The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday September 10, 2020 (NIV)

Isaiah’s Call and Mission

6 In the year that King Uzziah^(A) died, I saw the Lord^(B) seated on a high and lofty^(C) throne,^(D) and the hem of his robe filled the temple. ² Seraphim^[a] were standing above him; they each had six wings:^(E) with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.^{(F) 3} And one called to another:

⁴ The foundations of the doorways shook^(I) at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke.

⁵ Then I said:

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken from the altar^(L) with tongs. ⁷ He touched my mouth^(M) with it and said:

⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking:

I said:

⁹ And he replied:

¹¹ Then I said, “Until when, Lord?” ^(Q) And he replied:

The Message to Ahaz

7 This took place during the reign of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah king of Judah:^(U) Aram’s King Rezin and Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah went to fight against Jerusalem,^(V) but they were not able to conquer it.

² When it became known to the house of David^(W) that Aram had occupied Ephraim,^(X) the heart of Ahaz^[d] and the hearts of his people trembled like trees of a forest shaking in the wind.

³ The Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub^[e](Y) to meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool,^(Z) by the road to the Launderer’s Field. ⁴ Say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Don’t be afraid or cowardly^(AA) because of these two smoldering sticks, the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and the son of Remaliah. ⁵ For Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted harm against you. They say, ⁶ ‘Let’s go up against Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it for ourselves. Then we can install Tabeel’s son as king in it.’”

⁷ This is what the Lord God says:

The Immanuel Prophecy

¹⁰ Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz: ¹¹ “Ask for a sign^(AC) from the Lord your God—it can be as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven.”

¹² But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask. I will not test the Lord.”

¹³ Isaiah^(AD) said, “Listen, house of David! Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men? Will you also try the patience of my God?^{(AE) 14} Therefore, the Lord himself will give you^[f] a sign: See, the virgin will conceive,^[g] have a son, and name him Immanuel.^{[h](AF) 15} By the time he learns to reject what is bad and choose what is good,^(AG) he will be eating curds^[i] and honey.^{(AH) 16} For before the boy knows to reject what is bad and choose what is good, the land of the two kings you dread will be abandoned. ¹⁷ The Lord will bring on you, your people, and your father’s house such a time as has never been since Ephraim separated from Judah:^(AI) He will bring the king of Assyria.”^(AJ)

²⁰ On that day the Lord will use a razor^(AN) hired from beyond the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria^(AO)—to shave the hair on your heads, the hair on your legs, and even your beards.

Paul’s Sufferings for Christ

¹⁶ I repeat: Let no one consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool so that I can also boast a little. ¹⁷ What I am saying in this matter^[a] of boasting, I don’t speak as the Lord would, but as it were, foolishly. ¹⁸ Since many boast according to the flesh, I will also boast. ¹⁹ For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!^{(A) 20} In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone exploits^(B) you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone is arrogant toward you, if someone slaps^(C) you in the face. ²¹ I say this to our shame: We have been too weak for that!

But in whatever anyone dares to boast—I am talking foolishly—I also dare: ²² Are they Hebrews?^(D) So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham?^(E) So am I. ²³ Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death.

²⁴ Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews.^{(F) 25} Three times I was beaten with rods.^(G) Once I received a stoning.^(H) Three times I was shipwrecked.^(I) I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. ²⁶ On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers,^(J) dangers from my own people,^(K) dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers; ²⁷ toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.^{(L) 28} Not to mention^[b] other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble,^(M) and I do not burn with indignation?

³⁰ If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses. ³¹ The God and Father^(N) of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying. ³² In Damascus,^(O) a ruler^[c] under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me. ³³ So I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands.^(P)

Psalm 54

Prayer for Deliverance

For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. When the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding among us?” ^(A)