Isaiah 58:1-8

New King James Version

Fasting that Pleases God

58 “Cry aloud, ^[a]spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
^(A)Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins.
²Yet they seek Me daily,
And delight to know My ways,
As a nation that did righteousness,
And did not forsake the ordinance of their God.
They ask of Me the ordinances of justice;
They take delight in approaching God.
³‘Why^(B) have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen?
Why have we ^(C)afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’

“In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
And ^[b]exploit all your laborers.
⁴^(D)Indeed you fast for strife and debate,
And to strike with the fist of wickedness.
You will not fast as you do this day,
To make your voice heard on high.
⁵Is ^(E)it a fast that I have chosen,
^(F)A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And ^(G)to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the Lord?

⁶“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To ^(H)loose the bonds of wickedness,
^(I)To undo the ^[c]heavy burdens,
^(J)To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
⁷Is it not ^(K)to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are ^[d]cast out;
^(L)When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from ^(M)your own flesh?
⁸^(N)Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
^(O)The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

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Footnotes

Isaiah 58:1 do not hold back
Isaiah 58:3 Lit. drive hard
Isaiah 58:6 Lit. bonds of the yoke
Isaiah 58:7 wandering

1 Peter 3:8-12

New King James Version

Called to Blessing

⁸Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be ^[a]courteous; ⁹^(A)not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary ^(B)blessing, knowing that you were called to this, ^(C)that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰For

^(D)“He who would love life
And see good days,
^(E)Let him ^[b]refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
¹¹Let him ^(F)turn away from evil and do good;
^(G)Let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
^(H)And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

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Footnotes

1 Peter 3:8 NU humble
1 Peter 3:10 restrain

Matthew 5:13-22

New King James Version

Believers Are Salt and Light^(A)

¹³“You are the salt of the earth; ^(B)but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

¹⁴^(C)“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Nor do they ^(D)light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, ^(E)that they may see your good works and ^(F)glorify your Father in heaven.

Christ Fulfills the Law

¹⁷^(G)“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸For assuredly, I say to you, ^(H)till heaven and earth pass away, one ^[a]jot or one ^[b]tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. ¹⁹^(I)Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds ^(J)the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder Begins in the Heart^(K)

²¹“You have heard that it was said to those ^[c]of old, ^(L)‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²²But I say to you that ^(M)whoever is angry with his brother ^[d]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ^(N)‘Raca!’^[e] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ^[f]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of ^[g]hell fire.