Isaiah 63-65
New King James Version
The Lord in Judgment and Salvation
63 Who is this who comes from Edom,
With dyed garments from Bozrah,
This One who is [a]glorious in His apparel,
Traveling in the greatness of His strength?—
“I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
2 Why (A)is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?
3 “I have (B)trodden the winepress alone,
And from the peoples no one was with Me.
For I have trodden them in My anger,
And trampled them in My fury;
Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments,
And I have stained all My robes.
4 For the (C)day of vengeance is in My heart,
And the year of My redeemed has come.
5 (D)I looked, but (E)there was no one to help,
And I wondered
That there was no one to uphold;
Therefore My own (F)arm brought salvation for Me;
And My own fury, it sustained Me.
6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger,
Made them drunk in My fury,
And brought down their strength to the earth.”
God’s Mercy Remembered
7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord
And the praises of the Lord,
According to all that the Lord has bestowed on us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies,
According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses.
8 For He said, “Surely they are My people,
Children who will not lie.”
So He became their Savior.
9 (G)In all their affliction He was [b]afflicted,
(H)And the Angel of His Presence saved them;
(I)In His love and in His pity He redeemed them;
And (J)He bore them and carried them
All the days of old.
10 But they (K)rebelled and (L)grieved His Holy Spirit;
(M)So He turned Himself against them as an enemy,
And He fought against them.
11 Then he (N)remembered the days of old,
Moses and his people, saying:
“Where is He who (O)brought them up out of the sea
With the [c]shepherd of His flock?
(P)Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within them,
12 Who led them by the right hand of Moses,
(Q)With His glorious arm,
(R)Dividing the water before them
To make for Himself an everlasting name,
13 (S)Who led them through the deep,
As a horse in the wilderness,
That they might not stumble?”
14 As a beast goes down into the valley,
And the Spirit of the Lord causes him to rest,
So You lead Your people,
(T)To make Yourself a glorious name.
A Prayer of Penitence
15 (U)Look down from heaven,
And see (V)from Your habitation, holy and glorious.
Where are Your zeal and Your strength,
The yearning (W)of Your heart and Your mercies toward me?
Are they restrained?
16 (X)Doubtless You are our Father,
Though Abraham (Y)was ignorant of us,
And Israel does not acknowledge us.
You, O Lord, are our Father;
Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
17 O Lord, why have You (Z)made us stray from Your ways,
And hardened our heart from Your fear?
Return for Your servants’ sake,
The tribes of Your inheritance.
18 (AA)Your holy people have possessed it but a little while;
(AB)Our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary.
19 We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled,
Those who were never called by Your name.
A Prayer for Help
64 Oh, that You would [d]rend the heavens!
That You would come down!
That the mountains might shake at Your (AC)presence—
2 As fire burns brushwood,
As fire causes water to boil—
To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
3 When (AD)You did awesome things for which we did not look,
You came down,
The mountains shook at Your presence.
4 For since the beginning of the world
(AE)Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness,
Who remembers You in Your ways.
You are indeed angry, for we have sinned—
(AF)In these ways we continue;
And we need to be saved.
6 But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all (AG)our righteousnesses are like [e]filthy rags;
We all (AH)fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.
7 And there is no one who calls on Your name,
Who stirs himself up to take hold of You;
For You have hidden Your face from us,
And have [f]consumed us because of our iniquities.
8 But now, O Lord,
You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our (AI)potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand.
9 Do not be furious, O Lord,
Nor remember iniquity forever;
Indeed, please look—we all are Your people!
10 Your holy cities are a wilderness,
Zion is a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful [g]temple,
Where our fathers praised You,
Is burned up with fire;
And all (AJ)our pleasant things [h]are laid waste.
12 (AK)Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O Lord?
(AL)Will You [i]hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely?
The Righteousness of God’s Judgment
65 “I was (AM)sought by those who did not ask for Me;
I was found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’
To a nation that (AN)was not called by My name.
2 (AO)I have stretched out My hands all day long to a (AP)rebellious people,
Who (AQ)walk in a way that is not good,
According to their own thoughts;
3 A people (AR)who provoke Me to anger continually to My face;
(AS)Who sacrifice in gardens,
And burn incense on altars of brick;
4 (AT)Who sit among the graves,
And spend the night in the tombs;
(AU)Who eat swine’s flesh,
And the broth of [j]abominable things is in their vessels;
5 (AV)Who say, ‘Keep to yourself,
Do not come near me,
For I am holier than you!’
These [k]are smoke in My nostrils,
A fire that burns all the day.
6 “Behold, (AW)it is written before Me:
(AX)I will not keep silence, (AY)but will repay—
Even repay into their bosom—
7 Your iniquities and (AZ)the iniquities of your fathers together,”
Says the Lord,
(BA)“Who have burned incense on the mountains
(BB)And blasphemed Me on the hills;
Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.”
8 Thus says the Lord:
“As the new wine is found in the cluster,
And one says, ‘Do not destroy it,
For (BC)a blessing is in it,’
So will I do for My servants’ sake,
That I may not destroy them (BD)all.
9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,
And from Judah an heir of My mountains;
My (BE)elect shall inherit it,
And My servants shall dwell there.
10 (BF)Sharon shall be a fold of flocks,
And (BG)the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,
For My people who have (BH)sought Me.
11 “But you are those who forsake the Lord,
Who forget (BI)My holy mountain,
Who prepare (BJ)a table for [l]Gad,
And who furnish a drink offering for [m]Meni.
12 Therefore I will number you for the sword,
And you shall all bow down to the slaughter;
(BK)Because, when I called, you did not answer;
When I spoke, you did not hear,
But did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.”
13 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
“Behold, My servants shall eat,
But you shall be hungry;
Behold, My servants shall drink,
But you shall be thirsty;
Behold, My servants shall rejoice,
But you shall be ashamed;
14 Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart,
But you shall cry for sorrow of heart,
And (BL)wail for [n]grief of spirit.
15 You shall leave your name (BM)as a curse to (BN)My chosen;
For the Lord God will slay you,
And (BO)call His servants by another name;
16 (BP)So that he who blesses himself in the earth
Shall bless himself in the God of truth;
And (BQ)he who swears in the earth
Shall swear by the God of truth;
Because the former troubles are forgotten,
And because they are hidden from My eyes.
The Glorious New Creation
17 “For behold, I create (BR)new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or [o]come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing,
And her people a joy.
19 (BS)I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
And joy in My people;
The (BT)voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her,
Nor the voice of crying.
20 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days,
Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days;
For the child shall die one hundred years old,
(BU)But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 (BV)They shall build houses and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
They shall not plant and (BW)another eat;
For (BX)as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,
And (BY)My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain,
(BZ)Nor bring forth children for trouble;
For (CA)they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord,
And their offspring with them.
24 “It shall come to pass
That (CB)before they call, I will answer;
And while they are still speaking, I will (CC)hear.
25 The (CD)wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
The lion shall eat straw like the ox,
(CE)And dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,”
Says the Lord.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 63:1 Or adorned
- Isaiah 63:9 Kt., LXX, Syr. not afflicted
- Isaiah 63:11 MT, Vg. shepherds
- Isaiah 64:1 tear open
- Isaiah 64:6 Lit. a filthy garment
- Isaiah 64:7 Lit. caused us to melt
- Isaiah 64:11 Lit. house
- Isaiah 64:11 have become a ruin
- Isaiah 64:12 keep silent
- Isaiah 65:4 Unclean meats, Lev. 7:18; 19:7
- Isaiah 65:5 Cause My wrath to smoke
- Isaiah 65:11 Lit. Troop or Fortune; a pagan deity
- Isaiah 65:11 Lit. Number or Destiny; a pagan deity
- Isaiah 65:14 Or a broken spirit
- Isaiah 65:17 Lit. come upon the heart
Philippians 2
New King James Version
Unity Through Humility
2 Therefore if there is any [a]consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any (A)affection and mercy, 2 (B)fulfill my joy (C)by being like-minded, having the same love, being of (D)one accord, of one mind. 3 (E)Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but (F)in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 (G)Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of (H)others.
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
5 (I)Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, (J)being in the form of God, did not consider it [b]robbery to be equal with God, 7 (K)but [c]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form (L)of a bondservant, and (M)coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and (N)became (O)obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 (P)Therefore God also (Q)has highly exalted Him and (R)given Him the name which is above every name, 10 (S)that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and (T)that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Light Bearers
12 Therefore, my beloved, (U)as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, (V)work out your own salvation with (W)fear and trembling; 13 for (X)it is God who works in you both to will and to do (Y)for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things (Z)without [d]complaining and (AA)disputing,[e] 15 that you may become blameless and [f]harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as (AB)lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that (AC)I may rejoice in the day of Christ that (AD)I have not run in vain or labored in (AE)vain.
17 Yes, and if (AF)I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice (AG)and service of your faith, (AH)I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy Commended
19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send (AI)Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your [g]state. 20 For I have no one (AJ)like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know his proven character, (AK)that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.
Epaphroditus Praised
25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you (AL)Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and (AM)fellow soldier, (AN)but your messenger and (AO)the one who ministered to my need; 26 (AP)since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; 30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, [h]not regarding his life, (AQ)to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.
Footnotes
- Philippians 2:1 Or encouragement
- Philippians 2:6 Or something to be held onto to be equal
- Philippians 2:7 emptied Himself of His privileges
- Philippians 2:14 grumbling
- Philippians 2:14 arguing
- Philippians 2:15 innocent
- Philippians 2:19 condition
- Philippians 2:30 risking
Psalm 73
New King James Version
BOOK THREE
Psalms 73–89
The Tragedy of the Wicked, and the Blessedness of Trust in God
A Psalm of (A)Asaph.
73 Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
My steps had nearly (B)slipped.
3 (C)For I was envious of the boastful,
When I saw the prosperity of the (D)wicked.
4 For there are no [a]pangs in their death,
But their strength is firm.
5 (E)They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace;
Violence covers them (F)like a garment.
7 (G)Their [b]eyes bulge with abundance;
They have more than heart could wish.
8 (H)They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression;
They (I)speak [c]loftily.
9 They set their mouth (J)against the heavens,
And their tongue walks through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return here,
(K)And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
11 And they say, (L)“How does God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the ungodly,
Who are always at ease;
They increase in riches.
13 Surely I have [d]cleansed my heart in (M)vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
16 When I thought how to understand this,
It was [e]too painful for me—
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their (N)end.
18 Surely (O)You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awakes,
So, Lord, when You awake,
You shall despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was [f]vexed in my mind.
22 (P)I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
24 (Q)You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.
25 (R)Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
26 (S)My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the [g]strength of my heart and my (T)portion forever.
27 For indeed, (U)those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who [h]desert You for harlotry.
28 But it is good for me to (V)draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord God,
That I may (W)declare all Your works.
Footnotes
- Psalm 73:4 pains
- Psalm 73:7 Tg. face bulges; LXX, Syr., Vg. iniquity bulges
- Psalm 73:8 Proudly
- Psalm 73:13 kept my heart pure in vain
- Psalm 73:16 troublesome in my eyes
- Psalm 73:21 Lit. pierced in my kidneys
- Psalm 73:26 Lit. rock
- Psalm 73:27 Are unfaithful to You
Proverbs 24:13-14
New King James Version
13 My son, (A)eat honey because it is good,
And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;
14 (B)So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
If you have found it, there is a [a]prospect,
And your hope will not be cut off.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:14 Lit. latter end
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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