ISAIAH 3:1- 5:30
2 CORINTHIANS 11:1- 15
PSALM 53:1- 6
PROVERBS 22:28- 29
The Lord, the LORD Almighty, will cut off the supplies of food and water from Jerusalem and Judah. 2 He will destroy all the nation's leaders-- the heroes, soldiers, judges, prophets, diviners, elders, 3 army officers, honorable citizens, advisers, skilled magicians, and expert enchanters. 4 Then he will appoint children to rule over them, and anarchy will prevail. 5 People will take advantage of each other-- man against man, neighbor fighting neighbor. Young people will revolt against authority, and nobodies will sneer at honorable people. 6 In those days a man will say to his brother, "Since you have a cloak, you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of ruins!" 7 "No!" he will reply. "I can't help. I don't have any extra food or clothes. Don't ask me to get involved!" 8 Judah and Jerusalem will lie in ruins because they speak out against the LORD and refuse to obey him. They have offended his glorious presence among them. 9 The very look on their faces gives them away and displays their guilt. They sin openly like the people of Sodom. They are not one bit ashamed. How terrible it will be for them! They have brought about their own destruction. 10 But all will be well for those who are godly. Tell them, "You will receive a wonderful reward!" 11 But say to the wicked, "Your destruction is sure. You, too, will get what you deserve. Your well- earned punishment is on the way." 12 Children oppress my people, and women rule over them. O my people, can't you see what fools your rulers are? They are leading you down a pretty garden path to destruction. 13 The LORD takes his place in court. He is the great prosecuting attorney, presenting his case against his people! 14 The leaders and the princes will be the first to feel the LORD's judgment. "You have ruined Israel, which is my vineyard. You have taken advantage of the poor, filling your barns with grain extorted from helpless people. 15 How dare you grind my people into the dust like that!" demands the Lord, the LORD Almighty. 16 Next the LORD will judge the women of Jerusalem, who walk around with their noses in the air, with tinkling ornaments on their ankles. Their eyes rove among the crowds, flirting with the men. 17 The Lord will send a plague of scabs to ornament their heads. Yes, the LORD will make them bald for all to see! 18 The Lord will strip away their artful beauty-- their ornaments, headbands, and crescent necklaces; 19 their earrings, bracelets, and veils of shimmering gauze. 20 Gone will be their scarves, ankle chains, sashes, perfumes, and charms; 21 their rings, jewels, 22 party clothes, gowns, capes, and purses; 23 their mirrors, linen garments, head ornaments, and shawls. 24 Instead of smelling of sweet perfume, they will stink. They will wear ropes for sashes, and their well- set hair will fall out. They will wear rough sackcloth instead of rich robes. Their beauty will be gone. Only shame will be left to them. 25 The men of the city will die in battle. 26 The gates of Jerusalem will weep and mourn. The city will be like a ravaged woman, huddled on the ground. 4:1 IN that day few men will be left alive. Seven women will fight over each of them and say, "Let us all marry you! We will provide our own food and clothing. Only let us be called by your name so we won't be mocked as old maids." 2 But in the future, Israel-- the branch of the LORD-- will be lush and beautiful, and the fruit of the land will be the pride of its people. 3 All those whose names are written down, who have survived the destruction of Jerusalem, will be a holy people. 4 The Lord will wash the moral filth from the women of Jerusalem. He will cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains by a spirit of judgment that burns like fire. 5 Then the LORD will provide shade for Jerusalem and all who assemble there. There will be a canopy of smoke and cloud throughout the day and clouds of fire at night, covering the glorious land. 6 It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain. 5:1 NOW I will sing a song for the one I love about his vineyard:My beloved has a vineyard
on a rich and fertile hill.
2 He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
and planted it with choice vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
but the grapes that grew were wild and sour.
3 "Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
you have heard the case; you be the judges.
4 What more could I have done
to cultivate a rich harvest?
Why did my vineyard give me wild grapes
when I expected sweet ones?
5 Now this is what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will tear down its fences
and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls
and let the animals trample it.
6 I will make it a wild place.
I will not prune the vines or hoe the ground.
I will let it be overgrown with briers and thorns.
I will command the clouds
to drop no more rain on it."
7 This is the story of the LORD's people.
They are the vineyard of the LORD Almighty.
Israel and Judah are his pleasant garden.
He expected them to yield a crop of justice,
but instead he found bloodshed.
He expected to find righteousness,
but instead he heard cries of oppression.
8 Destruction is certain for you who buy up property so others have no place to live. Your homes are built on great estates so you can be alone in the land. 9 But the LORD Almighty has sealed your awful fate. With my own ears I heard him say, "Many beautiful homes will stand deserted, the owners dead or gone. 10 Ten acres of vineyard will not produce even six gallons of wine. Ten measures of seed will yield only one measure of grain." 11 Destruction is certain for you who get up early to begin long drinking bouts that last late into the night. 12 You furnish lovely music and wine at your grand parties; the harps, lyres, tambourines, and flutes are superb! But you never think about the LORD or notice what he is doing. 13 So I will send my people into exile far away because they do not know me. The great and honored among them will starve, and the common people will die of thirst. 14 The grave is licking its chops in anticipation of Jerusalem, this delicious morsel. Her great and lowly will be swallowed up, with all her drunken crowds. 15 In that day the arrogant will be brought down to the dust; the proud will be humbled. 16 But the LORD Almighty is exalted by his justice. The holiness of God is displayed by his righteousness. 17 In those days flocks will feed among the ruins; lambs and kids will pasture there. 18 Destruction is certain for those who drag their sins behind them, tied with cords of falsehood. 19 They even mock the Holy One of Israel and say, "Hurry up and do something! Quick, show us what you can do. We want to see what you have planned." 20 Destruction is certain for those who say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark; that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. 21 Destruction is certain for those who think they are wise and consider themselves to be clever. 22 Destruction is certain for those who are heroes when it comes to drinking, who boast about all the liquor they can hold. 23 They take bribes to pervert justice. They let the wicked go free while punishing the innocent. 24 Therefore, they will all disappear like burning straw. Their roots will rot and their flowers wither, for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty. They have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 That is why the anger of the LORD burns against his people. That is why he has raised his fist to crush them. The hills tremble, and the rotting bodies of his people are thrown as garbage into the streets. But even then the LORD's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike! 26 He will send a signal to the nations far away. He will whistle to those at the ends of the earth, and they will come racing toward Jerusalem. 27 They will not get tired or stumble. They will run without stopping for rest or sleep. Not a belt will be loose, not a sandal thong broken. 28 Their arrows will be sharp and their bows ready for battle. Sparks will fly from their horses 'hooves as the wheels of their chariots spin like the wind. 29 Roaring like lions, they will pounce on their prey. They will seize my people and carry them off into captivity, and no one will be there to rescue them. 30 The enemy nations will growl over their victims like the roaring of the sea. A cloud of darkness and sorrow will hover over Israel. The clouds will blot out the light.
I [Paul] hope you [Corinthians] will be patient with me as I keep on talking like a fool. Please bear with me. 2 I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. For I promised you as a pure bride to one husband, Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to Christ, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent. 4 You seem to believe whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach about a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 5 But I don't think I am inferior to these "super apostles." 6 I may not be a trained speaker, but I know what I am talking about. I think you realize this by now, for we have proved it again and again. 7 Did I do wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God's Good News to you without expecting anything in return? 8 I "robbed" other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost. 9 And when I was with you and didn't have enough to live on, I did not ask you to help me. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me another gift. I have never yet asked you for any support, and I never will. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, I will never stop boasting about this all over Greece. 11 Why? Because I don't love you? God knows I do. 12 But I will continue doing this to cut the ground out from under the feet of those who boast that their work is just like ours. 13 These people are false apostles. They have fooled you by disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers. In the end they will get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
For the choir director:A meditation of David.
1 Only fools say in their hearts,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
no one does good!
2 God looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if there is even one with real understanding,
one who seeks for God.
3 But no, all have turned away from God;
all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
not even one!
4 Will those who do evil never learn?
They eat up my people like bread;
they wouldn't think of praying to God.
5 But then terror will grip them,
terror like they have never known before.
God will scatter the bones of your enemies.
You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them.
6 Oh, that salvation would come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel!
For when God restores his people,
Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.
Do not steal your neighbor's property by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by your ancestors. Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than ordinary people
2 CORINTHIANS 11:1- 15
PSALM 53:1- 6
PROVERBS 22:28- 29
The Lord, the LORD Almighty, will cut off the supplies of food and water from Jerusalem and Judah. 2 He will destroy all the nation's leaders-- the heroes, soldiers, judges, prophets, diviners, elders, 3 army officers, honorable citizens, advisers, skilled magicians, and expert enchanters. 4 Then he will appoint children to rule over them, and anarchy will prevail. 5 People will take advantage of each other-- man against man, neighbor fighting neighbor. Young people will revolt against authority, and nobodies will sneer at honorable people. 6 In those days a man will say to his brother, "Since you have a cloak, you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of ruins!" 7 "No!" he will reply. "I can't help. I don't have any extra food or clothes. Don't ask me to get involved!" 8 Judah and Jerusalem will lie in ruins because they speak out against the LORD and refuse to obey him. They have offended his glorious presence among them. 9 The very look on their faces gives them away and displays their guilt. They sin openly like the people of Sodom. They are not one bit ashamed. How terrible it will be for them! They have brought about their own destruction. 10 But all will be well for those who are godly. Tell them, "You will receive a wonderful reward!" 11 But say to the wicked, "Your destruction is sure. You, too, will get what you deserve. Your well- earned punishment is on the way." 12 Children oppress my people, and women rule over them. O my people, can't you see what fools your rulers are? They are leading you down a pretty garden path to destruction. 13 The LORD takes his place in court. He is the great prosecuting attorney, presenting his case against his people! 14 The leaders and the princes will be the first to feel the LORD's judgment. "You have ruined Israel, which is my vineyard. You have taken advantage of the poor, filling your barns with grain extorted from helpless people. 15 How dare you grind my people into the dust like that!" demands the Lord, the LORD Almighty. 16 Next the LORD will judge the women of Jerusalem, who walk around with their noses in the air, with tinkling ornaments on their ankles. Their eyes rove among the crowds, flirting with the men. 17 The Lord will send a plague of scabs to ornament their heads. Yes, the LORD will make them bald for all to see! 18 The Lord will strip away their artful beauty-- their ornaments, headbands, and crescent necklaces; 19 their earrings, bracelets, and veils of shimmering gauze. 20 Gone will be their scarves, ankle chains, sashes, perfumes, and charms; 21 their rings, jewels, 22 party clothes, gowns, capes, and purses; 23 their mirrors, linen garments, head ornaments, and shawls. 24 Instead of smelling of sweet perfume, they will stink. They will wear ropes for sashes, and their well- set hair will fall out. They will wear rough sackcloth instead of rich robes. Their beauty will be gone. Only shame will be left to them. 25 The men of the city will die in battle. 26 The gates of Jerusalem will weep and mourn. The city will be like a ravaged woman, huddled on the ground. 4:1 IN that day few men will be left alive. Seven women will fight over each of them and say, "Let us all marry you! We will provide our own food and clothing. Only let us be called by your name so we won't be mocked as old maids." 2 But in the future, Israel-- the branch of the LORD-- will be lush and beautiful, and the fruit of the land will be the pride of its people. 3 All those whose names are written down, who have survived the destruction of Jerusalem, will be a holy people. 4 The Lord will wash the moral filth from the women of Jerusalem. He will cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains by a spirit of judgment that burns like fire. 5 Then the LORD will provide shade for Jerusalem and all who assemble there. There will be a canopy of smoke and cloud throughout the day and clouds of fire at night, covering the glorious land. 6 It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain. 5:1 NOW I will sing a song for the one I love about his vineyard:My beloved has a vineyard
on a rich and fertile hill.
2 He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
and planted it with choice vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
but the grapes that grew were wild and sour.
3 "Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
you have heard the case; you be the judges.
4 What more could I have done
to cultivate a rich harvest?
Why did my vineyard give me wild grapes
when I expected sweet ones?
5 Now this is what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will tear down its fences
and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls
and let the animals trample it.
6 I will make it a wild place.
I will not prune the vines or hoe the ground.
I will let it be overgrown with briers and thorns.
I will command the clouds
to drop no more rain on it."
7 This is the story of the LORD's people.
They are the vineyard of the LORD Almighty.
Israel and Judah are his pleasant garden.
He expected them to yield a crop of justice,
but instead he found bloodshed.
He expected to find righteousness,
but instead he heard cries of oppression.
8 Destruction is certain for you who buy up property so others have no place to live. Your homes are built on great estates so you can be alone in the land. 9 But the LORD Almighty has sealed your awful fate. With my own ears I heard him say, "Many beautiful homes will stand deserted, the owners dead or gone. 10 Ten acres of vineyard will not produce even six gallons of wine. Ten measures of seed will yield only one measure of grain." 11 Destruction is certain for you who get up early to begin long drinking bouts that last late into the night. 12 You furnish lovely music and wine at your grand parties; the harps, lyres, tambourines, and flutes are superb! But you never think about the LORD or notice what he is doing. 13 So I will send my people into exile far away because they do not know me. The great and honored among them will starve, and the common people will die of thirst. 14 The grave is licking its chops in anticipation of Jerusalem, this delicious morsel. Her great and lowly will be swallowed up, with all her drunken crowds. 15 In that day the arrogant will be brought down to the dust; the proud will be humbled. 16 But the LORD Almighty is exalted by his justice. The holiness of God is displayed by his righteousness. 17 In those days flocks will feed among the ruins; lambs and kids will pasture there. 18 Destruction is certain for those who drag their sins behind them, tied with cords of falsehood. 19 They even mock the Holy One of Israel and say, "Hurry up and do something! Quick, show us what you can do. We want to see what you have planned." 20 Destruction is certain for those who say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark; that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. 21 Destruction is certain for those who think they are wise and consider themselves to be clever. 22 Destruction is certain for those who are heroes when it comes to drinking, who boast about all the liquor they can hold. 23 They take bribes to pervert justice. They let the wicked go free while punishing the innocent. 24 Therefore, they will all disappear like burning straw. Their roots will rot and their flowers wither, for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty. They have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 That is why the anger of the LORD burns against his people. That is why he has raised his fist to crush them. The hills tremble, and the rotting bodies of his people are thrown as garbage into the streets. But even then the LORD's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike! 26 He will send a signal to the nations far away. He will whistle to those at the ends of the earth, and they will come racing toward Jerusalem. 27 They will not get tired or stumble. They will run without stopping for rest or sleep. Not a belt will be loose, not a sandal thong broken. 28 Their arrows will be sharp and their bows ready for battle. Sparks will fly from their horses 'hooves as the wheels of their chariots spin like the wind. 29 Roaring like lions, they will pounce on their prey. They will seize my people and carry them off into captivity, and no one will be there to rescue them. 30 The enemy nations will growl over their victims like the roaring of the sea. A cloud of darkness and sorrow will hover over Israel. The clouds will blot out the light.
I [Paul] hope you [Corinthians] will be patient with me as I keep on talking like a fool. Please bear with me. 2 I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. For I promised you as a pure bride to one husband, Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to Christ, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent. 4 You seem to believe whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach about a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 5 But I don't think I am inferior to these "super apostles." 6 I may not be a trained speaker, but I know what I am talking about. I think you realize this by now, for we have proved it again and again. 7 Did I do wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God's Good News to you without expecting anything in return? 8 I "robbed" other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost. 9 And when I was with you and didn't have enough to live on, I did not ask you to help me. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me another gift. I have never yet asked you for any support, and I never will. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, I will never stop boasting about this all over Greece. 11 Why? Because I don't love you? God knows I do. 12 But I will continue doing this to cut the ground out from under the feet of those who boast that their work is just like ours. 13 These people are false apostles. They have fooled you by disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers. In the end they will get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
For the choir director:A meditation of David.
1 Only fools say in their hearts,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
no one does good!
2 God looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if there is even one with real understanding,
one who seeks for God.
3 But no, all have turned away from God;
all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
not even one!
4 Will those who do evil never learn?
They eat up my people like bread;
they wouldn't think of praying to God.
5 But then terror will grip them,
terror like they have never known before.
God will scatter the bones of your enemies.
You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them.
6 Oh, that salvation would come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel!
For when God restores his people,
Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.
Do not steal your neighbor's property by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by your ancestors. Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than ordinary people
