Bible Readings for September 24, 2013

Today our passages are Isaiah 43:14–45:10; Ephesians 3:1-21; Psalm 68:1-18; and Proverbs 24:1-2. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

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Isaiah 43:14-45:10 (Contemporary English Version)

The LORD Will Prepare the Way

 ¹⁴I, the LORD, will rescue you!    I am Israel's holy God,
   and this is my promise:
   For your sake, I will send
   an army against Babylon
   to drag its people away,
   crying as they go. ^{[a] 15}I am the LORD, your holy God,
   Israel's Creator and King.
    ¹⁶I am the one who cut a path
   through the mighty ocean.
    ¹⁷I sent an army to chase you
   with chariots and horses;
   now they lie dead,
   unable to move.
   They are like an oil lamp
   with the flame snuffed out.
   
   

Forget the Past

The LORD said:

 ¹⁸Forget what happened long ago!    Don't think about the past.
    ¹⁹I am creating something new.
   There it is! Do you see it?
   I have put roads in deserts,
   streams ^[b] in thirsty lands. ²⁰Every wild animal honors me,
   even jackals ^[c] and owls. I provide water in deserts--
   streams in thirsty lands
   for my chosen people.
    ²¹I made them my own nation,
   so they would praise me.
    ²²I, the LORD, said to Israel:
   You have become weary,
   but not from worshiping me.
    ²³You have not honored me
   by sacrificing sheep
   or other animals.
   And I have not burdened you
   with demands for sacrifices
   or sweet-smelling incense.
    ²⁴You have not brought
   delicious spices for me
   or given me the best part
   of your sacrificed animals.
   Instead, you burden me down
   with your terrible sins.
    ²⁵But I wipe away your sins
   because of who I am.
   And so, I will forget
   the wrongs you have done.
    ²⁶Meet me in court!
   State your case
   and prove
   that you are right.
    ²⁷Your earliest ancestor ^[d] and all of your leaders ^[e] rebelled against me.
    ²⁸That's why I don't allow
   your priests to serve me;
   I let Israel be destroyed
   and your people disgraced.
   

Isaiah 44

The LORD's Promise to Israel

 ¹People of Israel,    I have chosen you
   as my servant.
    ²I am your Creator.
   You were in my care
   even before you were born.
   Israel, don't be terrified!
   You are my chosen servant,
   my very favorite. ^{[f] 3}I will bless the thirsty land
   by sending streams of water;
   I will bless your descendants
   by giving them my Spirit.
    ⁴They will spring up like grass ^[g] or like willow trees
   near flowing streams.
    ⁵They will worship me
   and become my people.
   They will write my name
   on the back of their hands. ^{[h] 6}I am the LORD All-Powerful,
   the first and the last,
   the one and only God.
   Israel, I have rescued you!
   I am your King.
    ⁷Can anyone compare with me?
   If so, let them speak up
   and tell me now.
   Let them say what has happened
   since I made my nation
   long ago,
   and let them tell
   what is going to happen. ^{[i] 8}Don't tremble with fear!
   Didn't I tell you long ago?
   Didn't you hear me?
   I alone am God--
   no one else is a mighty rock. ^[j]
   

Idols Can't Do a Thing

The LORD said:

 ⁹Those people who make idols    are nothing themselves,
   and the idols they treasure
   are just as worthless.
   Worshipers of idols are blind,
   stupid, and foolish.
    ¹⁰Why make an idol or an image
   that can't do a thing?
    ¹¹Everyone who makes idols
   and all who worship them
   are mere humans,
   who will end up
   sadly disappointed.
   Let them face me in court
   and be terrified.
   

Idols and Firewood

 ¹²A metalworker shapes an idol    by using a hammer ^[k] and heat from the fire.
   In his powerful hand
   he holds a hammer,
   as he pounds the metal
   into the proper shape.
   But he gets hungry and thirsty
   and loses his strength.
    ¹³Some woodcarver measures
   a piece of wood,
   then draws an outline.
   The idol is carefully carved
   with each detail exact.
   At last it looks like a person
   and is placed in a temple.
    ¹⁴Either cedar, cypress, oak,
   or any tree from the forest
   may be chosen.
   Or even a pine tree planted
   by the woodcarver
   and watered by the rain.
    ¹⁵Some of the wood is used
   to make a fire for heating
   or for cooking.
   One piece is made into an idol,
   then the woodcarver bows down
   and worships it.
    ¹⁶He enjoys the warm fire
   and the meat that was roasted
   over the burning coals.
    ¹⁷Afterwards, he bows down
   to worship the wooden idol.
   "Protect me!" he says.
   "You are my god."
    ¹⁸Those who worship idols are stupid and blind! ¹⁹They don't have enough sense to say to themselves, "I made a fire with half of the wood and cooked my bread and meat on it. Then I made something worthless with the other half. Why worship a block of wood?"
    ²⁰How can anyone be stupid enough to trust something that can be burned to ashes? ^[l] No one can save themselves like that. Don't they realize that the idols they hold in their hands are not really gods?

The LORD Won't Forget His People

 ²¹People of Israel,    you are my servant,
   so remember all of this.
   Israel, I created you,
   and you are my servant.
   I won't forget you. ^{[m] 22}Turn back to me!
   I have rescued you
   and swept away your sins
   as though they were clouds.
   

Sing Praises to the LORD

 ²³Tell the heavens and the earth    to start singing!
   Tell the mountains
   and every tree in the forest
   to join in the song!
   The LORD has rescued his people;
   now they will worship him.
   

The LORD Created Everything

 ²⁴Israel, I am your LORD.    I am your source of life,
   and I have rescued you.
   I created everything
   from the sky above
   to the earth below.
    ²⁵I make liars of false prophets
   and fools of fortunetellers.
   I take human wisdom
   and turn it into nonsense.
    ²⁶I will make the message
   of my prophets come true.
   They are saying, "Jerusalem
   will be filled with people,
   and the LORD will rebuild
   the towns of Judah."
    ²⁷I am the one who commands
   the sea and its streams
   to run dry.
    ²⁸I am also the one who says,
   "Cyrus will lead my people
   and obey my orders.
   Jerusalem and the temple
   will be rebuilt."
   

Isaiah 45

Cyrus Obeys the LORD's Commands

 ¹The LORD said to Cyrus, his chosen one:    I have taken hold
   of your right hand
   to help you capture nations
   and remove kings from power.
   City gates will open for you;
   not one will stay closed.
    ²As I lead you,
   I will level mountains ^[n] and break the iron bars
   on bronze gates of cities.
    ³I will give you treasures
   hidden in dark
   and secret places.
   Then you will know that I,
   the LORD God of Israel,
   have called you by name.
    ⁴Cyrus, you don't even know me!
   But I have called you by name
   and highly honored you ^[o] because of Israel,
   my chosen servant.
    ⁵Only I am the LORD!
   There are no other gods.
   I have made you strong,
   though you don't know me.
    ⁶Now everyone from east to west
   will learn that I am the LORD.
   No other gods are real.
    ⁷I create light and darkness,
   happiness and sorrow.
   I, the LORD, do all of this.
    ⁸Tell the heavens
   to send down justice
   like showers of rain.
   Prepare the earth
   for my saving power
   to sprout
   and produce justice
   that I, the LORD, create. ^[p]
   

The LORD's Mighty Power

The LORD said:

 ⁹Israel, you have no right    to argue with your Creator.
   You are merely a clay pot
   shaped by a potter.
   The clay doesn't ask,
   "Why did you make me this way?
   Where are the handles?"
    ¹⁰Children don't have the right
   to demand of their parents,
   "What have you done
   to make us what we are?"
   

Footnotes:

1. Isaiah 43:14 crying as they go: Or "in their glorious ships."
2. Isaiah 43:19 streams: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Dead Sea Scrolls "paths."
3. Isaiah 43:20 jackals: Desert animals related to wolves, but smaller.
4. Isaiah 43:27 earliest ancestor: Jacob, also known as Israel.
5. Isaiah 43:27 leaders: Probably prophets, but perhaps also priests and kings.
6. Isaiah 44:2 my very favorite: Or "Jeshurun."
7. Isaiah 44:4 like grass: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
8. Isaiah 44:5 write. . . hands: To show that they belong to the LORD and to Israel.
9. Isaiah 44:7 Let them say. . . happen: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
10. Isaiah 44:8 mighty rock: See the note at 17.10.
11. Isaiah 44:12 by using a hammer: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
12. Isaiah 44:20 How. . . ashes: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
13. Isaiah 44:21 I won't forget you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
14. Isaiah 45:2 mountains: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text "rising waves."
15. Isaiah 45:4 But. . . you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
16. Isaiah 45:8 Prepare. . . create: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Ephesians 3:1-21 (Contemporary English Version)

Ephesians 3

Paul's Mission to the Gentiles

 ¹Christ Jesus made me his prisoner, so that I could help you Gentiles. ²You have surely heard about God's kindness in choosing me to help you. ³In fact, this letter tells you a little about how God has shown me his mysterious ways. ⁴As you read the letter, you will also find out how well I really do understand the mystery about Christ. ⁵No one knew about this mystery until God's Spirit told it to his holy apostles and prophets. ⁶And the mystery is this: Because of Christ Jesus, the good news has given the Gentiles a share in the promises that God gave to the Jews. God has also let the Gentiles be part of the same body.     ⁷God treated me with kindness. His power worked in me, and it became my job to spread the good news. ⁸I am the least important of all God's people. But God was kind and chose me to tell the Gentiles that because of Christ there are blessings that cannot be measured. ⁹God, who created everything, wanted me to help everyone understand the mysterious plan that had always been hidden in his mind. ¹⁰Then God would use the church to show the powers and authorities in the spiritual world that he has many different kinds of wisdom.
    ¹¹God did this according to his eternal plan. And he was able to do what he had planned because of all that Christ Jesus our Lord had done. ¹²Christ now gives us courage and confidence, so that we can come to God by faith. ¹³That's why you should not be discouraged when I suffer for you. After all, it will bring honor to you.
   

Christ's Love for Us

 ¹⁴I kneel in prayer to the Father. ¹⁵All beings in heaven and on earth receive their life from him. ^{[a] 16}God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers ¹⁷and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love. ¹⁸I pray that you and all of God's people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep. ^{[b] 19}I want you to know all about Christ's love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is. ^20-21I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen.    

Footnotes:

1. Ephesians 3:15 receive their life from him: Or know who they really are because of him.
2. Ephesians 3:18 what is called wide or long or high or deep: This may refer to the heavenly Jerusalem or to God's love or wisdom or to the meaning of the cross.

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Psalm 68:1-18 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 68

(A psalm and a song by David for the music leader.)

God Will Win the Battle

 ¹Do something, God!    Scatter your hateful enemies.
   Make them turn and run.
    ²Scatter them like smoke!
   When you come near,
   make them melt
   like wax in a fire.
    ³But let your people be happy
   and celebrate because of you.
    ⁴Our God, you are the one
   who rides on the clouds,
   and we praise you.
   Your name is the LORD,
   and we celebrate
   as we worship you.
    ⁵Our God, from your sacred home
   you take care of orphans
   and protect widows.
    ⁶You find families
   for those who are lonely.
   You set prisoners free
   and let them prosper, ^[a] but all who rebel will live
   in a scorching desert.
    ⁷You set your people free,
   and you led them
   through the desert.
    ⁸God of Israel,
   the earth trembled,
   and rain poured down.
   You alone are the God
   who rules from Mount Sinai.
    ⁹When your land was thirsty,
   you sent showers
   to refresh it.
    ¹⁰Your people settled there,
   and you were generous
   to everyone in need.
    ¹¹You gave the command,
   and a chorus of women told
   what had happened:
    ¹²"Kings and their armies
   retreated and ran,
   and everything they left
   is now being divided.
    ¹³And for those who stayed back
   to guard the sheep,
   there are metal doves
   with silver-coated wings
   and shiny gold feathers."
    ¹⁴God All-Powerful, you scattered
   the kings
   like snow falling
   on Mount Zalmon. ^{[b] 15}Our LORD and our God,
   Bashan is a mighty mountain
   covered with peaks.
    ¹⁶Why is it jealous of Zion,
   the mountain you chose
   as your home forever?
    ¹⁷When you, LORD God, appeared
   to your people ^[c] at Sinai, you came with thousands
   of mighty chariots.
    ¹⁸When you climbed
   the high mountain,
   you took prisoners with you
   and were given gifts.
   Your enemies didn't want you
   to live there,
   but they gave you gifts.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 68:6 and let them prosper: Or " and give them a song."
2. Psalm 68:14 Mount Zalmon: The location of this mountain is not known.
3. Psalm 68:17 to your people: Or " in all your holiness" or " in your holy place."

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Proverbs 24:1-2 (Contemporary English Version)

Proverbs 24

-19-

 ¹ Don't be jealous of crooks    or want to be their friends.
    ²All they think about
   and talk about
   is violence and cruelty.

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Verse of the Day

“Keep on being brave! It will bring you great rewards. Learn to be patient, so that you will please God and be given what he has promised.” - Hebrews 10:35-36

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

J. Robert Oppenheimer, American theoretical physicist and professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, wrote, “The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true.”