Isaiah 6

New International Version

Isaiah’s Commission

6 In the year that King Uzziah^(A) died,^(B) I saw the Lord,^(C) high and exalted,^(D) seated on a throne;^(E) and the train of his robe^(F) filled the temple. ²Above him were seraphim,^(G) each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet,^(H) and with two they were flying. ³And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy^(I), holy is the Lord Almighty;^(J)
the whole earth^(K) is full of his glory.”^(L)

⁴At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.^(M)

⁵“Woe^(N) to me!” I cried. “I am ruined!^(O) For I am a man of unclean lips,^(P) and I live among a people of unclean lips,^(Q) and my eyes have seen^(R) the King,^(S) the Lord Almighty.”^(T)

⁶Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal^(U) in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips;^(V) your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.^(W)”

⁸Then I heard the voice^(X) of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?^(Y) And who will go for us?^(Z)”

And I said, “Here am I.^(AA) Send me!”

⁹He said, “Go^(AB) and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
    be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’^(AC)
¹⁰Make the heart of this people calloused;^(AD)
    make their ears dull
    and close their eyes.^[a]^(AE)
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,^(AF)
    understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”^(AG)

¹¹Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”^(AH)

And he answered:

“Until the cities lie ruined^(AI)
    and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted^(AJ)
    and the fields ruined and ravaged,^(AK)
¹²until the Lord has sent everyone far away^(AL)
    and the land is utterly forsaken.^(AM)
¹³And though a tenth remains^(AN) in the land,
    it will again be laid waste.^(AO)
But as the terebinth and oak
    leave stumps^(AP) when they are cut down,
    so the holy^(AQ) seed will be the stump in the land.”^(AR)

Footnotes

Isaiah 6:10 Hebrew; Septuagint ‘You will be ever hearing, but never understanding; / you will be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / ¹⁰This people’s heart has become calloused; / they hardly hear with their ears, / and they have closed their eyes

Proverbs 3

New International Version

Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

3 My son,^(A) do not forget my teaching,^(B)
but keep my commands in your heart,
²for they will prolong your life many years^(C)
and bring you peace and prosperity.^(D)

³Let love and faithfulness^(E) never leave you;
    bind them around your neck,
    write them on the tablet of your heart.^(F)
⁴Then you will win favor and a good name
    in the sight of God and man.^(G)

⁵Trust in the Lord^(H) with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths^(I) straight.^[a]^(J)

⁷Do not be wise in your own eyes;^(K)
fear the Lord^(L) and shun evil.^(M)
⁸This will bring health to your body^(N)
and nourishment to your bones.^(O)

⁹Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits^(P) of all your crops;
¹⁰then your barns will be filled^(Q) to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.^(R)

¹¹My son,^(S) do not despise the Lord’s discipline,^(T)
and do not resent his rebuke,
¹²because the Lord disciplines those he loves,^(U)
as a father the son he delights in.^[b]^(V)

¹³Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding,
¹⁴for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold.^(W)
¹⁵She is more precious than rubies;^(X)
    nothing you desire can compare with her.^(Y)
¹⁶Long life is in her right hand;^(Z)
    in her left hand are riches and honor.^(AA)
¹⁷Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peace.^(AB)
¹⁸She is a tree of life^(AC) to those who take hold of her;
    those who hold her fast will be blessed.^(AD)

¹⁹By wisdom^(AE) the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,^(AF)
by understanding he set the heavens^(AG) in place;
²⁰by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.

²¹My son,^(AH) do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,^(AI)
    preserve sound judgment and discretion;
²²they will be life for you,^(AJ)
    an ornament to grace your neck.^(AK)
²³Then you will go on your way in safety,^(AL)
    and your foot will not stumble.^(AM)
²⁴When you lie down,^(AN) you will not be afraid;^(AO)
    when you lie down, your sleep^(AP) will be sweet.
²⁵Have no fear of sudden disaster
    or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
²⁶for the Lord will be at your side^(AQ)
    and will keep your foot^(AR) from being snared.^(AS)

²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to act.
²⁸Do not say to your neighbor,
    “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
    when you already have it with you.^(AT)
²⁹Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
    who lives trustfully near you.^(AU)
³⁰Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
    when they have done you no harm.

³¹Do not envy^(AV) the violent
or choose any of their ways.

³²For the Lord detests the perverse^(AW)
    but takes the upright into his confidence.^(AX)
³³The Lord’s curse^(AY) is on the house of the wicked,^(AZ)
    but he blesses the home of the righteous.^(BA)
³⁴He mocks^(BB) proud mockers^(BC)
    but shows favor to the humble^(BD) and oppressed.
³⁵The wise inherit honor,
    but fools get only shame.