Old/New Testament
The Conquest of Egypt and Cush
20 In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon the king of Assyria, came to Ashdod, attacked it, and captured it— 2 at that time the Lord spoke through Amoz’s son Isaiah: “Go loosen the sackcloth that’s around your waist,[a] and take your sandals[b] off your feet.” So that’s what he did: he went around naked and barefoot.
3 Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has walked around naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a warning for Egypt and Ethiopia,[c] 4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the Egyptian captives and exiles from Cush,[d] both the young and the old, naked and barefoot—with even their buttocks uncovered—to the shame[e] of Egypt. 5 Then they will be dismayed and put to shame because of Cush,[f] their hope, and Egypt, their jewel.[g] 6 At that time, the inhabitants of this coastland will say, ‘See, this is what has happened to those on whom we counted and relied[h] for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How, then, can we escape?’”
Elam and Media are Rebuked
21 A message[i] concerning the pasture[j] by the Sea.
“Like whirlwinds in the Negev[k] sweep on,
it comes from the desert,
from a distant[l] land.
2 A dire vision has been announced to me:
the traitor betrays,
and the plunderer takes loot.
Get up, Elam!
Attack, Media!
I am putting a stop
to all the groaning she has caused.
3 Therefore my body is[m] racked with pain;
pangs have seized me,
like the pangs of a woman in labor;
I am so upset that I cannot hear;
I am so frightened that I cannot see
while I’m reeling around.[n]
4 And as for my heart,[o] horror has terrified me;
the twilight I longed for
has started to make me tremble.
5 They set the tables;
they spread the carpets;[p]
they eat, they drink!
Get up, you officers!
Oil the shields!”
The Fall of Babylon
6 For this is what the Lord told me:
“Go post a lookout.
Have him report what he sees.
7 When he sees chariots, each man[q] with a pair of horses,
riders on donkeys or riders on[r] camels,
let him pay attention,
full attention.”
8 Then the lookout[s] shouted:
“Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord,
continually by day,
and I am stationed at my post
throughout the night.
9 Look! Here come riders,[t]
each man with a pair of horses!”
They’re shouting out the answer:
“Babylon has fallen, has fallen,
and they have shattered
all the images of her gods[u] on the ground!
10 O my downtrodden people,[v] my wall![w]
I’ll tell you what I have heard
from the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel.”
A Message about Dumah
11 A message[x] concerning Dumah.
“Someone is calling to me from Seir:
‘Watchman, what is left of the night?[y]
Watchman, what is left of the night?’[z]
12 The watchman replies:
‘Morning is coming, but also the night.
If you want to ask, then ask;
come back again.’”
A Message about Arabia
13 A message[aa] concerning Arabia.
“You will camp in the thickets in Arabia,
you caravans of the Dedanites.
14 Bring water for the thirsty,
you who live in the land of Tema.
Meet the fugitive with bread,[ab]
15 For he has fled[ac] from swords,
from the drawn sword,
from the bent bow,
and from the heat of battle.”
16 For this is what the Lord[ad] is saying to me: “Within three years,[ae] according to the years of a contract worker,[af] the pomp[ag] of Kedar will come to an end. 17 And there will be few archers, those who are descendants of Kedar, who survive, because the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.”
Jerusalem is Rebuked
22 A message[ah] concerning the Valley of Vision.[ai]
“What troubles you,
now that you’ve all gone up
to the rooftops,
2 you who are full of commotion,
you passionate city,
you rollicking town?
Your slain weren’t killed by the sword,
nor are they dead in battle.
3 All your leaders have fled together;
she is captured[aj] without using bows.
All of you who were caught were captured together,
although they had fled
while the enemy was still[ak] far away.
4 Therefore I said:
“Look away from me;
and let me weep bitter tears;
don’t try to console[al] me
over the destruction of the daughter of my people.”[am]
5 For to the Lord God of the Heavenly Armies
belongs the day of tumult, trampling, and confusion
in the Valley of Vision,[an]
and the pulling down of his Temple on[ao] its mountain.
6 Elam takes up the quiver
with chariots and cavalry,
while Kir unsheathes the shield.
7 And it will come about[ap]
that your choicest valleys will be filled with chariots,
and horsemen will take their positions at the gates.
8 He has uncovered the defenses of Judah.”
At that time,[aq] you looked at the arsenal of the Palace of the Forest,[ar] 9 and saw that there were many breaches in the City of David. So you stored up water from the Lower Pool, 10 counted the houses of Jerusalem, tore down certain houses to strengthen the wall, 11 and built a reservoir between the walls to store water from the Old Pool. But you did not look at[as] the One who did it, nor did you see the One who planned it long ago.
12 On that day the Lord God of the Heavenly Armies
called for weeping and mourning,
for shaving heads[at] and wearing sackcloth.
13 But look!
There is joy and festivity,
slaughtering of cattle
and killing of sheep,
eating meat
and drinking[au] wine.
“Let us eat and drink, you say,
because we die tomorrow.”
14 “Nevertheless, the Lord of the Heavenly Armies has revealed himself to my hearing:
‘“Surely because of you[av]
this iniquity will not be forgiven
you until you die,’
says the Lord God of the Heavenly Armies.”
The Lord Rebukes Shebna
15 This is what the Lord God of the Heavenly Armies[aw] says:
“Come, go to this steward, to Shebna who is in charge of the household, and ask him: 16 ‘What are you doing here, and who are your relatives here[ax] that you could carve out a grave for yourself here—cutting out a tomb at the choicest location,[ay] chiseling out a resting place for yourself out of solid rock? 17 Look Out! The Lord is about to hurl you away violently, my strong fellow! He[az] will fold you up completely, 18 rolling you up tightly like a ball and throwing you into a large country. There[ba] you will die, and there[bb] your splendid chariots will lie. You’re a disgrace to your master’s house! 19 I will depose you from your office, ousting you[bc] from your position.
20 “At that time,[bd] I’ll call for my servant, Hilkiah’s[be] son Eliakim, 21 and I’ll clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him. I’ll transfer your authority to him,[bf] and he’ll be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
22 “I’ll place on his shoulder the key to the house of David—what he opens, no one will shut, and what he shuts, no one will open. 23 I’ll set him like a peg into a secure place; he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house. 24 The entire reputation of his father’s house will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots—all its smaller vessels, from the cups to all the jars. 25 At that time,”[bg] declares the Lord[bh] of the Heavenly Armies, “the peg that was driven into a secure place will give way; it will be sheared and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down.”
The Lord has spoken.
Advice for Children and Parents
6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord,[a] for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother…”[b] (This is a very important commandment with a promise.) 3 “…so that it may go well for you, and that you may have a long life on the earth.”[c]
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up by training[d] and instructing them about the Lord.
Advice for Slaves and Masters
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear, trembling, and sincerity, as when you obey[e] the Messiah.[f] 6 Do not do this only while you’re being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah,[g] who are determined to obey God’s will. 7 Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people,[h] 8 because you know that everyone will receive a reward from the Lord for whatever good he has done, whether he is a slave or free.
9 Masters, treat your slaves[i] the same way. Do not threaten them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
Putting on the Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, relying on his mighty strength. 11 Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the Devil’s strategies.[j] 12 For our[k] struggle is not against human opponents,[l] but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us,[m] and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm. 13 For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm.
14 Stand firm, therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and being firm-footed in the gospel of peace.[n] 16 In addition to having clothed yourselves with these things, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one, 17 also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. Likewise, be alert with your most diligent efforts and pray for all the saints. 19 Pray[o] also for me, so that, when I begin to speak, the right words will come to me. Then I will boldly make known the secret of the gospel, 20 for whose sake I am an ambassador in chains, desiring to declare the gospel[p] as boldly as I should.[q]
Final Greeting
21 So that you may know what has happened to me and how I am doing, Tychicus, our dear brother and a faithful minister in service to the Lord, will tell you everything. 22 I am sending him to you for this very reason, so that you may know how we are doing and that he may encourage your hearts.
23 May peace and love, with faith, be with the brothers, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah![r]
24 May grace be with all who sincerely love the Lord Jesus, the Messiah![s]
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