every accusation against you; L refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment].
These are the ·good things [heritage] my servants receive.
Their ·victory [vindication; righteousness] comes from me,” says the Lord.
God Gives What Is Good
55 The Lord says, “All you who are thirsty,
come ·and drink [L to the waters; John 7:37].
Those of you who do not have money,
come, buy and eat [Prov. 9:5]!
Come buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend your money on something that is not ·real food [bread]?
Why work for something that doesn’t really satisfy you?
Listen closely to me, and you will eat what is good;
your soul will ·enjoy [delight in] the ·rich food that satisfies [L fat].
3 Come to me and ·listen [extend your ear];
listen to me so you may live.
I will make an ·agreement with you that will last forever [everlasting covenant/treaty with you].
I will give you the ·blessings [covenant love; loyalty; lovingkindness; T sure mercies] I promised to David [2 Sam. 7:11–14; Ps. 89:33–35; Acts 13:34].
4 [L Look; T Behold] I made David a witness ·of my power for all [L to the] nations,
a ruler and commander of many nations.
5 [L Look; T Behold] You will call for nations that you don’t yet know.
And these nations that do not know you will run to you
because of the Lord your God,
because of the Holy One of Israel [1:4] who ·honors [has glorified] you.”
6 ·So you should look for [L Seek] the Lord ·before it is too late [while he may be found];
you should call to him while he is near.
7 The wicked should ·stop doing wrong [abandon/forsake their ways],
and ·they [L the unrighteous person] should stop their evil thoughts.
They should return to the Lord so he may have ·mercy [compassion] on them.
They should come to our God, because he will freely forgive them [Deut. 4:25–31; 30:1–10; 1 Kin. 8:46–53].
8 The Lord says, “My thoughts are not like your thoughts.
Your ways are not like my ways.
9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts [Ps. 103:11].
10 Rain and snow fall from the sky
and don’t return without watering the ground.
They cause the plants to sprout and grow,
making seeds for the ·farmer [sower]
and bread for the ·people [L eater].
11 The same thing is true of the words ·I speak [L that go out of my mouth].
They will not return to me empty.
They ·make the things happen that I want to happen [accomplish what I desire/purpose],
and they succeed in doing what I send them to do.
12 “So you will go out with joy [C returning from the Babylonian exile]
and be led out in peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees in the fields will clap their hands [C the earth rejoices at God’s restoration of creation].
13 ·Large cypress [or Juniper; Evergreen] trees will grow where thornbushes were.
Myrtle trees will grow where ·weeds [briers] were.
These things will be ·a reminder of the Lord’s promise [or for the Lord’s honor/renown; L to the Lord for a name],
·and this reminder will never be destroyed [L for an eternal sign that will not be cut off].”
All Nations Will Obey the Lord
56 This is what the Lord says:
“·Give justice to all people [Promote justice],
and ·do what is right [practice righteousness],
because my salvation ·will come to you soon [draws near].
Soon ·everyone will know that I do what is right [my righteousness will be revealed].
2 The person who ·obeys the law about [keeps from defiling] the Sabbath
will be blessed,
and the ·person [L son of man] who ·does no [keeps his hand from doing] evil
will be blessed.”
3 Foreigners who have ·joined [committed to] the Lord should not say,
“The Lord will ·not accept me with [L exclude/separate me from] his people [14:1].”
The eunuch should not say,
“·Because I cannot have children, the Lord will not accept me [L Look, I am a dry tree].”
4 This is what the Lord says:
“This is for the eunuchs who ·obey the law about the Sabbath [keep my Sabbaths]
and ·do what I want [choose what pleases me]
and ·keep [hold firmly to] my ·agreement [covenant]:
5 I will ·make their names remembered [L set up a memorial/monument and a name]
within my ·Temple [L house] and its walls.
It will be better for them than ·children [L sons and daughters].
I will give them a name that will last forever,
that will ·never be forgotten [L not be cut off].
6 As for the foreigners who ·join [commit themselves to] the Lord
to ·worship [minister to] him and love ·him [L his name],
to serve him,
to ·obey the law about [keep from defiling] the Sabbath,
and to ·keep [hold firmly to] my ·agreement [covenant]:
7 I will bring these people to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
The offerings and sacrifices
they place on my altar will ·please me [be accepted],
because my Temple will be called
a house for prayer for people from all nations [Matt. 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46].”
8 The Lord God says—
he who gathers the ·Israelites that were forced to leave their country [outcasts/exiles of Israel]:
“I will ·bring together [gather] other people
to join those who are already gathered.”
Israel’s Leaders Are Evil
9 All you ·animals [beasts] of the field,
all you animals of the forest, come to ·eat [devour].
10 ·The leaders who are to guard the people [L His watchmen; 62:6] are blind;
they ·don’t know what they are doing [lack knowledge; are ignorant].
All of them are like ·quiet [mute; or muzzled] dogs
that ·don’t know how to [cannot] bark.
They lie down and dream
and love to sleep.
11 They are like ·hungry [greedy; ravenous] dogs
that are never satisfied.
They are like shepherds
who ·don’t know what they are doing [lack understanding; are ignorant; Ezek. 34:2–3].
They all have gone their own way;
·all they want to do is satisfy themselves [each seeks their own gain/profit].
12 They say, “Come, let’s drink some wine;
let’s ·drink all the [fill ourselves with] ·beer [T strong drink; C alcoholic beverage made from grain] we want.
And tomorrow ·we will do this again [will be like today],
·or, maybe we will have an even better time [even better; or it will be very great indeed; L very much abundantly great].”
Israel Does Not Follow God
57 ·Those who are right with God [The righteous] ·may die [perish; pass away],
but no one ·pays attention [cares; L sets/takes it to heart].
·Good people [The devout; People of lovingkindness/loyalty/covenant love] are taken away [C by death],
but no one understands.
·Those who do right [The righteous] are being taken away ·from [to be spared from; or by the power of] evil
2 and are given peace.
Those who ·live [walk] ·as God wants [uprightly]
·find rest in death [L rest on their beds].
3 “Come here, you ·magicians [L sons/children of a sorceress]!
Come here, you ·children [offspring; seed] of prostitutes and adulterers!
4 Of whom are you ·making fun [mocking; ridiculing]?
Whom are you ·insulting [sneering at; L opening your mouth at]?
At whom do you stick out your tongue?
You ·turn against God [L are children of rebellion],
and you are ·liars [L the offspring/seed of liars].
5 You ·have sexual relations [burn with lust; L inflame yourselves] beneath the oaks and under every green tree [C a reference to pagan fertility rites].
You ·kill [slaughter] children in the ·ravines [valleys]
and ·sacrifice them in the rocky places [L under the rocky clefts; C child sacrifices, like those associated with the Phoenician god Molech; Lev. 18:21; 2 Kin. 23:19; Jer. 32:35].
6 You take the smooth rocks from the ·ravines [valleys]
as your portion.
·To them you are devoted [L They, they are your lot].
You pour drink offerings ·on them to worship them [L out to them],
and you give grain [L gift; tribute] offerings [Lev. 2:1] to them.
·Do you think this makes me want to show you mercy [Should I relent because of these things; or Should I be happy about these things]?
7 You make your bed on every hill and mountain,
and there you offer sacrifices.
8 You have hidden your ·idols [signs; pagan symbols; memorials]
behind your doors and doorposts.
You have ·left [deserted] me, and you have uncovered ·yourself [or your bed].
You have ·pulled back the covers [opened it] and climbed into bed.
You have made an ·agreement [pact; covenant] with those whose beds you love,
and you have looked at their nakedness [C euphemisms for sexual relations, here referring to pagan worship].
9 You ·use your oils and perfumes
to look nice for [L went with oil and increased your perfumes for] ·Molech [or the king].
You have sent your messengers to faraway lands;
you even tried to send them to ·the place of the dead [or the grave; L Sheol].
10 You were tired from doing these things,
but you never ·gave up [L said, “It is hopeless”].
You found ·new strength [L the life of your hand],
so you did not ·quit [faint; grow weary].
11 “Whom ·were you so afraid of [L did you fear or dread]
that you lied to me?
You have not remembered me
or even ·thought about me [L set/taken it to heart].
·I [or Is It because I…?] have been quiet for a long time.
Is that why you are not afraid of me?
12 I will tell about your ‘·goodness [righteousness]’ and ·what you do [your works],
and those things will ·do you no good [not profit/help you].
13 When you cry out for help,
let ·the gods you have gathered [your collection of idols] ·help [save; rescue] you.
The wind will blow them all away;
just a ·puff of wind [breath] will take them away.
But the person who depends on me will ·receive [inherit] the land
and ·own [possess] my holy mountain.”
The Lord Will Save His People
14 Someone will say, “Build ·a road [up; or it]! Build ·a road [up; or it]! Prepare the way [40:3; 62:10]!
·Make the way clear [Remove the obstacles] for my people.”
15 And this is the reason: God lives forever and is holy.
He is high and ·lifted up [exalted].
He says, “I live in a high and holy place,
but I also live with people who are ·sad [contrite] and ·humble [lowly in spirit].
I ·give new life to [revive the spirit of] those who are ·humble [lowly]
and to those whose hearts are ·broken [contrite; repentant].
16 I will not ·accuse [or contend/fight against them] forever,
nor will I always be angry,
because then ·human life [the spirit] would grow weak.
·Human beings [L The breath], whom I created, would die.
17 I was angry because ·they were dishonest in order to make money [of their sinful greed].
I punished them and ·turned away from them [L hid my face] in anger,
but they ·continued to do evil [L turned away in the way of their heart].
18 I have seen ·what they have done [their ways], but I will heal them.
I will guide them and comfort them and those who ·felt sad for them [mourn].
·They will all praise me [I will create praise on their lips; L …creating fruit of lips].
19 ·I will give peace, real peace [L Peace, peace], to those far and near,
and I will heal them,” says the Lord.
20 But ·evil people [the wicked] are like the ·angry [surging; tossing] sea,
which cannot rest,
whose waves toss up ·waste [mire; muck] and mud.
21 “There is no peace for ·evil people [the wicked],” says my God.
How to Honor God
58 The Lord says, “Shout out loud. Don’t hold back.
·Shout out loud [L Raise/lift up your voice] like a trumpet.
Tell my people ·what they have done against their God [their transgression];
tell ·the family of Jacob about [L Jacob] their sins.
2 They ·still come looking for [seek] me ·every day [day to day]
and ·want [delight] to learn my ways.
They act just like a nation that does ·what is right [righteousness],
that ·obeys [L did not forsake/reject] the ·commands [judgments] of its God.
They ask me ·to judge them fairly [for righteous judgment].
They ·want [delight] to ·be near [draw near to] God.
3 They say, ‘·To honor you we had special days when [L Why have…?] we fasted,
but you didn’t see.
·We humbled ourselves to honor you [L Why have we afflicted our souls/selves…?],
but you didn’t notice.’”
But the Lord says, “[L Look; T Behold] You ·do what pleases [satisfy; seek pleasure for] yourselves on these fast days,
and you ·are unfair to [exploit; oppress] your workers.
4 Even when you fast, you argue and fight
and ·hit each other with your [L hit with wicked/sinful] fists.
You cannot do these things as you do now
and ·believe your prayers are [expect to be] heard ·in heaven [on high].
5 ·This kind of special day is not what [Is this the fast that…?] I ·want [have chosen].
·This is not the way I want people to be sorry for what they have done [L Do I want a day when people afflict/mortify themselves?].
I don’t want people just to bow their heads like a ·plant [reed]
·and wear rough cloth and lie in ashes to show their sadness [L stretching out on sackcloth and ashes].
Is this what you call a fast?
·Do you really think this pleases [L …a day acceptable to] the Lord?
6 “I will tell you the kind of fast I ·want [have chosen]:
·Free the people you have put in prison unfairly [L Release the chains/bonds of wickedness]
and ·undo their chains [or untie the ropes from the yoke].
Free ·those to whom you are unfair [the oppressed]
and ·stop their hard labor [L break every yoke].
7 Share your food with the hungry
and bring poor, homeless people into your own homes.
When you see someone who has no clothes, ·give him yours [clothe him],
and don’t ·refuse to help [L conceal yourself from] your ·own relatives [flesh].
8 Then your light will shine like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your ·God [L righteousness] will walk before you,
and the glory of the Lord [C his manifest presence] will ·protect you from behind [be your rear guard].
9 Then you will call out, and the Lord will answer.
You will cry out, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
“If you ·stop making trouble for others [L take away the yoke from your midst],
if you stop ·using cruel words [speaking wickedness] and pointing your finger at others,
10 if you ·feed [L offer your soul/selves to] those who are hungry
and ·take care of [satisfy] the needs of ·those who are troubled [the afflicted/oppressed],
then your light will ·shine [L rise] in the darkness,
and ·you will be bright like sunshine at [L your darkness/gloom like] noon.
11 The Lord will always lead you.
He will satisfy your ·needs [soul] in dry lands
and give strength to your bones.
You will be like a garden that is well-watered,
like a spring ·that never runs dry [whose waters never fail].
12 Your people will rebuild the ·old cities that are now in [L ancient] ruins;
you will rebuild their ancient foundations.
You will be ·known for repairing [called the repairer of] the broken walls
and ·for rebuilding [the restorer of] the roads and houses.
13 “·You must obey God’s law about [L If you turn your foot away from…; C avoiding Sabbath journeys] the Sabbath
and not do what pleases yourselves on that holy day.
·You should [L …and if you…] call the Sabbath a ·joyful day [delight]
and honor it as the Lord’s holy day.
·You should [L …and if you…] honor it by not ·doing whatever you please [L going your own way]
nor saying ·whatever you please [idle words] on that day.
14 ·Then [L …then] you will find ·joy [delight] in the Lord,
and I will ·carry you to [or cause you to ride on] the high places above the earth.
I will ·let you eat the crops of the land [L feed you with the inheritance] of your ancestor Jacob.”
The ·Lord has said these things [L mouth of the Lord has spoken].
The Evil That People Do
59 Surely the Lord’s ·power [L hand] is ·enough [L not too short] to save you.
·He can hear you when you ask him for help [L …nor his ear too heavy to hear].
2 It is your ·evil [iniquity] that has separated
you from your God.
Your sins cause him to ·turn away [L hide his face] from you,
so he does not hear you.
3 ·With your hands you have killed others [L For your hands are defiled with blood],
and ·with your fingers you have done wrong [L your fingers with sin/iniquity].
With your lips you have lied,
and with your tongue you ·say [utter; mutter] evil things.
4 ·People take each other to court unfairly [L No one sues with cause; or No one calls for justice],
and no one tells the truth in ·arguing [setting forth; pleading] his case.
They ·accuse each other falsely [or rely on empty arguments] and tell lies.
They ·cause [L conceive] trouble and ·create more [L give birth to] evil.
5 They hatch ·evil like eggs [L eggs] from ·poisonous snakes [vipers].
If you eat one of those eggs, you will die,
and if you break one open, a poisonous snake comes out.
People ·tell lies as they would spin [L spin] a spider’s web.
6 The webs they make cannot be used for clothes;
you can’t cover yourself with ·those webs [L what they make].
The things they do are evil,
and ·they use their hands to hurt others [L a deed of violence is in their hands].
7 ·They eagerly [L Their feet] run to do evil [Prov. 1:16; Rom. 3:15–17],
and they are always ready to ·kill innocent people [L shed innocent blood].
They ·think evil thoughts [or devise evil schemes].
·They cause ruin and destruction everywhere they go [Ruin and destruction are in their paths/roads].
8 They don’t know ·how to live in [L the path/way of] peace,
and there is no ·fairness [justice] in their ·lives [paths].
They ·are dishonest [act deceitfully; L have made their paths/ways crooked].
Anyone who ·lives as they live [walks on them] will never ·have [know] peace.
Israel’s Sin Brings Trouble
9 ·Fairness [Justice] has gone far away;
·goodness [righteousness] ·is nowhere to be found [L does not reach/overtake us].
We ·wait [hope] for the light, but ·there is only darkness now [L look/T behold, darkness].
We ·hope [wait] for a bright light, but ·all we have is darkness [L we walk in gloom/shadows/darkness].
10 We are like the blind ·feeling our way [groping] along a wall.
We ·feel our way [grope] as if we had no eyes.
·In the brightness of day [At midday/noon] we ·trip [stumble] as if it were ·night [evening; twilight].
We are like dead men ·among the strong [or in desolate places].
11 All of us growl like the bears.
We ·call out sadly [moan/coo mournfully] like the doves.
We ·look [hope; wait] for justice, but there isn’t any.
We ·want to be saved [hope/wait for salvation], but salvation is far away.
12 ·We have done many wrong things [L For our sins/transgressions are many] ·against our God [L before you];
our sins ·show we are wrong [L testify against us].
·We know we have turned against God [L Our transgressions are with us];
we know the ·evil things [iniquities] we have done:
13 ·sinning [transgressing; rebelling] and ·rejecting [L lying against] the Lord,
turning ·away from [our backs to] our God,
·planning to hurt others and to disobey God [L speaking oppression and revolt],
·planning [conceiving] and speaking lies.
14 So we have driven away justice,
and ·we have kept away from what is right [L righteousness stands far off].
Truth ·is not spoken [stumbles] in the ·streets [public squares];
what is honest ·is not allowed to enter the city [L cannot enter].
15 Truth ·cannot be found anywhere [is lost/gone; or fails],
and people who refuse to do evil ·are attacked [become prey].
The Lord looked and could not find any justice,
and he was displeased.
16 He ·could not find anyone to help the people [L saw there was no one],
and he was ·surprised [shocked; appalled] that there was no one to ·help [intervene].
So ·he used his own power to save the people [L his own arm brought him salvation];
his own ·goodness [righteousness] gave him strength.
17 He ·covered himself with goodness [put on righteousness] like ·armor [a breastplate].
He put the helmet of salvation on his head [1 Thess. 5:8; Eph. 6:13–17].
He put on ·his clothes for punishing [garments of vengeance]
and wrapped himself in ·the coat of his strong love [zeal/jealousy as a cloak].
18 The Lord will ·pay back his enemies [L repay] ·for what they have done [according to their deeds].
He will show his ·anger [wrath] to ·those who were against him [his adversaries]
and will ·punish [repay] his ·enemies [foes];
he will ·punish [repay] the ·people in faraway places [or islands; or coastlands] as they deserve.
19 Then people from the west will fear the [L name of the] Lord,
and people from the ·east [rising of the sun] will fear his glory.
·The Lord [L For he] will come quickly like a ·fast-flowing [or pent up] river,
driven by the ·breath [or wind; or Spirit] of the Lord.
20 “Then a Savior will come to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]
and to the people of Jacob who have turned from ·sin [transgressions],”
says the Lord [Rom. 11:26–27].
21 The Lord says, “This is my ·agreement [promise; covenant] with these people: My Spirit and my words that I ·give you [have put in your mouth] will ·never leave you [not depart from your mouth] or [L the mouth of] your ·children [descendants; seed] or [L the mouth of] your ·grandchildren [descendants’ descendants; L seed’s seed], now and forever [Jer. 31:31; Heb. 8:10; 10:16].”
Jerusalem Will Be Great
60 “Jerusalem, ·get up [arise] and shine, because your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord shines on you.
2 [L Look; T Behold] Darkness ·now covers [or will cover] the earth;
deep darkness covers ·her people [the nations].
But the Lord shines on you,
and people see his glory [C his manifest presence] ·around [upon] you.
3 Nations will come to your light;
kings will come to ·the brightness of your sunrise [or your radiance].
4 “[L Lift up your eyes and] Look around you.
People are gathering and coming to you.
Your sons are coming from far away,
and your daughters are ·coming with them [or carried on the hip; or nursed at their side; or escorted by guardians].
5 When you see them, you will ·shine with happiness [L shine; be radiant];
you will be excited and ·full of joy [L your heart will swell/enlarge],
because the wealth of the nations across the seas will be given to you;
the riches of the nations will come to you.
6 ·Herds [or Caravans; L An abundance of] of camels will cover your land,
young camels from Midian and Ephah.
·People [L All] will come from Sheba [C unknown location, perhaps present-day Yemen, Eritrea, or Ethiopia; see 1 Kin. 10:1–13]
bringing gold and ·incense [or frankincense],
and they will sing praises to the Lord.
7 All the sheep from Kedar will be ·given [gathered] to you;
the ·sheep [rams] from Nebaioth [Gen. 25:13] will ·be brought to [serve; minister to; C perhaps for sacrifices] you.
They will be ·pleasing [acceptable] sacrifices on my altar,
and I will ·make my beautiful Temple more beautiful [glorify/adorn my glorious Temple].
8 “·The people are returning to you [L Who are these who fly…?] like clouds,
like doves flying to their ·nests [shelters; L windows].
9 ·People in faraway lands [L For the coastlands/or islands] ·are waiting [or look] for me.
The ·great trading ships [L ships of Tarshish; 2:16] will come first,
bringing your children from ·faraway lands [afar],
and with them silver and gold.
·This will honor [L …for the name of] the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel [1:4],
·who does wonderful things for you [L because he has glorified/beautified you].
10 “Jerusalem, foreigners will rebuild your walls,
and their kings will serve you.
·When I was angry [L In my wrath], I ·hurt [struck] you,
but now ·I want to be kind to you and comfort you [L in grace/favor I will have compassion/mercy on you].
11 Your gates will always be open;
they will not be closed day or night
so the nations can bring their wealth to you,
and their kings ·will be led to you [or leading the way; C either as captives or leading the procession of gifts].
12 The nation or kingdom that doesn’t serve you will ·be destroyed [perish];
it will be completely ruined.
13 “The ·great trees [L glory] of Lebanon will ·be given [come] to you [35:2]:
its ·pine [juniper], fir, and cypress trees together.
You will use them to make ·my Temple [L the place of my sanctuary] beautiful,
and I will ·give much honor to [glorify] ·this place where I rest [L the place of] my feet [Ezek. 43:7].
14 The ·people who have hurt you [L children/sons of your oppressors] will bow down to you;
those who ·hated [despised] you will bow down at your feet.
They will call you The City of the Lord,
·Jerusalem, city [L Zion; 59:20] of the Holy One of Israel [1:4].
15 “You have been ·hated [despised] and ·left empty [abandoned; forsaken]
with no one passing through.
But I will make you great from now on;
you will be a place of ·happiness [pride; majesty] ·forever and ever [for generations to come].
16 You will ·be given what you need from [L drink the milk of] the nations,
like a child ·drinking milk from its mother [nursing at royal breasts].
Then you will know that it is I, the Lord, ·who saves you [your savior].
You will know that the Powerful One of Jacob ·protects [redeems] you.
17 I will bring you gold in place of bronze,
silver in place of iron,
bronze in place of wood,
iron in place of rocks.
I will ·change your punishment into peace [or make peace your governor/leader],
and ·you will be ruled by what is right [righteousness will be your ruler].
18 There will be no more violence [L heard] in your country,
no more ·ruin [devastation; havoc] or destruction within your borders.
You will name your walls Salvation
and your gates Praise.
19 The sun will no longer be your light during the day
nor will the brightness from the moon be your light,
because the Lord will be your ·light forever [everlasting light],
and your God will be your glory [Zech. 14:6–7; Rev. 21:23; 22:5].
20 Your sun will never set again,
and your moon will ·never be dark [not wane/disappear],
because the Lord will be your ·light forever [everlasting light],
and your ·time of sadness [days of mourning] will end.
21 All of your people will ·do what is right [be righteous].
They will ·receive [possess; inherit] the earth forever.
They are the ·plant [branch; shoot] I have planted,
the work of my own hands
to show my ·greatness [glory; C manifest presence].
22 The ·smallest family will grow to [L least of you will become] a thousand.
The ·least important [smallest] of you will become a powerful nation.
I am the Lord,
and ·when it is [L in its] time, I will ·make these things happen quickly [hasten it].”
The Lord’s Message of Freedom
61 The Lord God has put his Spirit in me,
because the Lord has ·appointed [anointed] me to ·tell [bring] the good news to the poor.
He has sent me to ·comfort [bind up] those whose hearts are broken,
to tell the captives they are free,
and to tell the prisoners they are released.
2 He has sent me to announce the ·time when the Lord will show his kindness [year of the Lord’s favor; C an allusion to the Year of Jubilee; Lev. 25:10; Luke 4:18–19]
and the ·time when our God will punish evil people [L day of vengeance of our God].
He has sent me to comfort all those who ·are sad [mourn]
3 and to help the ·sorrowing [mourning] people of ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C location of the Temple; 59:20].
I will give them a ·crown [garland; headdress] to replace their ashes,
and the oil of ·gladness [joy] to replace their ·sorrow [mourning],
and ·clothes [a garment] of praise to replace their ·spirit of sadness [discouragement; heavy heart].
Then they will be called ·Trees of Goodness [or Oaks of Righteousness],
trees planted by the Lord to show his ·greatness [glory; C manifest presence].
4 They will rebuild the ·old [ancient] ruins
and restore the places destroyed long ago [58:12].
They will repair the ruined cities
that were destroyed for ·so long [generations].
5 ·Foreigners [Strangers] will come to tend your sheep.
·People from other countries [Foreigners] will ·tend [plow] your fields and vineyards.
6 You will be called priests of the Lord;
you will be named the ·servants [ministers] of our God.
You will ·have riches from all the nations on earth [L eat the wealth of nations],
and ·you will take pride in them [L in their glory you will boast].
7 Instead of ·being ashamed [your shame], you will receive ·twice as much wealth [a double portion].
Instead of being ·disgraced [dishonored; humiliated], they will ·be happy because of what they receive [L rejoice over their portion].
They will receive a double share of the land,
so ·their happiness will continue forever [L everlasting joy will be theirs].
8 “I, the Lord, love justice.
I hate ·stealing [robbery] and ·everything that is wrong [wrongdoing].
·I will be fair and give my people what they should have [L I will reward/give wages in truth/faithfulness],
and I will make an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with them that will continue forever.
9 ·Everyone in all nations will know the children of my people [L Their descendants/seed will be known among the nations/Gentiles],
and their ·children [offspring] will be known among the ·nations [peoples].
Anyone who sees them will know
that they are ·people [descendants; seed] the Lord has blessed.”
10 I will ·rejoice [delight] greatly in the Lord;
·all that I am [my soul] ·rejoices [exults] in my God.
He has covered me with ·clothes [garments] of salvation
and wrapped me with a ·coat [robe] of ·goodness [righteousness],
like a bridegroom ·dressed for his wedding [or who adorns himself with a headdress like a priest],
like a bride ·dressed in [adorns herself with] jewels.
11 [L For as] The earth causes plants to grow,
and a garden causes the seeds planted in it to grow.
In the same way the Lord God will make ·goodness [righteousness] and praise
·come [sprout; spring up] ·from [or before; in front of] all the nations.
New Jerusalem
62 ·Because I love Jerusalem [L For Zion’s sake], I will ·continue to speak for her [not be silent];
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not ·stop speaking [be silent]
until her ·goodness [vindication; righteousness] shines like ·a bright light [brightness],
until her salvation burns bright like a ·flame [torch].
2 Jerusalem, the nations will see your ·goodness [righteousness; vindication],
and all kings will see your glory.
Then you will ·have [L be called by] a new name,
which the [L mouth of the] Lord himself will ·give you [name].
3 You will be like a ·beautiful crown [crown of majesty/glory] in the Lord’s hand,
like a ·king’s crown [royal diadem] in your God’s hand.
4 You will never again be called ·the People that God Left [L Abandoned; Deserted],
nor your land ·the Land that God Destroyed [Desolate].
You will be called ·the People God Loves [L My Delight Is In Her; T Hephzibah; C a proper name],
and your land will be called ·the Bride of God [L Married; T Beulah; C a proper name],
because the Lord ·loves you [takes delight in you].
And your land will ·belong to him as a bride belongs to her husband [be married].
5 As a young man marries a ·woman [young woman; virgin],
so your ·children [or builder] will marry ·your land [L you].
As a ·man [L bridegroom] rejoices over ·his new wife [the bride],
so your God will rejoice over you.
6 Jerusalem, I ·have put guards [post watchmen] on your walls.
They ·must not [or will never] be silent day or night.
You people who ·remind the Lord of your needs in prayer [or call on the Lord]
should ·never be quiet [take no rest].
7 You should ·not stop praying to him [L give him no rest] until he builds up Jerusalem
and makes it a city ·all people will praise [of praise/pride in the earth].
8 The Lord ·has made a promise [L swears by his right hand],
and by his ·power he will keep his promise [L mighty arm].
He said, “I will never again give your grain
as food to your enemies.
I will not let ·your enemies [foreigners] drink the new wine
that you have worked to make.
9 Those who ·gather food [gather/harvest it] will eat it,
and they will praise the Lord.
Those who gather the grapes will drink the wine
in the courts of my ·Temple [sanctuary; holy place].”
10 Go through, go through the gates!
Make the way ready for the people.
Build up, build up the ·road [highway]!
Move all the stones off the road.
Raise ·the banner as a sign [a standard/signal flag] for the ·people [nations].
11 The Lord ·is speaking [announces]
to ·all the faraway lands [L the end of the earth]:
“·Tell the people of Jerusalem [L Say to the daughter of Zion; Zech. 9:9],
‘Look, your Savior is coming.
He is bringing ·your reward to you [L his reward with him];
·he is bringing his payment [his recompense/reward is] with him.’”
12 ·His people [L They] will be called the Holy People,
the ·Saved People [Redeemed] of the Lord,
and Jerusalem will be called ·the City God Wants [L Sought After],
the City ·God Has Not Rejected [or Not Abandoned; Deserted].
The Lord Judges His People
63 Who is this coming from Edom [34:5],
from the city of Bozrah, ·dressed in red [or in crimson-stained garments; C Edom means “red”]?
Who is this dressed in ·fine clothes [honorable clothing; or royal garments]
and marching forward with his great power?
He says, “I, the Lord, speak ·what is right [in righteousness].
I ·have the power [am mighty] to save you.”
2 Someone asks, “Why are your clothes bright red
as if you had ·walked [stomped; trodden] on the grapes to make wine?”
3 The Lord answers, “I have ·walked [stomped; trodden] in the winepress alone,
and no one among the nations ·helped [L was with] me.
I was angry and ·walked [stomped; trod] on the nations
and crushed them because of my anger.
Blood splashed on my clothes,
and I stained all my clothing.
4 ·I chose a time to punish people [L …for the day of vengeance was in my heart],
and the ·time [year] has come for me to ·save [redeem].
5 I looked around, but I saw no one to help me.
I was ·surprised [shocked; appalled] that no one supported me [59:16].
So ·I used my own power to save my people [L my own arm accomplished salvation/victory];
my own ·anger [wrath] ·supported [sustained; upheld] me.
6 While I was angry, I ·walked on the [trampled] nations.
In my ·anger [wrath] I ·punished them [made them drunk; 49:26; 51:23]
and poured their ·blood [L juice] on the ·ground [earth].”
The Lord’s Kindness to His People
7 I will tell about the Lord’s ·kindness [lovingkindness; loyalty; covenant love]
and praise him for everything he has done.
I will praise the Lord for the many good things he has given us
and for his goodness to the ·people [L house] of Israel.
·He has shown great mercy to us […according to his compassion]
and ·has been very kind to us [according to his great lovingkindness/loyalty/covenant love].
8 He said, “[L Surely] These are my people;
my children will not ·lie to [deal falsely with; betray] me.”
So he saved them.
9 When they ·suffered [were distressed/afflicted], he ·suffered [was distressed/afflicted] also.
·He sent his own angel to save them [L The angel/messenger of his presence/face saved them; Ex. 14:19].
Because of his love and kindness, he saved them.
·Since long ago [L All the days of old] he has ·picked [lifted] them up and carried them [Deut. 32:10–12].
10 But they ·turned [rebelled] against him [Ex. 15:24; Num. 14:11; Ps. 78:17]
and ·made his Holy Spirit very sad [grieved his Holy Spirit; Ps. 78:40].
So he became their enemy,
and he fought against them.
11 But then his people remembered ·what happened long ago [L the days of old],
in the days of Moses and the Israelites with him.
Where is the Lord who brought the people ·through [up out of] the sea [Ex. 14:19–22],
with the ·leaders of his people [L shepherds of the flock; C probably Moses, Aaron and the tribal leaders]?
Where is the one
who put his ·Holy Spirit [or holy spirit] among them,
12 who led Moses by the right hand
with his ·wonderful power [L glorious arm],
who divided the water before them [Ex. 14:21]
to make ·his name famous [a reputation/name for himself] forever,
13 who led the people through the ·deep waters [depths]?
Like a horse walking ·through a desert [in the wilderness],
the people did not stumble.
14 Like cattle that go down to the valley,
the Spirit of the Lord gave ·the people a place to rest [them rest].
Lord, that is the way you led your people,
and by this you ·won [made] for yourself ·wonderful fame [a glorious reputation/name].
A Prayer for Help
15 Lord, look down from the heavens and see;
look at us from your ·wonderful [glorious] and holy ·home [abode] in heaven.
Where is your ·strong love [zeal] and power?
Why are you ·keeping [holding back] your ·love [tenderness] and ·mercy [compassion] from us?
16 You are our father.
[L …though] Abraham doesn’t know ·we are his children [L us],
and Israel doesn’t recognize us.
Lord, you are our father.
·You are called [or Your name is] “·the one who has always saved us [our redeemer from of old].”
17 Lord, why are you making us wander from your ways?
Why do you make ·us stubborn [L our hearts hard] so that we don’t ·honor [fear] you?
For our sake come back to us,
your servants, ·who belong to you [L the tribes of your inheritance].
18 Your ·people [or holy people] had ·your Temple [possession of your holy place; or possession of a land] for a while,
but now our enemies have ·walked on your holy place and crushed it [trampled down your sanctuary].
19 We have become like people you never ruled over,
like those who have never ·worn [been called by] your name.
64 If only you would tear open the ·skies [heavens] and come down to earth
so that the mountains would ·tremble [shake] before you.
2 Like a fire that ·burns [kindles; ignites] ·twigs [dry wood],
like a fire that makes water boil,
let your ·enemies [adversaries] know ·who you are [L your name].
Then all nations will shake with fear ·when they see you [before you].
3 You have done amazing things ·we did not expect [beyond our expectations].
You came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
4 From ·long ago [ancient times; of old] no ·one [L ear] has ever heard of a God like you.
No ·one [L eye] has ever seen a God besides you,
who ·helps [acts on behalf of] the people who ·trust [wait for] you.
5 You help those who ·enjoy doing good [joyfully act righteously],
who remember ·how you want them to live [L your ways/paths].
·But [L Look; T Behold] you were angry because we sinned.
For a long time we disobeyed,
so how can we be saved?
6 All of us ·are dirty with sin [became like an unclean/defiled thing].
All ·the right things we have done [our righteous deeds] are like ·filthy pieces of cloth [filthy garments/rags; or a menstrual cloth; 30:22].
All of us ·are [fade; shrivel] like dead leaves,
and our ·sins [iniquities], like the wind, have carried us away.
7 No one ·worships you [L calls on your name]
or ·even asks you to help us [L rouses himself to lay hold of you].
That is because you have ·turned away [hidden your face] from us
and have ·let our sins destroy us [given us over to our sins].[b]
8 But Lord, you are our father.
We are like clay, and you are the potter;
your hands made us all.
9 Lord, don’t continue to be angry with us;
don’t remember our sins forever.
Please, look at us,
because we are your people.
10 Your holy cities ·are empty like the desert [have become a wilderness/wasteland].
·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] is like a ·desert [wilderness; wasteland];
it is ·destroyed [a desolation].
11 Our ancestors worshiped you
in our holy and wonderful Temple,
but now it has been burned with fire,
and all our ·precious [treasured; pleasant] things have ·been destroyed [become ruins].
12 ·When you see these things [After this], will you hold yourself back from helping us, Lord?
Will you be silent and punish us beyond ·what we can stand [measure]?
All People Will Learn About God
65 The Lord says, “I ·made myself known to people [L allowed myself to be sought by those] who were not looking for me.
I was found by those who were not asking me for help.
I said, ‘Here I am. Here I am,’
to a nation that ·was not praying to me [did not call on my name; or called by my name].
2 All day long I ·stood ready to accept [L stretched out my hands to a]
people who ·turned [rebelled] against me,
but the way they continue to ·live [walk] is not good;
·they do anything they want to do [following their own thoughts/schemes].
3 ·Right in front of me [To my face]
they continue to do things that make me angry.
They offer sacrifices to their gods in their gardens [1:29],
and they burn incense on altars of brick.
4 They sit among the graves
and spend their nights ·waiting to get messages from the dead [or keeping vigil; or in secret places].
They eat the ·meat [flesh] of pigs [C unclean animal; Lev. 11:7; Deut. 14:8],
and their pots are full of soup made from ·meat that is wrong to eat [defiled/polluted things].
5 But they tell others, ‘Stay away, and don’t come near me.
I am too holy for you.’
These ·people [or practices] are like smoke in my ·nose [nostrils].
Like a fire that burns all ·the time [day long; C their sin never ceases and God’s anger grows].
6 “Look, it is written here before me.
I will not ·be quiet [keep silent]; instead, I will repay you in full.
I will ·punish you for what you have done [L pay it back into their laps/bosom].
7 I will punish you for your sins and your ·ancestors’ [fathers’] sins,”
says the Lord.
“They burned incense ·to gods on [L on] the mountains
and ·shamed [insulted; defied] me on those hills.
So I will ·punish them as they should be punished
for what they did [L measure into their laps/bosoms payment for their former deeds].”
8 This is what the Lord says:
“When there is ·juice left [new wine; or good grapes] in a bunch of grapes,
people say, “Don’t destroy it,
because there is ·good left [L blessing] in it.”
So I will do the same thing to my servants—
I will not destroy them all.
9 I will ·leave some of the children of [produce/bring forth offspring/seed from] Jacob,
and some of the people of Judah will ·receive [possess; inherit] my mountain.
·I will choose the people who [My chosen ones] will ·live there [possess/inherit it];
my servants will live there.
10 Then ·the Plain of Sharon [L Sharon; C a fertile plain in western Israel; 33:9] will be a field for flocks,
and the Valley of Achor [C located in eastern Israel, near Jericho] will be a place for herds to rest.
They will be for the people who ·want to follow [have sought] me.
11 “But as for you who ·left [abandoned; forsook] the Lord,
who forgot about my holy mountain,
who ·worship the god Luck [L spread a table for Fortune/Luck; C Hebrew Gad, a pagan god],
·who hold religious feasts for the god Fate [L fill bowls of mixed wine for Fate; C Hebrew Meni, a pagan god],
12 I ·decide your fate, and I will punish you with my sword [L destine/number you for the sword].
You will all ·be killed [fall in the slaughter; or bow to the executioner],
because I called you, but you refused to answer.
I spoke to you, but you wouldn’t listen.
You did ·the things I said were evil [L evil before my eyes]
and chose to do things ·that displease me [L I did not delight in].”
13 So this is what the Lord God says:
“My servants will eat,
but ·you evil people [L you] will be hungry.
My servants will drink,
but ·you evil people [L you] will be thirsty.
My servants will ·be happy [rejoice],
but ·you evil people [L you] will be shamed.
14 My servants will shout for joy
because of the ·goodness [joy] of their hearts,
but ·you evil people [L you] will ·cry [shout; cry out],
·because you will be sad [from an anguished heart].
You will ·cry loudly [wail; lament], because your spirits will be broken.
15 Your names will be ·like curses to [or used as a curse by; L left as a curse to] my ·servants [L chosen ones],
and the Lord God will put you to death.
But he will call his servants by another name.
16 People in the land who ask for blessings
will ·ask for them from [or be blessed by] the faithful God.
And people in the land who ·make a promise [swear an oath]
will ·promise [swear] ·in the name of the faithful God [or by the one true God],
because the troubles of the past will be forgotten.
·I will make those troubles go away [L …and are hidden from my eyes].
A New Time Is Coming
17 “·Look [T Behold], I will ·make [create] new heavens and a new earth,
and people will not remember the ·past [former things]
or ·think about those things [bring them to heart/mind].
18 My people will be happy and joyful forever
because of the things I will ·make [create].
I will make a Jerusalem that is full of joy,
and I will make her people a delight.
19 Then I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and be delighted with my people.
There will never again be heard in that city
the sounds of ·crying [weeping] and ·sadness [crying].
20 There will never be a ·baby [infant] from that city
who lives only a few days.
And there will never be an older person
who doesn’t ·have a long life [L live out his days].
A person who ·lives a hundred years will be called young [or dies at a hundred years will still be considered a child],
and a person who dies before he is a hundred will be thought of as a ·sinner [or accursed].
21 In that city those who build houses will live there.
Those who plant vineyards will get to eat their grapes [C as opposed to times of conquest, when homes are confiscated and crops are stolen].
22 No more will one person ·build a house and someone else live there [L build and another inhabit].
One person will not ·plant a garden and someone else eat its fruit [L plant and another eat].
·My people will live a long time,
as trees live long [L For like the days of a tree
shall be the days of my people].
My chosen people will live there
and enjoy the ·things they make [L work of their hands].
23 They will ·never again work for nothing [not labor in vain].
They will never again give birth to children ·who die young [L doomed for misfortune/disaster].
All my people will be blessed by the Lord;
they and their ·children [descendants; seed] will be blessed.
24 I will ·provide for their needs [L answer] before they ·ask [call],
and I will ·help them [L hear] while they are still ·asking for help [L speaking].
25 The wolf and the lamb will ·eat together in peace [feed/graze together].
The lion will eat hay like an ox,
and ·a snake on the ground will not hurt anyone [the serpent’s food will be dust; Gen. 3:14].
They will not hurt or destroy each other
on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.
The Lord Will Judge All Nations
66 This is what the Lord says:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
So ·do you think you can build a house for me [L where is this house you would build for me]?
·Do I need a place to rest [Where is my resting place]?
2 [L Hasn’t…?] My hand made all things.
All things are here because I made them,”
says the Lord.
“These are the people ·I am pleased with [L upon whom I look]:
those who are ·not proud or stubborn [humble and contrite in spirit]
and who ·fear [tremble at] my word.
3 But those people who kill bulls as a sacrifice to me
are like those who kill people.
Those who kill sheep as a sacrifice
are like those who break the necks of dogs.
Those who give me ·grain [L gift; tribute] offerings [Lev. 2:1]
are like those who offer me the blood of pigs [C dogs and pigs were ritually unclean animals and were forbidden as sacrifices].
Those who burn incense
are like those who worship idols [C their rituals were no better than pagan worship because their hearts were not right with God].
These people choose their own ways, not mine,
and they ·love [delight in] ·the terrible things they do [their abominations].
4 So I will choose ·their punishments [harsh treatment for them],
and I will punish them with what they fear most.
This is because I called to them, but they did not listen.
I spoke to them, but they did not hear me.
They did things I said were evil;
they chose to do things I did not ·like [delight in].”
5 You people who ·obey the words of the Lord [L tremble at his word],
listen to what he says:
“Your brothers hated you
and ·turned against [excluded; cast out] you because ·you followed me [L of my name].
Your brothers said, ‘Let the Lord be ·honored [glorified]
so we may see ·you rejoice [your joy],’
but they will be ·punished [L put to shame].
6 ·Listen to the loud noise coming [L A sound of uproar…!] from the city;
hear the ·noise [or voice] from the Temple.
It is the [L voice/sound of the] Lord ·punishing [repaying] his enemies,
giving them the punishment they deserve.
7 “·A woman does not give birth [L She gives birth; C alluding to Jerusalem/Zion; v. 8] before she ·feels the pain [goes into labor];
she ·does not give birth to a son [delivers a son/child] before the pain starts.
8 ·No one has ever [L Who has…?] heard of that happening;
·no one has ever [L Who has…?] seen that happen.
·In the same way no one ever saw [L Can…?] a country ·begin [be born] in one day;
·no one has ever heard of a new nation beginning [L can a nation be brought forth…?] in one moment.
But ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] will give birth to her children
just as soon as she feels the birth pains [C the rebirth of the nation will be sudden and unexpected].
9 ·In the same way I will not cause pain [L Will I bring one to the moment of birth…?]
without allowing something new to be born,” says the Lord.
“If I cause you ·the pain [to deliver],
·I will not stop you from giving birth to your new nation [L will I (now) close the womb?],” says your God.
10 “·Jerusalem, rejoice [or Rejoice with Jerusalem].
All you people who love Jerusalem, be ·happy [glad for/with her].
Those of you who ·felt sad [mourned] for Jerusalem
should now ·feel happy [L rejoice with joy] with her.
11 You will ·take comfort from her [L nurse] and be satisfied,
·as a child is nursed by its mother [L at her comforting breasts].
You will ·receive her good things [L drink deeply]
·and enjoy her wealth [from her glorious abundance].”
12 This is what the Lord says:
“I will give her peace that will flow to her like a river.
The ·wealth [glory] of the nations will come to her like a ·river overflowing its banks [flood].
·Like babies you will [L You will] be nursed and held in ·my [L her] arms
and bounced on ·my [L her] knees.
13 I will comfort you
as a mother comforts her child.
You will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14 When you see these things, ·you [L your heart] will ·be happy [rejoice],
and ·you [or your bones] will ·grow [flourish] like the grass.
The Lord’s servants will see his ·power [L hand],
but his enemies will see his ·anger [wrath].
15 Look, the Lord is coming with fire
and his ·armies [L chariots] with ·clouds of dust [a whirlwind].
He will ·punish those people with his anger [L satisfy/render his anger with fury/wrath];
he will ·punish them [L satisfy/render his rebuke] with flames of fire.
16 The Lord will judge the people with fire,
and he will ·destroy many people [judge all people] with his sword;
·he will kill many people [L many will be slain by the Lord].
17 “These people ·make themselves holy and pure [sanctify/consecrate and purify themselves] to go ·to worship their gods in their [L into] gardens [C pagan worship sites; 1:29]. Following ·each other [or their leader; L one], they eat the meat of pigs and rats and other ·hateful [detestable; abominable] things. But they will ·all be destroyed [perish] together,” says the Lord.
18 “I know ·they have evil thoughts and do evil things [L their deeds and thoughts], so I am ·coming to punish them [L coming]. I will gather all nations and all ·people [L languages; tongues], and they will come together and see my glory.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.