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Isaiah 41:17-43:13 (Contemporary English Version)
The LORD Helps the Poor
17When the poor and needy
are dying of thirst
and cannot find water,
I, the LORD God of Israel,
will come to their rescue.
I won't forget them.
18I will make rivers flow
on mountain peaks.
I will send streams
to fill the valleys.
Dry and barren land
will flow with springs
and become a lake.
19I will fill the desert
with all kinds of trees--
cedars, acacias, and myrtles;
olive and cypress trees;
fir trees and pines.
20Everyone will see this
and know that I,
the holy LORD God of Israel,
created it all.
Idols Are Useless
21I am the LORD,
the King of Israel!
Come argue your case with me.
Present your evidence.
22Come near me, you idols. [a]
Tell us about the past,
and we will think about it.
Tell us about the future,
so we will know
what is going to happen.
23Prove that you are gods
by making your predictions
come true.
Do something good or evil,
so we can be amazed
and terrified. [b]
24You idols are nothing,
and you are powerless. [c]
To worship you
would be disgusting.
25I, the LORD, appointed a ruler
in the north;
now he comes from the east
to honor my name.
He tramples [d]
kings like mud, as potters trample clay. [e]
26Did any of you idols predict
what would happen?
Did any of you get it right?
None of you told about this
or even spoke a word.
27I was the first to tell
the people of Jerusalem,
"Look, it's happening!" [f]
I was the one who announced
this good news to Zion.
28None of these idols
are able to give advice
or answer questions.
29They are nothing, [g]
and they can do nothing--
they are less
than a passing breeze.
Isaiah 42
The LORD's Servant
1Here is my servant!
I have made him strong.
He is my chosen one;
I am pleased with him.
I have given him my Spirit,
and he will bring justice
to the nations.
2He won't shout or yell
or call out in the streets.
3He won't break off a bent reed
or put out a dying flame,
but he will make sure
that justice is done.
4He won't quit or give up
until he brings justice
everywhere on earth,
and people in foreign nations
long for his teaching.
5I am the LORD God.
I created the heavens
like an open tent above.
I made the earth and everything
that grows on it.
I am the source of life
for all who live on this earth,
so listen to what I say.
6I chose you to bring justice,
and I am here at your side.
I selected and sent you [h] to bring light
and my promise of hope
to the nations.
7You will give sight
to the blind;
you will set prisoners free
from dark dungeons.
8My name is the LORD!
I won't let idols or humans
share my glory and praise.
9Everything has happened
just as I said it would;
now I will announce
what will happen next.
Sing Praises to the LORD
10Tell the whole world to sing
a new song to the LORD!
Tell those who sail the ocean
and those who live far away
to join in the praise.
11Tell the tribes of the desert
and everyone in the mountains [i]
to celebrate and sing.
12Let them announce
his praises everywhere.
13The LORD is marching out
like an angry soldier,
shouting with all his might
while attacking his enemies.
The LORD Will Help His People
14For a long time, I, the LORD,
have held my temper;
now I will scream and groan
like a woman giving birth.
15I will destroy the mountains
and what grows on them;
I will dry up rivers and ponds.
16I will lead the blind on roads
they have never known;
I will guide them on paths
they have never traveled.
Their road is dark and rough,
but I will give light
to keep them from stumbling.
This is my solemn promise.
17Everyone who worships idols
as though they were gods
will be terribly ashamed.
God's People Won't Obey
18You people are deaf and blind,
but the LORD commands you
to listen and to see.
19No one is as blind or deaf
as his messenger,
his chosen servant,
20who sees and hears so much,
but pays no attention.
21The LORD always does right,
and so he wanted his Law
to be greatly praised. [j]
22But his people were trapped
and imprisoned in holes
with no one to rescue them.
All they owned had been taken,
and no one was willing
to give it back.
23Why won't his people
ever learn to listen?
24Israel sinned and refused
to obey the LORD
or follow his instructions.
So the LORD let them be robbed
of everything they owned.
25He was furious with them
and punished their nation
with the fires of war.
Still they paid no attention.
They didn't even care
when they were surrounded
and scorched by flames.
Isaiah 43
The LORD Has Rescued His People
1Descendants of Jacob,
I, the LORD, created you
and formed your nation.
Israel, don't be afraid.
I have rescued you.
I have called you by name;
now you belong to me.
2When you cross deep rivers,
I will be with you,
and you won't drown.
When you walk through fire,
you won't be burned
or scorched by the flames.
3I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
the God who saves you.
I gave up Egypt, Ethiopia, [k]
and the region of Seba [l]
in exchange for you.
4To me, you are very dear,
and I love you.
That's why I gave up nations
and people to rescue you.
5Don't be afraid! I am with you.
From both east and west
I will bring you together.
6I will say to the north
and to the south,
"Free my sons and daughters!
Let them return
from distant lands.
7They are my people--
I created each of them
to bring honor to me."
The LORD Alone Is God
The LORD said:
8Bring my people together.
They have eyes and ears,
but they can't see or hear.
9Tell everyone of every nation
to gather around.
None of them can honestly say,
"We told you so!"
If someone heard them say this,
then tell us about it now.
10My people, you are my witnesses
and my chosen servant.
I want you to know me,
to trust me,
and understand
that I alone am God.
I have always been God;
there can be no others.
11I alone am the LORD;
only I can rescue you.
12I promised to save you,
and I kept my promise.
You are my witnesses
that no other god did this.
I, the LORD, have spoken.
13I am God now and forever.
No one can snatch you from me
or stand in my way.
Footnotes:
Isaiah 41:22 Come near. . . idols: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Isaiah 41:23 and terrified: Or "when we see it."
Isaiah 41:24 powerless: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Isaiah 41:25 tramples: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Isaiah 41:25 trample clay: This was done to soften the clay and make it easier to shape.
Isaiah 41:27 Look. . . happening: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Isaiah 41:29 nothing: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Isaiah 42:6 I selected. . . you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Isaiah 42:11 desert. . . mountains: The Hebrew text includes the place names of Kedar in the desert and Sela in the mountains.
Isaiah 42:21 greatly praised: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 21.
Isaiah 43:3 Ethiopia: See the note at 11.11.
Isaiah 43:3 Seba: A region in southwest Arabia. Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba probably stood for all that was known of Africa in biblical times.
Ephesians 2:1-22 (Contemporary English Version)
Ephesians 2
From Death to Life
1In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. 2You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn't obey God. 3Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else.
4-5But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God's wonderful kindness is what saves you. 6God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. 7God did this so that in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done. 8You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. [a] This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. 9It isn't something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about. 10God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. That's why he sent Christ to make us what we are.
United by Christ
11Don't forget that you are Gentiles. In fact, you used to be called "uncircumcised" by those who take pride in being circumcised. 12At that time you did not know about Christ. You were foreigners to the people of Israel, and you had no part in the promises that God had made to them. You were living in this world without hope and without God, 13and you were far from God. But Christ offered his life's blood as a sacrifice and brought you near God.
14Christ has made peace between Jews and Gentiles, and he has united us by breaking down the wall of hatred that separated us. Christ gave his own body 15to destroy the Law of Moses with all its rules and commands. He even brought Jews and Gentiles together as though we were only one person, when he united us in peace. 16On the cross Christ did away with our hatred for each other. He also made peace [b] between us and God by uniting Jews and Gentiles in one body. 17Christ came and preached peace to you Gentiles, who were far from God, and peace to us Jews, who were near God. 18And because of Christ, all of us can come to the Father by the same Spirit. 19You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family of God. 20You are like a building with the apostles and prophets as the foundation and with Christ as the most important stone. 21Christ is the one who holds the building together and makes it grow into a holy temple for the Lord. 22And you are part of that building Christ has built as a place for God's own Spirit to live.
Footnotes:
Ephesians 2:8 treats us much better than we deserve: The Greek word charis, traditionally rendered grace, is translated here and other places in the CEV to express the overwhelming kindness of God.
Ephesians 2:16 He also made peace: Or The cross also made peace.
Psalm 67:1-7 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 67
(A psalm and a song for the music leader. Use with stringed instruments.)
Tell the Nations To Praise God
1Our God, be kind and bless us!
Be pleased and smile.
2Then everyone on earth
will learn to follow you,
and all nations will see
your power to save us.
3Make everyone praise you
and shout your praises.
4Let the nations celebrate
with joyful songs,
because you judge fairly
and guide all nations.
5Make everyone praise you
and shout your praises.
6Our God has blessed the earth
with a wonderful harvest!
7Pray for his blessings
to continue
and for everyone on earth
to worship our God.
Proverbs 23:29-35 (Contemporary English Version)
-18-
29 Who is always in trouble?
Who argues and fights?
Who has cuts and bruises?
Whose eyes are red?
30Everyone who stays up late,
having just one more drink.
31Don't even look
at that colorful stuff
bubbling up in the glass!
It goes down so easily,
32but later it bites
like a poisonous snake.
33You will see weird things,
and your mind
will play tricks on you.
34You will feel tossed about
like someone trying to sleep
on a ship in a storm.
35You will be bruised all over,
without even remembering
how it all happened.
And you will lie awake asking,
"When will morning come,
so I can drink some more?"
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