Philippians 4
Contemporary English Version
4 Dear friends, I love you and long to see you. Please keep on being faithful to the Lord. You are my pride and joy.
Paul Encourages the Lord's Followers
2 Euodia and Syntyche, you belong to the Lord, so I beg you to stop arguing with each other. 3 And, my true partner,[a] I ask you to help them. These women have worked together with me and with Clement and with the others in spreading the good news. Their names are now written in the book of life.[b]
4 Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad. 5 Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here. 6 Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.
8 Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. 9 You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.
Paul Gives Thanks for the Gifts He Was Given
10 The Lord has made me very grateful that at last you have thought about me once again. Actually, you were thinking about me all along, but you didn't have any chance to show it. 11 I am not complaining about having too little. I have learned to be satisfied with[c] whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too much or too little. 13 Christ gives me the strength to face anything.
14 It was good of you to help me when I was having such a hard time. 15 (A) My friends at Philippi, you remember what it was like when I started preaching the good news in Macedonia.[d] After I left there, you were the only church that became my partner by giving blessings and by receiving them in return. 16 (B) Even when I was in Thessalonica, you helped me more than once. 17 I am not trying to get something from you, but I want you to receive the blessings that come from giving.
18 (C) I have been paid back everything, and with interest. I am completely satisfied with the gifts you sent with Epaphroditus. They are like a sweet-smelling offering or like the right kind of sacrifice that pleases God. 19 I pray that God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus! 20 May God our Father be praised forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
21 Give my greetings to all who are God's people because of Christ Jesus.
The Lord's followers here with me send you their greetings.
22 All of God's people send their greetings, especially those in the service of the Emperor.
23 I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless your life!
Ezekiel 24
Contemporary English Version
A Cooking Pot
24 Nine years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the Lord spoke to me on the tenth day of the tenth month.[a] He said:
2 (A) Ezekiel, son of man, write down today's date, because the king of Babylonia has just begun attacking the city of Jerusalem. 3 Then tell my rebellious people:
“Pour water in a cooking pot
and set it over a fire.
* 4 Throw[b] in the legs and shoulders
of your finest sheep
and put in the juicy bones.
5 Pile wood[c] underneath the pot,
and let the meat and bones
boil until they are done.”
6 These words mean that Jerusalem is doomed! The city is filled with murderers and is like an old, rusty pot. The meat is taken out piece by piece, and no one cares what happens to it.[d] 7 The people of Jerusalem murdered innocent people in the city and didn't even try to cover up the blood that flowed out on the hard ground. 8 But I have seen that blood, and it cries out for me to take revenge.
9 I, the Lord God, will punish that city of violence! I will make a huge pile of firewood, 10 so bring more wood and light it. Cook the meat and boil away the broth[e] to let the bones scorch. 11 Then set the empty pot over the hot coals until it is red-hot. That will clean the pot and burn off the rust. 12 I've tried everything else. Now the rust must be burned away.[f]
13 Jerusalem is so full of sin and evil that I can't get it clean, even though I have tried. It will stay filthy until I let loose my fierce anger against it. 14 That time will certainly come! And when it does, I won't show the people of Jerusalem any pity or change my mind. They must be punished for the evil they have done. I, the Lord God, have spoken.
Ezekiel's Wife Dies
15 The Lord said, 16 “Ezekiel, son of man, I will suddenly take the life of the person you love most. But I don't want you to complain or cry. 17 Mourn in silence and don't show that you are grieving. Don't remove your turban or take off your sandals; don't cover your face to show your sorrow, or eat the food that mourners eat.”[g]
18 One morning, I was talking with the people as usual, and by sunset my wife was dead. The next day I did what the Lord had told me, 19 and when people saw me, they asked, “Why aren't you mourning for your wife?”
20 I answered:
The Lord God says 21 he is ready to destroy the temple in which you take such pride and which makes you feel so safe. Your children who now live in Jerusalem will be killed. 22 Then you will do the same things I have done. You will leave your face uncovered and refuse to eat the food that mourners usually eat. 23 You won't take off your turbans and your sandals.[h] You won't cry or mourn, but all day long you will go around groaning because of your sins.
24 I am a warning sign—everything I have done, you will also do. And then you will know the Lord God has made these things happen.
25 The Lord said, “Ezekiel, I will soon destroy the temple that makes everyone feel proud and safe, and I will take away their children as well. 26 On that same day, someone will escape from the city and come to tell you what has happened. 27 Then you will be able to speak again,[i] and the two of you will talk. You will be a warning sign to the people, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
Footnotes
- 24.1 Nine years … tenth month: Probably January of 588 b.c.
- 24.4 Throw: When an asterisk (*) occurs before a verse number, it indicates that this verse and the following have been combined.
- 24.5 Pile wood: Or “Stack the bones.”
- 24.6 and no one cares what happens to it: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 24.10 boil away the broth: One ancient translation; Hebrew “mix the spices.”
- 24.12 away: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 12.
- 24.17 Don't remove your turban … take off your sandals … cover your face … eat the food that mourners eat: The usual way people mourned was to remove anything worn on the head, to go barefoot, to cover their faces, and to eat special food to show they were grieving.
- 24.22,23 You will leave your face uncovered … refuse to eat the food … won't take off your turbans and your sandals: See the note at 24.17.
- 24.27 you will be able to speak again: See 3.25-27; 33.21,22.
Isaiah 52
Contemporary English Version
Jerusalem Can Celebrate
52 (A) Jerusalem, wake up!
Stand up and be strong.
Holy city of Zion,
dress in your best clothes.
Those foreigners who ruined
your sacred city
won't bother you again.
2 Zion, rise from the dirt!
Free yourself from the rope
around your neck.
Suffering Will End
3 The Lord says:
My people, you were sold,
but not for money;
now you will be set free,
but not for a payment.
4 Long ago you went to Egypt
where you lived
as foreigners.
Then Assyria was cruel to you,
5 (B) and now another nation[a]
has taken you prisoner
for no reason at all.
Your leaders groan with pain,[b]
and day after day
my own name is cursed.
6 My people, you will learn
who I am and who is speaking
because I am here.
A Message of Hope for Jerusalem
7 (C) What a beautiful sight!
On the mountains a messenger
announces to Jerusalem,
“Good news! You're saved.
There will be peace.
Your God is now King.”
8 Everyone on guard duty,
sing and celebrate!
Look! You can see the Lord
returning to Zion.
9 Jerusalem, rise from the ruins!
Join in the singing.
The Lord has given comfort
to his people;
he comes to your rescue.
10 The Lord has shown all nations
his mighty strength;
now everyone will see
the saving power of our God.
A Command To Leave Babylon
11 (D) Leave the city of Babylon!
Don't touch anything filthy.
Wash yourselves. Be ready
to carry back everything sacred
that belongs to the Lord.
12 You won't need to run.
No one is chasing you.
The Lord God of Israel
will lead and protect you
from enemy attacks.
The Suffering Servant
13 The Lord says:
My servant will succeed!
He will be given great praise
and the highest honors.
14 Many were horrified
at what happened to him.[c]
But everyone who saw him
was even more horrified
because he suffered until
he no longer looked human.[d]
15 (E) My servant will make
nations worthy to worship me;[e]
kings will be silent
as they bow in wonder.[f]
They will see and think about
things they have never seen
or thought about before.
Footnotes
- 52.5 another nation: Babylonia.
- 52.5 groan with pain: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 52.14 him: One ancient translation; Hebrew “you.”
- 52.14 human: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 14.
- 52.15 My … me: Hebrew; one ancient translation “The nations will be amazed at him.”
- 52.15 kings … wonder: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
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