ISAIAH 6:1- 7:25
2 CORINTHIANS 11:16- 33
PSALM 54:1- 7
PROVERBS 23:1- 3
In the year King Uzziah died, I [Isaiah] saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew. 3 In a great chorus they sang, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!" 4 The glorious singing shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, "My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and a member of a sinful race. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD Almighty!" 6 Then one of the seraphim flew over to the altar, and he picked up a burning coal with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven." 8 Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?" And I said, "Lord, I'll go! Send me." 9 And he said, "Yes, go. But tell my people this:`You will hear my words, but you will not understand. You will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning. '10 Harden the hearts of these people. Close their ears, and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn to me for healing." 11 Then I said, "Lord, how long must I do this?" And he replied, "Until their cities are destroyed, with no one left in them. Until their houses are deserted and the whole country is an utter wasteland. 12 Do not stop until the LORD has sent everyone away to distant lands and the entire land of Israel lies deserted. 13 Even if only a tenth-- a remnant-- survive, it will be invaded again and burned. Israel will remain a stump, like a tree that is cut down, but the stump will be a holy seed that will grow again." 7:1 DURING the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, Jerusalem was attacked by King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel, the son of Remaliah. The city withstood the attack, however, and was not taken. 2 The news had come to the royal court:"Aram is allied with Israel against us!" So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, just as trees shake in a storm. 3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out to meet King Ahaz, you and your son Shear- jashub. You will find the king at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is bleached. 4 Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn't need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned- out embers, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah. 5" Yes, the kings of Aram and Israel are coming against you. They are saying, 6 `We will invade Judah and throw its people into panic. Then we will fight our way into Jerusalem and install the son of Tabeel as Judah's king.' 7 "But this is what the Sovereign LORD says:This invasion will never happen, 8 because Aram is no stronger than its capital, Damascus. And Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin. As for Israel, within sixty- five years it will be crushed and completely destroyed. 9 Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria. And Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah. You do not believe me? If you want me to protect you, learn to believe what I say." 10 Not long after this, the LORD sent this message to King Ahaz:11 "Ask me for a sign, Ahaz, to prove that I will crush your enemies as I have promised. Ask for anything you like, and make it as difficult as you want." 12 But the king refused. "No," he said, "I wouldn't test the LORD like that." 13 Then Isaiah said, "Listen well, you royal family of David! You aren't satisfied to exhaust my patience. You exhaust the patience of God as well! 14 All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel-- `God is with us. '15 By the time this child is old enough to eat curds and honey, he will know enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong. 16 But before he knows right from wrong, the two kings you fear so much-- the kings of Israel and Aram-- will both be dead. 17" The LORD will bring a terrible curse on you, your nation, and your family. You will soon experience greater terror than has been known in all the years since Solomon's empire was divided into Israel and Judah. The mighty king of Assyria will come with his great army! "18 In that day the LORD will whistle for the army of Upper Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies. Like bees, they will sting and kill. 19 They will come in vast hordes, spreading across the whole land. They will settle in the fertile areas and also in the desolate valleys, caves, and thorny places. 20 In that day the Lord will take this" razor "-- these Assyrians you have hired to protect you-- and use it to shave off everything:your land, your crops, and your people. 21 When they finally stop plundering, a farmer will be fortunate to have a cow and two sheep left. 22 The few people still left in the land will live on curds and wild honey because that is all the land will produce. 23 In that day the lush vineyards, now worth as much as a thousand pieces of silver, will become patches of briers and thorns. 24 The entire land will be one vast brier patch, a hunting ground overrun by wildlife. 25 No one will go to the fertile hillsides where the gardens once grew, for briers and thorns will cover them. Cattle, sheep, and goats will graze there.
Once again, don't think that I [Paul] have lost my wits to talk like this. But even if you [Corinthians] do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little. 17 Such bragging is not something the Lord wants, but I am acting like a fool. 18 And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too. 19 After all, you, who think you are so wise, enjoy listening to fools! 20 You put up with it when they make you their slaves, take everything you have, take advantage of you, put on airs, and slap you in the face. 21 I'm ashamed to say that we were not strong enough to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about-- I'm talking like a fool again-- I can boast about it, too. 22 They say they are Hebrews, do they? So am I. And they say they are Israelites? So am I. And they are descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 They say they serve Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jews gave me thirty- nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not. 27 I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of how the churches are getting along. 29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? 30 If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. 31 God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows I tell the truth. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me. 33 But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall, and that's how I got away!
For the choir director:A meditation of David, regarding the time the Ziphites came and said to Saul," We know where David is hiding. "To be accompanied by stringed instruments.
1 Come with great power, O God, and rescue me!
Defend me with your might.
2 O God, listen to my prayer.
Pay attention to my plea.
3 For strangers are attacking me;
violent men are trying to kill me.
They care nothing for God.
Interlude4 But God is my helper.
The Lord is the one who keeps me alive!
5 May my enemies' plans for evil be turned against them.
Do as you promised and put an end to them.
6 I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you;
I will praise your name, O LORD,
for it is good.
7 For you will rescue me from my troubles
and help me to triumph over my enemies.
When dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you. If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat, and don't desire all the delicacies-- deception may be involved
2 CORINTHIANS 11:16- 33
PSALM 54:1- 7
PROVERBS 23:1- 3
In the year King Uzziah died, I [Isaiah] saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew. 3 In a great chorus they sang, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!" 4 The glorious singing shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, "My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and a member of a sinful race. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD Almighty!" 6 Then one of the seraphim flew over to the altar, and he picked up a burning coal with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven." 8 Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?" And I said, "Lord, I'll go! Send me." 9 And he said, "Yes, go. But tell my people this:`You will hear my words, but you will not understand. You will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning. '10 Harden the hearts of these people. Close their ears, and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn to me for healing." 11 Then I said, "Lord, how long must I do this?" And he replied, "Until their cities are destroyed, with no one left in them. Until their houses are deserted and the whole country is an utter wasteland. 12 Do not stop until the LORD has sent everyone away to distant lands and the entire land of Israel lies deserted. 13 Even if only a tenth-- a remnant-- survive, it will be invaded again and burned. Israel will remain a stump, like a tree that is cut down, but the stump will be a holy seed that will grow again." 7:1 DURING the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, Jerusalem was attacked by King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel, the son of Remaliah. The city withstood the attack, however, and was not taken. 2 The news had come to the royal court:"Aram is allied with Israel against us!" So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, just as trees shake in a storm. 3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out to meet King Ahaz, you and your son Shear- jashub. You will find the king at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is bleached. 4 Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn't need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned- out embers, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah. 5" Yes, the kings of Aram and Israel are coming against you. They are saying, 6 `We will invade Judah and throw its people into panic. Then we will fight our way into Jerusalem and install the son of Tabeel as Judah's king.' 7 "But this is what the Sovereign LORD says:This invasion will never happen, 8 because Aram is no stronger than its capital, Damascus. And Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin. As for Israel, within sixty- five years it will be crushed and completely destroyed. 9 Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria. And Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah. You do not believe me? If you want me to protect you, learn to believe what I say." 10 Not long after this, the LORD sent this message to King Ahaz:11 "Ask me for a sign, Ahaz, to prove that I will crush your enemies as I have promised. Ask for anything you like, and make it as difficult as you want." 12 But the king refused. "No," he said, "I wouldn't test the LORD like that." 13 Then Isaiah said, "Listen well, you royal family of David! You aren't satisfied to exhaust my patience. You exhaust the patience of God as well! 14 All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel-- `God is with us. '15 By the time this child is old enough to eat curds and honey, he will know enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong. 16 But before he knows right from wrong, the two kings you fear so much-- the kings of Israel and Aram-- will both be dead. 17" The LORD will bring a terrible curse on you, your nation, and your family. You will soon experience greater terror than has been known in all the years since Solomon's empire was divided into Israel and Judah. The mighty king of Assyria will come with his great army! "18 In that day the LORD will whistle for the army of Upper Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies. Like bees, they will sting and kill. 19 They will come in vast hordes, spreading across the whole land. They will settle in the fertile areas and also in the desolate valleys, caves, and thorny places. 20 In that day the Lord will take this" razor "-- these Assyrians you have hired to protect you-- and use it to shave off everything:your land, your crops, and your people. 21 When they finally stop plundering, a farmer will be fortunate to have a cow and two sheep left. 22 The few people still left in the land will live on curds and wild honey because that is all the land will produce. 23 In that day the lush vineyards, now worth as much as a thousand pieces of silver, will become patches of briers and thorns. 24 The entire land will be one vast brier patch, a hunting ground overrun by wildlife. 25 No one will go to the fertile hillsides where the gardens once grew, for briers and thorns will cover them. Cattle, sheep, and goats will graze there.
Once again, don't think that I [Paul] have lost my wits to talk like this. But even if you [Corinthians] do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little. 17 Such bragging is not something the Lord wants, but I am acting like a fool. 18 And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too. 19 After all, you, who think you are so wise, enjoy listening to fools! 20 You put up with it when they make you their slaves, take everything you have, take advantage of you, put on airs, and slap you in the face. 21 I'm ashamed to say that we were not strong enough to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about-- I'm talking like a fool again-- I can boast about it, too. 22 They say they are Hebrews, do they? So am I. And they say they are Israelites? So am I. And they are descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 They say they serve Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jews gave me thirty- nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not. 27 I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of how the churches are getting along. 29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? 30 If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. 31 God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows I tell the truth. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me. 33 But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall, and that's how I got away!
For the choir director:A meditation of David, regarding the time the Ziphites came and said to Saul," We know where David is hiding. "To be accompanied by stringed instruments.
1 Come with great power, O God, and rescue me!
Defend me with your might.
2 O God, listen to my prayer.
Pay attention to my plea.
3 For strangers are attacking me;
violent men are trying to kill me.
They care nothing for God.
Interlude4 But God is my helper.
The Lord is the one who keeps me alive!
5 May my enemies' plans for evil be turned against them.
Do as you promised and put an end to them.
6 I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you;
I will praise your name, O LORD,
for it is good.
7 For you will rescue me from my troubles
and help me to triumph over my enemies.
When dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you. If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat, and don't desire all the delicacies-- deception may be involved
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