Old/New Testament
Foolish Trust in Egypt
30 “Oh, you stubborn children,” declares the Lord,
“who carry out plans—
but they are not mine,
and who make alliances—
but not by my Spirit,
piling sin upon sin.
2 They set out to go down to Egypt,
without asking my advice;
taking refuge in Pharaoh’s protection,
and seeking shelter in Egypt’s shadow.
3 But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame,
and sheltering in Egypt’s shadow your longing.[a]
4 And it will turn out that[b] his officials are at Zoan,
and his envoys will reach Hanes.
5 There is only loathsome destruction[c]
through a people that cannot benefit them,
who bring neither help nor profit,
but only shame and disgrace.”
The Animals of the Negev
6 An oracle about the animals of the Negev:[d]
“Through a land of trouble, dryness,[e] and distress,
of lionesses and roaring lions,
where there is no water,[f]
a land of vipers and darting snakes,
he carries[g] their riches on donkeys’ backs,
and their treasures on the humps of camels,
to a nation that cannot benefit them,
7 to Egypt, which gives help that is worthless and useless.
Therefore I call her,
‘Rahab,[h] who just sits still.’”
The Illusions of False Prophecy
8 “Go now, and write it down[i] on a tablet in their presence,
inscribing it in a book,
so that for times to come
it may be an everlasting witness.
9 For they are a rebellious people,
deceitful children,
children unwilling to hear
the Lord’s instruction.
10 They say to the seers,
‘Don’t see visions,’
and to the prophets,
‘Don’t give us visions of what is right!
Instead, tell us welcome things, prophesy illusions,
11 get out of the way,
turn aside from the path,
and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel.”[j]
Rejecting God’s Message
12 Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says:
“Because you reject this message,
and put your trust in oppression and enjoy it,[k]
and since you rely on it,
13 therefore, for you this sin will become
like a breach in a high wall that is about to collapse,
bulging out,
and whose crash comes suddenly—in an instant.
14 Its breaking will be like when potters’ vessels are broken,
shattered so ruthlessly[l]
that among its fragments not even a broken sliver will be found
for taking fire from a hearth
or scooping water out of a cistern.”
“In repentance and rest you will be saved;
in staying calm and trusting will be your strength.
But you refused.
16 Instead, you said,
‘No! We’ll escape on horses!’
Therefore, you’ll flee away.
And you said,
‘We’ll ride off on swift steeds!’
Therefore your pursuers will be swift.
17 A thousand will flee at the threat of one;
and run away, pursued by[o] five,
until you are left
like a flagpole on a mountaintop,[p]
like a banner on a hill.”
Restoration is Promised to Israel
18 “Nevertheless, the Lord will wait
so he can be gracious to you;
and thus he will rise up to show you mercy.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
How blessed are all those who wait for him.”
19 Indeed, you people who live in Zion and in Jerusalem,[q] you[r] will weep no more. How gracious the Lord[s] will be to you at the sound of your cry! As soon as he hears it, he will answer you. 20 And although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water[t] of affliction, your teachers won’t hide themselves[u] anymore, but your own eyes will see your teachers. 21 And whether you turn to the right or turn to the left, your ears will hear a message behind you: “This is the way, walk in it.” 22 Then you will defile your carved idols that are overlaid with silver and your images plated with gold. You’ll throw them away like disgusting objects[v] and say to them, “Away with you!”
23 He will also provide rain for your seed that you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the ground will be[w] rich and abundant. At that time,[x] your cattle will graze in broad meadows, 24 and oxen and donkeys that work the ground will eat seasoned[y] fodder that workers will winnow with shovels and forks. 25 And on every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks and canals[z] running with water on the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
26 Moreover, the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the sun’s light will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days,[aa] when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.
27 See, the name of the Lord comes from far away,
burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke;
his lips are full of fury,
and his tongue is like a devouring fire.
28 His breath is like an overflowing torrent,
and it rises right up to the neck,
to shake[ab] the nations in the sieve of destruction,
and to place in the jaws of the peoples a bit that leads them astray.
29 You will have songs as on nights when people celebrate a holy festival,[ac] and gladness of heart, as when they set out with flutes to go to the Lord’s mountain, to the Rock of Israel.
God’s Judgment on Assyria
30 And the Lord will make heard—yes, he will make heard[ad]—his majestic voice, and make his arm[ae] seen descending in raging anger and in a flame of consuming fire, with a cloudburst, thunderstorm and hailstones. 31 Indeed, the Assyrians will be shattered at the Lord’s voice, when he strikes them with his scepter. 32 And every stroke of his punishing rod[af] that the Lord brings down on them will be to the sound of tambourines and harps, as he fights against her[ag] in battle with a brandished arm.
33 For the Fire Pit[ah] has long been prepared; truly it is for the king; it will indeed be made ready.[ai] And[aj] its pyre will be deep and wide, with abundant fire and wood. Like a stream of burning sulfur, the breath of the Lord will set it ablaze.
Only the Lord can Help
31 “How terrible it will be for those who go down to[ak] Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the chariot,
because there are so many,
and in charioteers,[al]
because they are so strong—
but do not look to[am] the Holy One of Israel
or seek the Lord!
2 Yet he is also wise and can bring disaster;
he does not take back his words,
but will rise up against the house of those who practice evil
and against anyone who assists people who work iniquity.
3 The Egyptians are men, not God,
and their horses are physical,[an] not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
anyone who assists will stumble,
and the one who is helped will fall;
and they will all perish together.”
The Lord will Defend Jerusalem
4 For this is what the Lord told me:
“Just as a lion or a young lion growls over his objects of prey,[ao]—
even when a whole band of shepherds is called out against it,
it is not alarmed at their shouting
or disturbed by their clamor—
so the Lord of the Heavenly Armies will come down
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its hill.
5 Like birds hovering overhead,
so the Lord of the Heavenly Armies will protect Jerusalem;
he will shield and deliver it;
and[ap] he will pass over[aq] and bring it to safety.[ar]
6 Turn back to him, yes to him whom[as] your people[at] have so greatly betrayed, you people of Israel. 7 For at that time,[au] everyone will throw away their[av] idols of silver and their[aw] idols of gold that your hands have sinfully made for yourselves.
8 “Then Assyria will fall by a sword
that is not from human beings only[ax]—
a sword not wielded by mortal beings will devour them.
They will flee from the sword,
and their young men will be put to forced labor.
9 Their stronghold will vanish by reason of terror,
and their commanders will be filled with alarm
because of the battle standard,”
declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion
and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
Closing Exhortations
4 Therefore, my dear brothers whom I long for, my joy and my victor’s crown, this is how you must stand firm in the Lord, dear friends. 2 I urge Euodia and Syntyche to have the same attitude in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, my true partner,[a] to help these women. They have worked hard with me to advance[b] the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
4 Keep on rejoicing in the Lord at all times. I will say it again: Keep on rejoicing! 5 Let your gracious attitude[c] be known to all people. The Lord is near: 6 Never worry about anything. Instead, in every situation let your petitions be made known to God through prayers and requests, with thanksgiving. 7 Then God’s peace, which goes far beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your hearts and minds in union with the Messiah[d] Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is fair, whatever is pure, whatever is acceptable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything of excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—keep thinking about these things. 9 Likewise, keep practicing these things: what you have learned, received, heard, and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.
The Philippians’ Gifts
10 Now I rejoice in the Lord greatly, because once again you have shown your concern for me. Of course, you were concerned for me but you did not have an opportunity to show it.[e] 11 I am not saying this because I am in any need, for I have learned to be content in whatever situation I am in. 12 I know how to be humble, and I know how to prosper. In each and every situation I have learned the secret of being full and of going hungry, of having too much and of having too little. 13 I can do all things through him[f] who strengthens me. 14 Nevertheless, it was kind of you to share my troubles.
15 You Philippians also know that in the early days[g] of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church participated with me in the matter of giving and receiving except for you. 16 Even while I was in Thessalonica, you provided for my needs not once, but twice. 17 It is not that I am looking for a gift. No, I want to see that you receive the fruit that increases to your benefit. 18 I have been paid in full and have more than enough. I am fully supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus what you sent—a fragrant aroma, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will fully supply your every need according to his glorious riches in the Messiah[h] Jesus. 20 Glory belongs to our God and Father forever and ever! Amen.
Final Greeting
21 Greet every saint who is in union with the Messiah[i] Jesus. The brothers who are with me send their greetings to you. 22 All the saints, especially those of the emperor’s[j] household, greet you.
23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[k] be with your spirit! Amen.[l]
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