Old/New Testament
Messengers from Babylon Visit Hezekiah
39 At that time Merodach Baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been ill and had recovered. 2 Hezekiah welcomed[a] them and showed them his storehouse with its silver, gold, spices, and high-quality olive oil, as well as his whole armory and everything in his treasuries. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom.[b] 3 Isaiah the prophet visited King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say? Where do they come from?” Hezekiah replied, “They come from the distant land of Babylon.” 4 Isaiah[c] asked, “What have they seen in your palace?” Hezekiah replied, “They have seen everything in my palace. I showed them everything in my treasuries.” 5 Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the message of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: 6 ‘Look, a time is coming when everything in your palace and the things your ancestors[d] have accumulated to this day will be carried away to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 7 ‘Some of your very own descendants whom you father[e] will be taken away and will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 8 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The Lord’s message that you have announced is appropriate.”[f] Then he thought,[g] “For[h] there will be peace and stability during my lifetime.”
The Lord Returns to Jerusalem
40 “Comfort, comfort my people,”
says your[i] God.
2 “Speak kindly to[j] Jerusalem and tell her
that her time of warfare is over,[k]
that her punishment is completed.[l]
For the Lord has made her pay double[m] for all her sins.”
3 A voice cries out,
“In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord;
build a level road[n] through the rift valley[o] for our God.
4 Every valley must be elevated,
and every mountain and hill leveled.
The rough terrain will become a level plain,
the rugged landscape a wide valley.
5 The splendor[p] of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people[q] will see it at the same time.
For[r] the Lord has decreed it.”[s]
6 A voice says, “Cry out!”
Another asks,[t] “What should I cry out?”
The first voice responds:[u] “All people are like grass,[v]
and all their promises[w] are like the flowers in the field.
7 The grass dries up,
the flowers wither,
when the wind sent by the Lord[x] blows on them.
Surely humanity[y] is like grass.
8 The grass dries up,
the flowers wither,
but the decree of our God is forever reliable.”[z]
9 Go up on a high mountain, O herald Zion.
Shout out loudly, O herald Jerusalem![aa]
Shout, don’t be afraid!
Say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
10 Look, the Sovereign Lord comes as a victorious warrior;[ab]
his military power establishes his rule.[ac]
Look, his reward is with him;
his prize goes before him.[ad]
11 Like a shepherd he tends his flock;
he gathers up the lambs with his arm;
he carries them close to his heart;[ae]
he leads the ewes along.
The Lord is Incomparable
12 Who has measured out the waters[af] in the hollow of his hand,
or carefully[ag] measured the sky,[ah]
or carefully weighed[ai] the soil of the earth,
or weighed the mountains in a balance,
or the hills on scales?[aj]
13 Who comprehends[ak] the mind[al] of the Lord,
or gives him instruction as his counselor?[am]
14 From whom does he receive directions?[an]
Who[ao] teaches him the correct way to do things,[ap]
or imparts knowledge to him,
or instructs him in skillful design?[aq]
15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales.
He lifts[ar] the coastlands[as] as if they were dust.
16 Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice;[at]
its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings.[au]
17 All the nations are insignificant before him;
they are regarded as absolutely nothing.[av]
18 To whom can you compare God?
To what image can you liken him?
19 A craftsman casts[aw] an idol;
a metalsmith overlays it with gold
and forges silver chains for it.
20 To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot;[ax]
he then seeks a skilled craftsman
to make[ay] an idol that will not fall over.
21 Do you not know?
Do you not hear?
Has it not been told to you since the very beginning?
Have you not understood from the time the earth’s foundations were made?
22 He is the one who sits on the earth’s horizon;[az]
its inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him.[ba]
He is the one who stretches out the sky like a thin curtain,[bb]
and spreads it out[bc] like a pitched tent.[bd]
23 He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing;
he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.
24 Indeed, they are barely planted;
yes, they are barely sown;
yes, they barely take root in the earth,
and then he blows on them, causing them to dry up,
and the wind carries them away like straw.
25 “To whom can you compare me? Whom do I resemble?”
says the Holy One.[be]
26 Look up at the sky![bf]
Who created all these heavenly lights?[bg]
He is the one who leads out their ranks;[bh]
he calls them all by name.
Because of his absolute power and awesome strength,
not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you say, Jacob,
Why do you say, Israel,
“The Lord is not aware of what is happening to me;[bi]
My God is not concerned with my vindication”?[bj]
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is an eternal God,
the Creator of the whole earth.[bk]
He does not get tired or weary;
there is no limit to his wisdom.[bl]
29 He gives strength to those who are tired;
to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.
30 Even youths get tired and weary;
even strong young men clumsily stumble.[bm]
31 But those who wait for the Lord’s help[bn] find renewed strength;
they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings,[bo]
they run without growing weary,
they walk without getting tired.
4 1 Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.
Exhortation to Pray for the Success of Paul’s Mission
2 Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time pray[a] for us too, that[b] God may open a door for the message[c] so that we may proclaim[d] the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.[e] 4 Pray that I may make it known as I should.[f] 5 Conduct yourselves[g] with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.
Personal Greetings and Instructions
7 Tychicus, a dear brother, faithful minister, and fellow slave[h] in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me.[i] 8 I sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are doing[j] and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 I sent him[k] with Onesimus, the faithful and dear brother, who is one of you.[l] They will tell[m] you about everything here.
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him). 11 And Jesus who is called Justus also sends greetings. In terms of Jewish converts,[n] these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a slave[o] of Christ,[p] greets you. He is always struggling in prayer on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured[q] in all the will of God. 13 For I can testify that he has worked hard[r] for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 Our dear friend Luke the physician and Demas[s] greet you. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters[t] who are in Laodicea and to Nympha and the church that meets in her[u] house.[v] 16 And after[w] you have read this letter, have it read[x] to the church of Laodicea. In turn, read the letter from Laodicea[y] as well. 17 And tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the ministry you received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul, write this greeting by my own hand.[z] Remember my chains.[aa] Grace be with you.[ab]
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