Isaiah 8:14-9:7

New International Version

¹⁴He will be a holy place;^(A)
    for both Israel and Judah he will be
a stone^(B) that causes people to stumble^(C)
    and a rock that makes them fall.^(D)
And for the people of Jerusalem he will be
    a trap and a snare.^(E)
¹⁵Many of them will stumble;^(F)
    they will fall and be broken,
    they will be snared and captured.”

¹⁶Bind up this testimony of warning^(G)
and seal^(H) up God’s instruction among my disciples.
¹⁷I will wait^(I) for the Lord,
who is hiding^(J) his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my trust in him.^(K)

¹⁸Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me.^(L) We are signs^(M) and symbols^(N) in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.^(O)

The Darkness Turns to Light

¹⁹When someone tells you to consult^(P) mediums and spiritists,^(Q) who whisper and mutter,^(R) should not a people inquire^(S) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? ²⁰Consult God’s instruction^(T) and the testimony of warning.^(U) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light^(V) of dawn. ²¹Distressed and hungry,^(W) they will roam through the land;^(X) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse^(Y) their king and their God. ²²Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,^(Z) and they will be thrust into utter darkness.^(AA)

9 ^[a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom^(AB) for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,^(AC) but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

²The people walking in darkness^(AD)
    have seen a great light;^(AE)
on those living in the land of deep darkness^(AF)
    a light has dawned.^(AG)
³You have enlarged the nation^(AH)
    and increased their joy;^(AI)
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.^(AJ)
⁴For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,^(AK)
    you have shattered^(AL)
the yoke^(AM) that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,^(AN)
    the rod of their oppressor.^(AO)
⁵Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,^(AP)
    will be fuel for the fire.
⁶For to us a child is born,^(AQ)
    to us a son is given,^(AR)
    and the government^(AS) will be on his shoulders.^(AT)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,^(AU) Mighty God,^(AV)
    Everlasting^(AW) Father,^(AX) Prince of Peace.^(AY)
⁷Of the greatness of his government^(AZ) and peace^(BA)
    there will be no end.^(BB)
He will reign^(BC) on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice^(BD) and righteousness^(BE)
    from that time on and forever.^(BF)
The zeal^(BG) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.