The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Saturday September 30, 2023 (NIV)

Isaiah 60:1-62:5

The Lord’s Glory in Zion

60 Arise, shine, for your light has come,(A)
and the glory of the Lord shines over you.[a](B)
For look, darkness will cover the earth,
and total darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will shine over you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to your shining brightness.(C)

Raise your eyes and look around:
they all gather and come to you;
your sons will come from far away,
and your daughters on the hips of nursing mothers.(D)
Then you will see and be radiant,(E)
and your heart will tremble and rejoice,[b]
because the riches of the sea will become yours
and the wealth of the nations will come to you.(F)
Caravans of camels will cover your land[c]
young camels of Midian and Ephah—
all of them will come from Sheba.(G)
They will carry gold and frankincense(H)
and proclaim the praises of the Lord.
All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth will serve you(I)
and go up on my altar as an acceptable sacrifice.(J)
I will glorify my beautiful house.(K)

Who are these who fly like a cloud,
like doves to their shelters?(L)
Yes, the coasts and islands will wait for me(M)
with the ships of Tarshish in the lead,(N)
to bring your children from far away,(O)
their silver and gold with them,
for the honor of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,(P)
who has glorified you.(Q)

10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls,(R)
and their kings will serve you.(S)
Although I struck you in my wrath,
yet I will show mercy to you with my favor.(T)
11 Your city gates will always be open;
they will never be shut day or night
so that the wealth of the nations
may be brought into you,(U)
with their kings being led in procession.
12 For the nation and the kingdom
that will not serve you will perish;
those nations will be annihilated.(V)
13 The glory of Lebanon will come to you(W)
its pine, elm, and cypress together(X)
to beautify the place of my sanctuary,
and I will glorify my dwelling place.[d]
14 The sons of your oppressors
will come and bow down to you;(Y)
all who reviled you
will fall facedown at your feet.(Z)
They will call you the City of the Lord,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.(AA)
15 Instead of your being deserted and hated,
with no one passing through,(AB)
I will make you an object of eternal pride,(AC)
a joy from age to age.
16 You will nurse on the milk of nations,
and nurse at the breast of kings;(AD)
you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior(AE)
and Redeemer,(AF) the Mighty One of Jacob.(AG)
17 I will bring gold instead of bronze;
I will bring silver instead of iron,
bronze instead of wood,
and iron instead of stones.
I will appoint peace as your government
and righteousness as your overseers.
18 Violence will never again be heard of in your land;(AH)
devastation and destruction
will be gone from your borders.
You will call your walls Salvation(AI)
and your city gates Praise.
19 The sun will no longer be your light by day,
and the brightness of the moon will not shine on you.
The Lord will be your everlasting light,(AJ)
and your God will be your splendor.
20 Your sun will no longer set,
and your moon will not fade;
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and the days of your sorrow will be over.(AK)
21 All your people will be righteous;(AL)
they will possess the land forever;(AM)
they are the branch I planted,
the work of my[e] hands,
so that I may be glorified.(AN)
22 The least will become a thousand,
the smallest a mighty nation.
I am the Lord;
I will accomplish it quickly in its time.

Messiah’s Jubilee

61 The Spirit of the Lord God is on me,(AO)
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.(AP)
He has sent me to heal[f] the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and freedom to the prisoners;(AQ)
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,(AR)
and the day of our God’s vengeance;(AS)
to comfort(AT) all who mourn,
to provide for those who mourn in Zion;
to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
festive oil instead of mourning,(AU)
and splendid clothes instead of despair.[g]
And they will be called righteous trees,
planted by the Lord
to glorify him.(AV)
They will rebuild the ancient ruins;(AW)
they will restore the former devastations;
they will renew the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
Strangers will stand and feed your flocks,
and foreigners will be your plowmen and vinedressers.(AX)

But you will be called the Lord’s priests;(AY)
they will speak of you as ministers of our God;
you will eat the wealth of the nations,
and you will boast in their riches.
In place of your shame, you will have a double portion;(AZ)
in place of disgrace, they will rejoice over their share.
So they will possess double in their land,(BA)
and eternal joy will be theirs.

For I the Lord love justice;(BB)
I hate robbery and injustice;[h]
I will faithfully reward my people
and make a permanent covenant(BC) with them.
Their descendants will be known among the nations,
and their posterity among the peoples.
All who see them will recognize
that they are a people the Lord has blessed.

10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord,
I exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation
and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness,(BD)
as a groom wears a turban
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.(BE)
11 For as the earth produces its growth,
and as a garden enables what is sown to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.(BF)

Zion’s Restoration

62 I will not keep silent because of Zion,
and I will not keep still because of Jerusalem,(BG)
until her righteousness shines like a bright light(BH)
and her salvation, like a flaming torch.

Nations will see your righteousness(BI)
and all kings, your glory.
You will be given a new name
that the Lord’s mouth will announce.(BJ)

You will be a glorious crown in the Lord’s hand,
and a royal diadem in the palm of your God’s hand.(BK)
You will no longer be called Deserted,(BL)
and your land will not be called Desolate;
instead, you will be called My Delight Is in Her,[i]
and your land Married;[j](BM)
for the Lord delights in you,
and your land will be married.
For as a young man marries a young woman,
so your sons will marry you;
and as a groom rejoices over his bride,
so your God will rejoice over you.(BN)

Footnotes:

  1. 60:1 = Jerusalem
  2. 60:5 Lit expand
  3. 60:6 Lit cover you
  4. 60:13 Lit glorify the place of my feet
  5. 60:21 LXX, DSS read his
  6. 61:1 Lit bind up
  7. 61:3 Lit a dim spirit
  8. 61:8 Some Hb mss, DSS, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg; other Hb mss read robbery with a burnt offering
  9. 62:4 Or Hephzibah
  10. 62:4 Or Beulah

Cross references:

  1. 60:1 : Is 9:2; 26:19; 30:26; 51:17; 52:2; Eph 5:14
  2. 60:1 : Is 40:5; 58:8; Mal 4:2
  3. 60:3 : Is 42:6; 49:6; Rv 21:24
  4. 60:4 : Is 49:18–22
  5. 60:5 : Ps 34:5
  6. 60:5 : Is 61:6
  7. 60:6 : Gn 25:3; Ps 72:10
  8. 60:6 : Mt 2:11
  9. 60:7 : Gn 25:13
  10. 60:7 : Is 19:19; 56:7
  11. 60:7 : Is 60:13; Hg 2:7,9
  12. 60:8 : Hs 11:11
  13. 60:9 : Is 51:5
  14. 60:9 : Ps 48:7; Is 2:16
  15. 60:9 : Is 14:2; 43:6; 49:22
  16. 60:9 : Is 1:4; 60:14
  17. 60:9 : Is 55:5
  18. 60:10 : Is 14:1–2; 61:5; Zch 6:15
  19. 60:10 : Is 49:7,23; Rv 21:24
  20. 60:10 : Hab 3:2
  21. 60:11 : Rv 21:25–26
  22. 60:12 : Zch 14:17–19
  23. 60:13 : Is 35:2
  24. 60:13 : Is 41:19
  25. 60:14 : Is 14:1–2; Zch 8:23
  26. 60:14 : Is 49:23; Rv 3:9
  27. 60:14 : Is 1:26
  28. 60:15 : Is 34:10
  29. 60:15 : Is 65:18
  30. 60:16 : Is 49:23; 66:11–12
  31. 60:16 : Is 43:3; 49:26
  32. 60:16 : Is 41:14; 43:14
  33. 60:16 : Gn 49:24; Ps 132:2,5; Is 49:26
  34. 60:18 : Is 11:9
  35. 60:18 : Is 26:1
  36. 60:19 : Zch 14:6–7; Rv 21:23; 22:5
  37. 60:20 : Is 35:10; 65:19; Rv 21:4
  38. 60:21 : Is 52:1
  39. 60:21 : Ps 37:9; Ezk 37:25
  40. 60:21 : Is 61:3
  41. 61:1–2 : Is 11:2; 42:1; 48:16; Lk 4:18–19
  42. 61:1 : Lk 7:22
  43. 61:1 : Is 42:7; 49:9
  44. 61:2 : Is 49:8
  45. 61:2 : Is 2:12; 13:6; 34:2,8
  46. 61:2 : Is 40:1
  47. 61:3 : Ps 45:7; Heb 1:9
  48. 61:3 : Is 60:21; Jr 17:7–8
  49. 61:4 : Is 49:8; 58:12; Ezk 36:33; Am 9:14
  50. 61:5 : Is 14:2; 60:10
  51. 61:6 : Ex 19:6; Is 66:21; 1Pt 2:5,9
  52. 61:7 : Is 54:4
  53. 61:7 : Is 40:2; Zch 9:12
  54. 61:8 : Ps 11:7; Is 59:15
  55. 61:8 : Is 24:5; 55:3
  56. 61:10 : Is 49:18; 52:1; 59:17
  57. 61:10 : Rv 21:2
  58. 61:11 : Is 45:23–24; 60:18,21
  59. 62:1 : Ps 83:1; Is 64:12; 65:6
  60. 62:1 : Is 1:26; 58:8; 61:11
  61. 62:2 : Is 60:3
  62. 62:2 : Is 60:14; Rv 2:17; 3:12
  63. 62:3 : Is 28:5; Zch 9:16; 1Th 2:19
  64. 62:4 : Is 54:6–7; 60:15,18
  65. 62:4 : Hs 2:19–20
  66. 62:5 : Is 65:19
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Philippians 1:27-2:18

27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life(A) worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm(B) in one(C) spirit, in one accord,[a] contending together for the faith(D) of the gospel, 28 not being frightened in any way by your opponents.(E) This is a sign of destruction for them,(F) but of your salvation(G)—and this is from God. 29 For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe(H) in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are engaged in the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.

Christian Humility

If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love,(I) if any fellowship with the Spirit,(J) if any affection and mercy,(K) make my joy complete by thinking the same way,(L) having the same love,(M) united in spirit, intent on one(N) purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition(O) or conceit,(P) but in humility(Q) consider others as more important(R) than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests,(S) but rather to the interests of others.(T)

Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God(U)
as something to be exploited.[b]
Instead he emptied himself(V)
by assuming the form of a servant,(W)
taking on the likeness of humanity.(X)
And when he had come as a man,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.(Y)
For this reason God highly exalted him(Z)
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow(AA)
in heaven(AB) and on earth
and under the earth(AC)
11 and every tongue(AD) will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory(AE) of God the Father.

Lights in the World

12 Therefore, my dear friends,(AF) just as you have always obeyed,(AG) so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling(AH) and arguing,(AI) 15 so that you may be blameless(AJ) and pure,(AK) children of God who are faultless(AL) in a crooked(AM) and perverted(AN) generation,(AO) among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word(AP) of life. Then I can boast(AQ) in the day of Christ(AR) that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured out(AS) as a drink offering(AT) on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

Footnotes:

  1. 1:27 Lit soul
  2. 2:6 Or to be grasped, or to be held on to
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Psalm 72

Psalm 72

A Prayer for the King

Of Solomon.(A)

God, give your justice to the king
and your righteousness to the king’s son.(B)
He will judge your people with righteousness
and your afflicted ones with justice.(C)
May the mountains bring well-being[a] to the people
and the hills, righteousness.(D)
May he vindicate the afflicted among the people,
help the poor,
and crush the oppressor.(E)

May they fear you[b] while the sun endures
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.(F)
May the king be like rain that falls on the cut grass,
like spring showers that water the earth.(G)
May the righteous[c] flourish in his days
and well-being abound
until the moon is no more.(H)

May he rule from sea to sea
and from the Euphrates
to the ends of the earth.(I)
May desert tribes kneel before him
and his enemies lick the dust.(J)
10 May the kings of Tarshish
and the coasts and islands bring tribute,
the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.(K)
11 Let all kings bow in homage to him,
all nations serve him.(L)

12 For he will rescue the poor who cry out
and the afflicted who have no helper.(M)
13 He will have pity on the poor and helpless
and save the lives of the poor.(N)
14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence,
for their lives are[d] precious[e] in his sight.(O)

15 May he live long!
May gold from Sheba be given to him.
May prayer be offered for him continually,
and may he be blessed all day long.(P)
16 May there be plenty of grain in the land;
may it wave on the tops of the mountains.
May its crops be like Lebanon.
May people flourish in the cities
like the grass of the field.(Q)
17 May his name endure forever;
as long as the sun shines,
may his fame increase.
May all nations be blessed by him
and call him blessed.(R)

18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does wonders.(S)
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
the whole earth is filled with his glory.(T)
Amen and amen.
20 The prayers of David son of Jesse are concluded.(U)

Footnotes:

  1. 72:3 Or peace, also in v. 7
  2. 72:5 LXX reads May he continue
  3. 72:7 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Jer read May righteousness
  4. 72:14 Lit their blood is
  5. 72:14 Or valuable
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Proverbs 24:11-12

11 Rescue those being taken off to death,
and save those stumbling toward slaughter.(A)
12 If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,”
won’t he who weighs hearts(B) consider it?
Won’t he who protects your life(C) know?
Won’t he repay a person according to his work?(D)

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

9/29/2023 DAB Transcript

Isaiah 57:15-59:21, Philippians 1:1-26, Psalm 71:1-24, Proverbs 24:9-10

Today is the 29th day of September, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian, it’s good to be here with you today as we do what we always do, gather together and take another step forward in our week, in our month, in our year and in the Scriptures. So, we’re rounding the corner on another one of our weeks and continuing our journey in the book of Isaiah. When we get to the New Testament today, we’ve got some new territory to move into, another letter from the apostle Paul and we will talk about that when we get there, but first Isaiah chapter 57 verse 15 through 59 verse 21.

Introduction to the Book of Philippians:

Okay, so, as we were saying at the beginning, we got some new territory to move into today, a brand-new letter. This is called Philippians, and this is a letter written by the apostle Paul to the Philippians and there’s almost no debate among biblical scholars about whether or not Paul is the author of this text. There isn’t much debate about what was going on. Paul was incarcerated when he wrote this letter and that would probably be somewhere around 61AD and from Rome, while Paul was awaiting trial before the emperor. So, we realize again, we’re reading another really, really early Christian text. This text predates the Gospels. It was written before the Book of Acts, for example. And so, it’s one of the earliest Christian texts and it’s being written by a man who loves Jesus dearly and is in prison facing the death penalty over it. So, Philippi, this letter’s written to the church in Philippi, so the Philippians. And this is a Roman colony, and it was in the region of Macedonia, and that’s now like modern northern Greece. And even though Philippi was a prosperous city, the church there, they weren’t particularly prosperous, but they were rich in love. They were rich in their concern and allegiance and loyalty to Paul. And so, part of this letter is a thank you for that. The church there had sent a person named Epaphroditus, who was a member of their congregation in Rome to check on Pau, to see how he was doing, bring him a gift, lift up his spirits, encourage him. And of course, it did that. Paul was overjoyed and found comfort in that. And Epaphroditus stayed for a long time to help Paul, but he became really ill and just about died. But then he was restored to health and Paul was determined to send him back to Philippi with this letter. The letter to the Philippians, which tells of his circumstances, but it’s more than just like you know, here’s an update on how I’m doing. This letter, Paul shares the joy of our salvation more in this letter than in any other letter, and he encourages us to endure, to persevere, to understand that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. And we’re in some pretty uncertain times, friends like in the world and in our lives. It’s a very, it’s very unsettling and we need this right now. And so, let’s embrace the letter to the Philippians and today we’ll read chapter 1 verse 1 through verse 26.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for another day, another step. We thank You for Your faithfulness to us, Your loyalty to us. We have been so unfaithful to You and You have taken our betrayal and turned it into love and have loved us back when we have been spiteful against You, and against our brothers and sisters. Forgive us Lord. Come, Holy Spirit, lead us into all truth. Give us the next steps in our lives. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Hey DAB family, it’s Abba’s Daughter Sady M. Today is September 24th. I’m listening right now, playing some catch up. But oh, my goodness, I think your name was Sona from Texas. Your emergency prayer request, this sweet boy found face down in the pool. The youngest is a 5-year-old boy. My heart is breaking for this young boy. Not even two years old and found face down in the pool. I’m praising Jehovah Raffa, that He has a heartrate and I’m just so grateful for that. But I’m praying, and I know I’m praying retroactively. But I’m praying to Jehovah Raffa that this young boy will have a life ahead and have life abundantly. As the oldest of 5, I have seen trauma and trial to you know, my sibling’s body but nothing to this degree and my heart is just breaking. So, Lord, I lift up this young boy to you. You are Jehovah Raffa, You are the great physician, the great healer Lord. Thank You so much that this young boy has a heart rate. Lord, and I just pray Your mighty miracle working hands over him. I just pray that You be with him, be with his family. And Lord I just pray that we hear good news, miraculous news, very, very soon. Lord, You are God, You are over all and we trust You. We thank You, we praise You for the miracle of this young boy. In your mighty and matchless name. Amen. Please continue praying for him with me, DAB family. My heart is broken. Yeah, Abba’s Daughter, Sady M. Bye for now.

Hi DAB family. This is Bob from Phoenix. I love listening to all the prayers and Brian and his teachings every day. I’ve been on this platform for about three years now. God has blessed me in so many ways over my life, wonderful, wonderful wife. Always been fairly successful. But I’m reaching out to ya’ll for prayer right now because I’ve gotten myself, from my own difficult financial situations. I think I’m self-destructive, my wife says I must be obsessive/compulsive, but I’ve gone down a rabbit hole that has caused me a great deal of difficulty. And I’m praying He’ll help me find a way out. I have to trust in the Lord that His right is best and that He’ll guide me through this, but I could always use your prayers. I pray along with you all every single day. I cherish my time with my DAB family. I don’t often reach out. I don’t often ask people for help but I’m asking for Jesus, I’m asking for the Holy Spirit to guide me. I’m asking you for all your prayers to help me find my difficulties that I’ve caused myself. I don’t blame anybody else. It’s all my doing and I just need to find a way out. It’s somewhat vague but anyway I really appreciate all your prayers. I have to shout out to you all, Blind Tony, Sparky, all of you, Susan, Susan from Canada, all of you who I love listening to. Anyway, please pray for me as I pray for you. God bless this entire family. What a blessing it is. Thank you. Bye.

Hey Daily Audio Bible family, it’s Sheena from Saskatchewan. And today I am not calling in prayers for legal situations. I’m calling in for Angel Heart. I’m just listening to community prayers and there’s a lot of people calling in for you. I think about when I first started listening to Daily Audio Bible, you were calling in regularly upset and not doing well mentally. I just, I think about that all the time and I think about you all the time. And I just wanted to let you know that you are one of the people that made me love Daily Audio Bible. I just wanted to let you know that. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I get to call in and pray for all of you. And I’m just so grateful and that you all pray for me. So, Angel Heart, we’re praying for you. We love you. And regardless of how you’re feeling, God is with you, and He will never leave you. So, thank You Jesus for this. Amen.

Good afternoon my Daily Audio Bible friends. It’s the 24th of September. I’m listening to the 21st of September and heard the call in from Lauriann from South Carolina. And sister, you touched my heart. I lost my wife 17 years ago and your calling about your grief renewed the grief I had over my lost wife. And sister, that grief, it’s not from Satan. Any guilt you feel over that grief is from Satan, but Jesus grieved, God has grieved so many times over Israel and over us and over one who falls. They, Jesus God knows our grief and each person’s grief is personal. There’s no magic formula for it. We each grieve in our own way. And the only way to get through it is to go through it as we need to. And yes, we need to carry on, we need to live but you have a gift. And one day, you’re gonna meet someone that has just lost a loved one and is going through exactly what you’re going through right now. And you will be able to be a blessing to them. The Holy Spirit will lead you in prayer for them and in what to say. I love you sister and I’m praying for you. Go with God and be well. This is David Browning in Savannah, signing out. Thank you.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Friday September 29, 2023 (NIV)

Isaiah 57:15-59:21

15 For the High and Exalted One,
who lives forever, whose name is holy,(A) says this:
“I live in a high and holy place,
and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit,(B)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and revive the heart of the oppressed.(C)
16 For I will not accuse you forever,
and I will not always be angry;(D)
for then the spirit would grow weak before me,
even the breath, which I have made.
17 Because of his sinful greed I was angry,(E)
so I struck him; I was angry and hid;
but he went on turning back to the desires of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort
to him and his mourners,(F)
19 creating words of praise.”[a](G)
The Lord says,
“Peace, peace to the one who is far or near,(H)
and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,(I)
for it cannot be still,
and its water churns up mire and muck.
21 There is no peace for the wicked,”
says my God.(J)

True Fasting

58 “Cry out loudly, don’t hold back!
Raise your voice like a ram’s horn.
Tell my people their transgression
and the house of Jacob their sins.
They seek me day after day
and delight to know my ways,
like a nation that does what is right
and does not abandon the justice of their God.
They ask me for righteous judgments;
they delight in the nearness of God.”(K)

“Why have we fasted, but you have not seen?(L)
We have denied ourselves, but you haven’t noticed!” [b]

“Look, you do as you please on the day of your fast,
and oppress all your workers.(M)
You fast with contention and strife
to strike viciously with your fist.
You cannot fast as you do today,
hoping to make your voice heard on high.
Will the fast I choose be like this:
A day for a person to deny himself,
to bow his head like a reed,
and to spread out sackcloth and ashes?(N)
Will you call this a fast
and a day acceptable to the Lord?
Isn’t this the fast I choose:
To break the chains of wickedness,(O)
to untie the ropes of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free,
and to tear off every yoke?(P)
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,(Q)
to bring the poor and homeless into your house,
to clothe the naked when you see him,(R)
and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?[c](S)
Then your light will appear like the dawn,
and your recovery will come quickly.(T)
Your righteousness will go before you,(U)
and the Lord’s glory will be your rear guard.(V)

At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer;(W)
when you cry out, he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you get rid of the yoke among you,
the finger-pointing and malicious speaking,(X)
10 and if you offer yourself[d] to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted one,
then your light will shine in the darkness,(Y)
and your night will be like noonday.
11 The Lord will always lead you,
satisfy you in a parched land,
and strengthen your bones.
You will be like a watered garden(Z)
and like a spring whose water never runs dry.(AA)
12 Some of you will rebuild the ancient ruins;(AB)
you will restore the foundations laid long ago;(AC)
you will be called the repairer of broken walls,
the restorer of streets where people live.
13 “If you keep from desecrating the Sabbath,(AD)
from doing whatever you want on my holy day;
if you call the Sabbath a delight,
and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,(AE)
seeking your own pleasure, or talking business;[e][f]
14 then you will delight in the Lord,(AF)
and I will make you ride over the heights of the land,(AG)
and let you enjoy the heritage of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.(AH)

Sin and Redemption

59 Indeed, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save,(AI)
and his ear is not too deaf to hear.
But your iniquities(AJ) are separating you
from your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you(AK)
so that he does not listen.(AL)
For your hands are defiled with blood
and your fingers, with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies,
and your tongues mutter injustice.
No one makes claims justly;
no one pleads honestly.
They trust in empty and worthless words;
they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.(AM)
They hatch viper’s eggs
and weave spider’s webs.
Whoever eats their eggs will die;
crack one open, and a viper is hatched.
Their webs cannot become clothing,
and they cannot cover themselves with their works.
Their works are sinful works,
and violent acts are in their hands.
Their feet run after evil,(AN)
and they rush to shed innocent blood.(AO)
Their thoughts are sinful thoughts;(AP)
ruin and wretchedness are in their paths.

They have not known the path of peace,(AQ)
and there is no justice in their ways.
They have made their roads crooked;
no one who walks on them will know peace.(AR)
Therefore justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not reach us.
We hope for light, but there is darkness;
for brightness, but we live in the night.
10 We grope along a wall like the blind;
we grope like those without eyes.(AS)
We stumble at noon as though it were twilight;
we are like the dead among those who are healthy.
11 We all growl like bears
and moan like doves.(AT)
We hope for justice, but there is none;
for salvation, but it is far from us.
12 For our transgressions have multiplied before you,(AU)
and our sins testify against us.(AV)
For our transgressions are with us,
and we know our iniquities:(AW)
13 transgression and deception against the Lord,
turning away from following our God,
speaking oppression and revolt,
conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart.
14 Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far off.
For truth has stumbled in the public square,
and honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth is missing,
and whoever turns from evil is plundered.
The Lord saw that there was no justice,
and he was offended.
16 He saw that there was no man—
he was amazed that there was no one interceding;(AX)
so his own arm brought salvation,
and his own righteousness supported him.

17 He put on righteousness as body armor,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;(AY)
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.(AZ)
18 So he will repay according to their deeds:(BA)
fury to his enemies,
retribution to his foes,
and he will repay the coasts and islands.
19 They will fear the name of the Lord in the west
and his glory in the east;[g](BB)
for he will come like a rushing stream(BC)
driven by the wind of the Lord.
20 “The Redeemer(BD) will come to Zion,
and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.”(BE)
This is the Lord’s declaration.

21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,”(BF) says the Lord: “My Spirit who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth,(BG) will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of your children’s children, from now on and forever,” says the Lord.

Footnotes:

  1. 57:19 Lit creating fruit of the lips
  2. 58:3 These are Israel’s words to God.
  3. 58:7 Lit not hide yourself from your flesh
  4. 58:10 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr read offer your bread
  5. 58:13 Or idly
  6. 58:13 Lit or speak a word
  7. 59:19 Lit sunrise

Cross references:

  1. 57:15 : Lk 1:49
  2. 57:15 : Ps 34:18; 51:17; Is 66:2
  3. 57:15 : Ps 147:3; Is 61:1–3
  4. 57:16 : Gn 6:3; Ps 103:9; Jr 3:12
  5. 57:17 : Is 2:7; 56:11; Jr 6:13
  6. 57:18 : Is 61:1–3
  7. 57:19 : Is 6:7; 51:16; 59:21; Heb 13:15
  8. 57:19 : Ac 2:39; Eph 2:17
  9. 57:20 : Ps 107:29
  10. 57:21 : Is 48:22; 59:8
  11. 58:2 : Ps 119:151; Is 29:13; 57:3; Jms 4:8
  12. 58:3 : Mal 3:14; Lk 18:12
  13. 58:3 : Is 22:12–13; Zch 7:5–6
  14. 58:5 : Est 4:3; Dn 9:3
  15. 58:6 : Jb 36:8; Ps 107:10; Ec 7:26
  16. 58:6 : Neh 5:10–12; Is 58:9; Jr 34:8
  17. 58:7 : Jb 31:19–20; Is 58:10; Ezk 18:7,16
  18. 58:7 : Mt 25:35–36; Lk 3:11
  19. 58:7 : Dt 22:1–4; Lk 10:31–32
  20. 58:8 : Is 30:26; 33:24; Jr 30:17; 33:6
  21. 58:8 : Ps 85:13; Is 62:1
  22. 58:8 : Ex 14:19; Is 52:12
  23. 58:9 : Ps 50:15; Is 55:6; 65:24
  24. 58:9 : Pr 6:13
  25. 58:10 : Jb 11:17; Ps 37:6; Is 42:16; 58:8
  26. 58:11 : Sg 4:15; Is 27:3; Jr 31:12
  27. 58:11 : Jn 4:14; 7:38
  28. 58:12 : Ezr 6:14; Neh 4:6; Is 49:8; 61:4; Ezk 36:10
  29. 58:12 : 1Kg 6:37; Ezr 3:10–12
  30. 58:13 : Ex 31:16–17; 35:2–3; Is 56:2–6; Jr 17:21–27
  31. 58:13 : Is 55:8
  32. 58:14 : Jb 22:26; Ps 37:4
  33. 58:14 : Dt 32:13; 33:29; Is 33:16; Hab 3:19
  34. 58:14 : Is 1:20; 40:5
  35. 59:1 : Nm 11:23; Is 50:2; Jr 32:17
  36. 59:2 : Is 13:11
  37. 59:2 : Dt 31:17–18; 32:20; Is 50:6; Ezk 39:29; Mc 3:4
  38. 59:2 : Dt 3:26; 23:5; Jb 35:13; Is 1:15
  39. 59:4 : Jb 15:35; Ps 7:14; Is 33:11
  40. 59:7–8 : Rm 3:15–17
  41. 59:7 : Pr 1:16; 6:17
  42. 59:7 : Mk 7:21–22
  43. 59:8 : Lk 1:79
  44. 59:8 : Is 57:20–21
  45. 59:10 : Dt 28:29; Jb 5:14
  46. 59:11 : Is 38:14; Ezk 7:16
  47. 59:12 : Ezr 9:6
  48. 59:12 : Is 3:9; Jr 14:7; Hs 5:5
  49. 59:12 : Is 13:11
  50. 59:16 : Is 41:28; 63:5; Ezk 22:30
  51. 59:17 : Eph 6:14,17; 1Th 5:8
  52. 59:17 : Is 9:7; 37:32; Zch 1:14
  53. 59:18 : Jr 25:14; Rv 22:12
  54. 59:19 : Ps 113:3
  55. 59:19 : Is 30:28; 66:12
  56. 59:20 : Is 41:14; 43:14
  57. 59:20–21 : Ezk 18:30–31; Rm 11:26–27
  58. 59:21 : Jr 31:31–34
  59. 59:21 : Is 51:16
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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Philippians 1:1-26

Greeting

Paul(A) and Timothy,(B) servants of Christ Jesus:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,(C) including the overseers(D) and deacons.(E)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,[a] always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day(F) until now.(G) I am sure of this, that he who started a good work(H) in you[b] will carry it on to completion(I) until the day of Christ Jesus. Indeed, it is right(J) for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart,[c] and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment(K) and in the defense(L) and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness,(M) how deeply I miss all of you(N) with the affection of Christ Jesus. And I pray this: that your love(O) will keep on growing(P) in knowledge and every kind of discernment,(Q) 10 so that you may approve the things that are superior(R) and may be pure(S) and blameless(T) in the day of Christ,(U) 11 filled with the fruit(V) of righteousness(W) that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory(X) and praise of God.

Advance of the Gospel

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel,(Y) 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. 14 Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the word[d](Z) fearlessly. 15 To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry,(AA) but others out of good will. 16 These preach out of love,(AB) knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition,(AC) not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment. 18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motives(AD) or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice 19 because I know this will lead to my salvation[e](AE) through your prayers and help from the Spirit(AF) of Jesus Christ.(AG) 20 My eager expectation and hope(AH) is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all courage, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life(AI) or by death.(AJ)

Living Is Christ

21 For me, to live is Christ(AK) and to die is gain.(AL) 22 Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful(AM) work(AN) for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. 23 I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ(AO)—which is far better(AP) 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,(AQ) 26 so that, because of my coming to you again, your boasting(AR) in Christ Jesus(AS) may abound.

Footnotes:

  1. 1:3 Or for your every remembrance of me
  2. 1:6 Or work among you
  3. 1:7 Or because you have me in your heart
  4. 1:14 Other mss add of God
  5. 1:19 Or vindication
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Psalm 71

Psalm 71

God’s Help in Old Age

Lord, I seek refuge in you;
let me never be disgraced.(A)
In your justice, rescue and deliver me;
listen closely to me and save me.(B)
Be a rock of refuge for me,
where I can always go.
Give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and fortress.(C)
Deliver me, my God, from the power of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and oppressive.(D)
For you are my hope, Lord God,
my confidence from my youth.(E)
I have leaned on you from birth;
you took me from my mother’s womb.(F)
My praise is always about you.(G)
I am like a miraculous sign to many,
and you are my strong refuge.(H)
My mouth is full of praise
and honor to you all day long.(I)

Don’t discard me in my old age.
As my strength fails, do not abandon me.(J)
10 For my enemies talk about me,
and those who spy on me plot together,(K)
11 saying, “God has abandoned him;
chase him and catch him,
for there is no one to rescue him.”(L)
12 God, do not be far from me;
my God, hurry to help me.(M)
13 May my adversaries be disgraced and destroyed;
may those who intend to harm me
be covered with disgrace and humiliation.(N)
14 But I will hope continually
and will praise you more and more.(O)
15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness
and your salvation all day long,
though I cannot sum them up.(P)
16 I come because of the mighty acts of the Lord God;
I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.(Q)

17 God, you have taught me from my youth,
and I still proclaim your wondrous works.(R)
18 Even while I am old and gray,
God, do not abandon me,(S)
while I proclaim your power
to another generation,
your strength to all who are to come.(T)
19 Your righteousness reaches the heights, God,
you who have done great things;
God, who is like you?(U)
20 You caused me to experience
many troubles and misfortunes,(V)
but you will revive me again.(W)
You will bring me up again,
even from the depths of the earth.(X)
21 You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again.(Y)
22 Therefore, I will praise you with a harp
for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing to you with a lyre,
Holy One of Israel.(Z)
23 My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to you
because you have redeemed me.(AA)
24 Therefore, my tongue will proclaim
your righteousness all day long,
for those who intend to harm me
will be disgraced and confounded.(AB)

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Proverbs 24:9-10

A foolish scheme is sin,
and a mocker is detestable to people.

10 If you do nothing in a difficult time,
your strength is limited.

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday September 28, 2023 (NIV)

Isaiah 54:1-57:14

Future Glory for Israel

54 “Rejoice, childless one, who did not give birth;
burst into song and shout,
you who have not been in labor!(A)
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than the children of the married woman,”(B)
says the Lord.
“Enlarge the site of your tent,
and let your tent curtains be stretched out;(C)
do not hold back;
lengthen your ropes,
and drive your pegs deep.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left,(D)
and your descendants will dispossess nations
and inhabit the desolate cities.

“Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame;(E)
don’t be humiliated, for you will not be disgraced.
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
and you will no longer remember
the disgrace of your widowhood.(F)
Indeed, your husband is your Maker(G)
his name is the Lord of Armies—
and the Holy One of Israel(H) is your Redeemer;(I)
he is called the God of the whole earth.
For the Lord has called you,
like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit,(J)
a wife of one’s youth(K) when she is rejected,”
says your God.
“I deserted you for a brief moment,(L)
but I will take you back with abundant compassion.
In a surge of anger
I hid my face(M) from you for a moment,
but I will have compassion on you
with everlasting love,”(N)
says the Lord your Redeemer.
“For this is like the days[a] of Noah to me:
when I swore that the water of Noah
would never flood the earth again,(O)
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
or rebuke you.(P)
10 Though the mountains move
and the hills shake,
my love will not be removed from you
and my covenant of peace(Q) will not be shaken,”
says your compassionate Lord.

11 “Poor Jerusalem, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
I will set your stones in black mortar,[b]
and lay your foundations in lapis lazuli.(R)
12 I will make your fortifications[c] out of rubies,
your gates out of sparkling stones,
and all your walls out of precious stones.
13 Then all your children will be taught by the Lord,(S)
their prosperity will be great,
14 and you will be established
on a foundation of righteousness.
You will be far from oppression,
you will certainly not be afraid;
you will be far from terror,
it will certainly not come near you.
15 If anyone attacks you,
it is not from me;
whoever attacks you
will fall before you.
16 Look, I have created the craftsman
who blows on the charcoal fire
and produces a weapon suitable for its task;
and I have created the destroyer to cause havoc.
17 No weapon formed against you will succeed,
and you will refute any accusation[d]
raised against you in court.
This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants,(T)
and their vindication is from me.”(U)

This is the Lord’s declaration.

Come to the Lord

55 “Come, everyone who is thirsty,(V)
come to the water;
and you without silver,
come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without silver and without cost!
Why do you spend silver on what is not food,
and your wages on what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.[e]
Pay attention and come to me;
listen, so that you will live.
I will make a permanent covenant with you(W)
on the basis of the faithful kindnesses of David.[f](X)
Since I have made him a witness to the peoples,(Y)
a leader and commander for the peoples,(Z)
so you will summon a nation you do not know,(AA)
and nations who do not know you will run to you.(AB)
For the Lord your God,
even the Holy One of Israel,(AC)
has glorified you.”(AD)

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call to him while he is near.(AE)
Let the wicked one abandon his way
and the sinful one his thoughts;(AF)
let him return to the Lord,
so he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will freely forgive.(AG)

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not my ways.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
“For as heaven is higher than earth,(AH)
so my ways are higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven
and do not return there
without saturating the earth
and making it germinate and sprout,
and providing seed to sow
and food to eat,(AI)
11 so my word that comes from my mouth
will not return to me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please
and will prosper in what I send it to do.”(AJ)

12 You will indeed go out with joy
and be peacefully guided;
the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.(AK)
13 Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will come up,
and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up;(AL)
this will stand as a monument for the Lord,(AM)
an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed.

A House of Prayer for All

56 This is what the Lord says:

Preserve justice and do what is right,(AN)
for my salvation is coming soon,
and my righteousness will be revealed.(AO)
Happy is the person who does this,
the son of man who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it,
and keeps his hand from doing any evil.(AP)

No foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord
should say,
“The Lord will exclude me from his people,”(AQ)
and the eunuch should not say,
“Look, I am a dried-up tree.”(AR)
For the Lord says this:
“For the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
and choose what pleases me,
and hold firmly to my covenant,
I will give them, in my house and within my walls,
a memorial and a name
better than sons and daughters.
I will give each of them an everlasting name
that will never be cut off.(AS)
As for the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord
to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
and to become his servants—
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
and who hold firmly to my covenant—
I will bring them to my holy mountain(AT)
and let them rejoice in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,(AU)
for my house will be called a house of prayer
for all nations.”(AV)
This is the declaration of the Lord God,
who gathers the dispersed of Israel:
“I will gather to them still others
besides those already gathered.”(AW)

Unrighteous Leaders Condemned

All you animals of the field and forest,
come and eat!
10 Israel’s[g] watchmen(AX) are blind, all of them,
they know nothing;
all of them are mute dogs,
they cannot bark;
they dream, lie down,
and love to sleep.
11 These dogs have fierce appetites;
they never have enough.
And they are shepherds
who have no discernment;
all of them turn to their own way,
every last one for his own profit.(AY)
12 “Come, let me get some wine,
let’s guzzle some beer;
and tomorrow will be like today,
only far better!” (AZ)

57 The righteous person perishes,
and no one takes it to heart;
the faithful are taken away,
with no one realizing
that the righteous person is taken away
because of[h] evil.
He will enter into peace—
they will rest on their beds[i]
everyone who lives uprightly.

Pagan Religion Denounced

But come here,
you witch’s sons,
offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute![j]
Who are you mocking?
Who are you opening your mouth
and sticking out your tongue at?
Isn’t it you, you rebellious children,(BA)
you offspring of liars,
who burn with lust among the oaks,
under every green tree,(BB)
who slaughter children in the wadis
below the clefts of the rocks?(BC)
Your portion is among the smooth stones of the wadi;
indeed, they are your lot.
You have even poured out a drink offering to them;
you have offered a grain offering;
should I be satisfied with these?
You have placed your bed
on a high and lofty mountain;(BD)
you also went up there to offer sacrifice.
You have set up your memorial
behind the door and doorpost.
For away from me, you stripped,
went up, and made your bed wide,(BE)
and you have made a bargain[k] for yourself with them.
You have loved their bed;
you have gazed on their genitals.[l][m]
You went to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your envoys far away(BF)
and sent them down even to Sheol.
10 You became weary on your many journeys,
but you did not say, “It’s hopeless!” (BG)
You found a renewal of your strength;[n]
therefore you did not grow weak.
11 Who was it you dreaded and feared,
so that you lied and didn’t remember me
or take it to heart?
I have kept silent for a long time, haven’t I?[o](BH)
So you do not fear me.
12 I will announce your righteousness,
and your works—they will not profit you.

13 When you cry out,
let your collection of idols rescue you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a breath will take them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me
will inherit the land(BI)
and possess my holy mountain.(BJ)

Healing and Peace

14 He said,
“Build it up, build it up, prepare the way,
remove every obstacle from my people’s way.”(BK)

Footnotes:

  1. 54:9 DSS, Cairo Geniza; MT, LXX read waters
  2. 54:11 Lit in antimony
  3. 54:12 Lit suns; perhaps shields; Ps 84:11
  4. 54:17 Lit refute every tongue
  5. 55:2 Lit enjoy fatness
  6. 55:3 Or with you, the faithful acts of kindness shown to David
  7. 56:10 Or His, or Its
  8. 57:1 Or taken away from the presence of
  9. 57:2 Either their deathbeds or their graves
  10. 57:3 Lit and she acted as a prostitute
  11. 57:8 Lit you cut
  12. 57:8 Lit hand
  13. 57:8 In Hb, the word “hand” is probably a euphemism for genitals.
  14. 57:10 Lit found life of your hand
  15. 57:11 LXX reads And I, when I see you, I pass by

Cross references:

  1. 54:1 : Gl 4:27
  2. 54:1 : 1Sm 2:5; Is 62:4
  3. 54:2 : Is 49:19–20
  4. 54:3 : Gn 28:14; Is 43:5–6; 60:3
  5. 54:4 : Is 45:17
  6. 54:4 : Is 4:1; 25:8; 51:7
  7. 54:5 : Jr 3:14; Hs 2:19
  8. 54:5 : Is 1:4
  9. 54:5 : Is 41:14; 43:14
  10. 54:6 : Is 49:14–21; 50:1–2; 62:4
  11. 54:6 : Mal 2:14
  12. 54:7 : Is 26:20
  13. 54:8 : Dt 31:17–18; Is 8:17
  14. 54:8 : Ps 100:5; Jr 31:3; 33:11
  15. 54:9 : Gn 9:11
  16. 54:9 : Ezk 39:29
  17. 54:10 : Nm 25:12; Ezk 34:25; Mal 2:5
  18. 54:11 : Rv 21:19
  19. 54:13 : Jn 6:45
  20. 54:17 : Is 41:8–9; Lk 1:54
  21. 54:17 : Is 45:24; 46:13
  22. 55:1 : Ps 42:1–2; 63:1; 143:6; Is 41:17; 44:3; Jn 4:14; 7:37; Rv 21:6
  23. 55:3 : Gn 9:16; 17:7; 2Sm 23:5; Is 24:5; 59:21; 61:8
  24. 55:3 : Ac 13:34
  25. 55:4 : Ps 18:43
  26. 55:4 : Ezk 34:24; 37:24–25; Dn 9:25; Mc 5:2
  27. 55:5 : Is 45:14,22–24; 49:6
  28. 55:5 : Zch 8:22
  29. 55:5 : Is 1:4
  30. 55:5 : Is 60:9
  31. 55:6 : Ps 32:6; Am 5:4
  32. 55:7 : Ps 33:10; Is 32:7; 59:7; 65:2
  33. 55:7 : Is 1:18; 43:25; 44:22
  34. 55:9 : Ps 103:11
  35. 55:10 : 2Co 9:10
  36. 55:11 : Is 45:23; 46:10; 53:10
  37. 55:12 : Ps 98:8; Is 44:23
  38. 55:13 : Is 35:1–2; 41:19; 60:13
  39. 55:13 : Is 63:12–14; Jr 33:9
  40. 56:1 : Gn 18:19; Ps 106:3; Pr 21:3
  41. 56:1 : Ps 98:2; Is 46:13; 51:5; Rm 1:17; 3:21
  42. 56:2 : Is 58:13
  43. 56:3 : Is 14:1; 56:6
  44. 56:3 : Dt 23:1
  45. 56:5 : Is 55:13; Rv 2:17
  46. 56:7 : Is 2:2–3
  47. 56:7 : Mal 1:11
  48. 56:7 : Jr 7:11; Mt 21:13; Mk 11:17; Lk 19:46
  49. 56:8 : Is 11:12; 60:3–11; 66:18–21; Jn 10:16
  50. 56:10 : Ezk 3:17–18; 33:1–6
  51. 56:11 : Jr 10:21; 23:1; 50:6; Ezk 34:2
  52. 56:12 : Lk 12:19; 1Co 15:32
  53. 57:4 : Is 30:1,9
  54. 57:5 : 2Kg 16:4; Jr 2:20; 3:13
  55. 57:5 : 2Kg 23:10; Ps 106:37–38; Jr 7:31; Ezk 16:20–21
  56. 57:7 : Jr 3:6; Ezk 16:16
  57. 57:8 : Ezk 23:17–18
  58. 57:9 : Ezk 16:26–29
  59. 57:10 : Jr 2:25; 18:12
  60. 57:11 : Ps 50:21; Is 42:14
  61. 57:13 : Ps 37:3,9; Is 25:4
  62. 57:13 : Is 65:9
  63. 57:14 : Is 62:10; Jr 18:15
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Ephesians 6

Children and Parents

Children, obey(A) your parents in the Lord, because this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.[a][b](B) Fathers, don’t stir up anger(C) in your children, but bring them up in the training(D) and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

Slaves, obey your human[c] masters(E) with fear and trembling,(F) in the sincerity(G) of your heart, as you would Christ. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing God’s will(H) from your heart. Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people,(I) knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening(J) them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism(K) with him.(L)

Christian Warfare

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.(M) 11 Put on(N) the full armor(O) of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh(P) and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,(Q) against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil,(R) spiritual forces in the heavens.(S) 13 For this reason take up the full armor(T) of God, so that you may be able to resist(U) in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand,(V) therefore, with truth(W) like a belt around your waist, righteousness(X) like armor on your chest,(Y) 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation take up the shield(Z) of faith(AA) with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.(AB) 17 Take the helmet(AC) of salvation and the sword(AD) of the Spirit(AE)—which is the word of God. 18 Pray(AF) at all times in the Spirit(AG) with every prayer and request, and stay alert(AH) with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness(AI) the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador(AJ) in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

Paul’s Farewell

21 Tychicus,(AK) our dearly loved brother and faithful servant[d] in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed. 22 I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage(AL) your hearts.(AM)

23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father(AN) and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.[e][f]

Footnotes:

  1. 6:3 Or life on the earth
  2. 6:2–3 Ex 20:12
  3. 6:5 Lit according to the flesh
  4. 6:21 Or deacon
  5. 6:24 Other mss add Amen.
  6. 6:24 Lit all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Psalm 70

Psalm 70

A Call for Deliverance

For the choir director. Of David. To bring remembrance.(A)

God, hurry to rescue me.
Lord, hurry to help me!(B)

Let those who seek to kill me
be disgraced and confounded;
let those who wish me harm
be turned back and humiliated.
Let those who say, “Aha, aha!”
retreat because of their shame.(C)

Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;
let those who love your salvation
continually say, “God is great!” (D)
I am oppressed and needy;
hurry to me, God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Lord, do not delay.(E)

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Proverbs 24:8

The one who plots evil(A)
will be called a schemer.

Cross references:

  1. 24:8 : Rm 1:30
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

9/27/2023 DAB Transcript pt2

So, Paul says imitate God, as beloved children and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. So, the kind of love that is being described here is unconditional love. It’s just love. And what is the crucible in our lives that forces us to form in this way, marriage. And that’s where Paul takes the discussion. So, let’s read this little section one more time, “being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord for the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church, His body, and is Himself is Savior. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. So as to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind, so that she may be holy and without blemish.” For centuries, for decades, for many, many, many, many, many, many, many years, this portion of Ephesians has led into many misuses and unhealthy control. And it’s usually, it’s usually aimed at our beautiful women. And so, with that in mind, because that has happened, we need to understand this is, this only works if it’s mutual. Right, or as Paul said, being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. So, with that in mind, husbands, of which I am one, may we consider what we read in Isaiah today, that is what Jesus did for us. He desired and loved us enough to be compelled to become a sacrifice on our behalf. You are, I am to love my wife, you are to love your wife like that, as Christ loved the church. And there’s some magic in there, and I don’t mean like hocus-pocus, I mean, there’s some spirit, there’s a spiritual thing that happens here. You’re not the guy to just go out and kill the food and bring it back into the hearth, you are the guy chosen to bring Jesus to your wife. You are the hands and feet. You bring the tangible love of Jesus. This is such a big deal. It’s such a big job. It’s such a big responsibility, that we should be overwhelmed at our and need of God to help us navigate. And wives, same thing. Think about what we read in Isaiah today, that is what Jesus did for you. He loved you so much, so much that He was willing to become a sacrifice on your behalf, so that you could be free. So that you could flourish. So that you could be beautiful. You’re supposed to submit to your husband as to the Lord. That doesn’t mean you’re supposed to be abused. That’s not what Jesus did for you. We are reading of this sacrifice, and unconditional love of Jesus. That’s what He did for you. That’s the love you are supposed to be experiencing, and that is not hard to be submissive to. It’s not hard to be mutually submissive and accountable to one another when you are first and foremost accountable to Jesus, knowing that you have no hope of successfully navigating life together without Him. It’s not hard to submit to somebody who is willing to die for you. And there is no place for abuse and that we are supposed to submit to one another out of the reverence for Christ. And that means we’re to love each other with the love of Christ. And so, maybe some reevaluation, maybe some quiet moments today of just getting with the Holy Spirit and thinking of how it is that we are behaving and just divinely imagining what our lives would look like if this is how we lived. And maybe one parting shot from Paul, and I quote, “once you were in darkness and now in the Lord you are light, walk as children of light. For the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.

Prayer:

And, Holy Spirit, come. There is no greater crucible than where we were led today. Two people trying to smash their stories together into one, with all of the brokenness and wounding. All of the victory and laughter, all of it, all of the issues of life that are found in a marriage and in a family, and the instruction is to surrender to each other, to love each other the way You have loved us. We perpetually fail but it’s not as if we don’t have a standard; it’s not as if we don’t know what it should look like this. Holy Spirit, come and lead us into all truth about ourselves. We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Hidy ho, siblings. It’s your little sis, His Little Sharie in Canada. And I wanted to call in and say a quick prayer for everyone who is looking for a place to live. I know a number of people, including my friend, Miracle Mirna, who’s applied to move to another building. She’s the one that’s dealing with the bed bug infestation, that will not go away. And then I have a friend, she’s actually my spiritual director, her name is Sherrie. And she has to move from her beautiful apartment that she’s been renting because the building is being sold. And then I know a lady named Sarah. She’s been in Canada for a few years. She came as a refugee from Egypt. She’s married now. She was able to get her hubby over to Canada and they have a baby. And now that they have a baby, they have to move because the building they’ve been in is an adult only building. So, my heart goes out to these people who need to find a place to live, and I think everywhere it’s crazy, hard to find something affordable. It’s certainly here in my city. So, Father, I just want to lift these people to You and ask that You would provide for them. And thank You that you always take care of us. And I thank You that You have a plan and that these people are in Your hands. And they can trust You. So, I pray that by Your spirit, You would empower them to trust You. Give them peace. Open up opportunities. Help them to meet the right people. Give them a place to live. Lord, You said that You make Your sheep lie down in green pastures, so please, provide those pastures, I pray. In Jesus name. Amen.

Hi, DAB family, this is Liza calling from the East Coast. I go by Philippians 4:6 on the prayer wall. As you can tell by my voice, I’m starting to feel just a little bit better. So, thank you for all your prayers about my cancer journey. I was hanging on by a prayer this week. I got so weak. I lost so much weight. I literally lost the ability to walk, so I was back in a wheelchair. And it was, I mean it was hard. I had no energy because my blood levels went down so much that I could, it was hard to just even sit up to eat. So, thank you for praying. It’s getting a little bit better every day. It’s, I feel like I’m fighting so hard just to keep going. I wanted to ask for your prayers for something a little new. I usually pray, and I usually feel like I have a lot of gratitude throughout my cancer journey. I usually skip from sadness to gratitude pretty quickly. But I kind of feel like God is really been calling me to transform and work on anger. I don’t usually feel anger but when my oncologist, a month ago decided to take me off a chemo that has been working for months and months, to one he knew wasn’t going to work, kind of as a last resort, without really asking me. My whole life changed. I stopped, I got really weak. I got more fluid, like 6 liters of fluid a week that I have to get drained instead of maybe one. And just intense pain that came back from my back, literally my whole body. And I’ve been feeling angry about it and not really processing it. And so, I would just love to pray for God to remove that anger and make sure that it’s no longer bitterness and instead transform it into something good. That I’m able to be present and accept where I’m at now and continue to be thankful. It’s been really hard and heartbreaking when someone you trust really …

Hello DAB family, this is Diana from Florida and I want to pray for Lauriann from South Carolina. We’ve prayed for you, and we will continue to pray for you after you lost your husband and the grief is just overwhelming. Dear Heavenly Father, I lift up Lauriann right now. Father God, and she, she feels this urgency, this need, this angst to love You, to know You, and to make You known, and to minister to others. Oh, Lord God. And Father, I pray that You would meet her right where she is. That it is okay that she’s still mourning the loss of her husband. And that You comfort her in the midst of her mourning. Your word says blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted, and we bring prayers to comfort Lauriann. And Lord God, I pray that as she is comforted Lord, as she is ministered to Lord, that You would strengthen her to fulfill that beautiful desire of her heart to minister unto others and to learn from You. To learn how to love. Oh Lord God, from You Jesus. I pray that Your love would be poured out all over her, like the balm of Gilead, all over her Jesus, that it would overflow, God. Overflow immensely, even in the midst of feeling these deep, intense emotions, Father God. Because of the love that she had for her husband and has for her husband still, dear God, I pray You meet her right there. In Jesus name. Amen.

Hello, this is Manita. Today is September 23rd. Thank you Brian for your words and they’re always so good to hear and very encouraging. I heard Beloved from Bakersfield asking for prayer regarding Corney. I pray that God will visit Corney. I thank God, with you, that he’s buried alive. I pray that God will visit her and may she have an experience with the Lord. So, I just wanted you to know that I’ll be praying for her, and that God will just help her get strong. God is good and He wants all of us, He wants everyone to be safe and have an experience with Him, a relationship with Him. So, I’ll be praying for Corney and your friend. You know and the family. I will also be praying for the students who lost their classmate, a 17-year-old who passed away. May God comfort their families and comfort them at this moment. I cover them in the name of Jesus. May God give them peace. So sad. Amanda, thank you for letting us know. We’ll be praying. Sandy, from Ontario, I will be praying along with you. I’m praying for Jennifer and her family and her daughter Hope, who got shot on the neck. I pray that God will revive her and show Himself strong in this family that don’t know the Lord. I pray that God will be gracious to this family, and they may find hope and salvation in Him. I love you and God bless you. Continue to pray.

9/27/2023 DAB Transcript pt1

Isaiah 51:1-53:12, Ephesians 5:1-33, Psalm 69:19-36, Proverbs 24:7

Today is the 27th day of September, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is wonderful to be here with you today, as we gather again and it’s so nice to gather again. It’s so nice to look forward to just being together every day in spirit, as we take this journey. So, it is wonderful, as it is every day to be here around the Global Campfire taking our next step forward, and the next step leads us back into the book of Isaiah. We are, we are in the back half of Isaiah moving towards its conclusion. Today, Isaiah chapter 51, 52 and 53.

Commentary:

Okay so, in the book of Isaiah today, we read a very, very famous passage. It is a passage of Scripture that is a foretelling of the coming Messiah, the Savior. And so, I quote from Isaiah, “but he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, upon him was the punishment that made us whole and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have all turned our own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” So that prophecy depicting Jesus lets us know that what Paul is telling us in Ephesians about the…the greatness, the overwhelming greatness of this faith, and this salvation, that this came at a very high price and that realization should humble us and pull us forward into Jesus. Paul says it like this in our reading from today, “therefore be imitators of God.” Like, we should just stop there for a second, we, we, we read verses and get their meanings. But if we slow down, what if be imitators of God, as beloved children, just that right there. That’s mind blowing. That’s mind-blowing stuff. Children of God, imitators of God. This is given to us as a gift that came at a great price and was given to us for free. And so often we live our lives just grabbing whatever we can get and whatever we need as entitled children of God, instead of humbled children of God who are so deeply grateful. So aware of how fortunate we actually are.

09/26/2023 DAB Transcript (Part 2)

We’re talking about…we’re talking about being born again and starting over with a new nature set apart as holy to God, a fully restored human, a fully restored humanity created in the image of God. And we know pretty well we are who we are. We have what we have. We can’t give ourselves a new nature. But…but it’s available as a gift from God and all we have to do is believe it and collaborate in it. And that’s how we end our reading today, with Paul summing it up. And I quote. “So then, putting away falsehood let each of you speak the truth with your neighbor for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger and do not make room for the devil. Those who steal must give up stealing. Rather let them labor doing good work with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is good for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you.” So, there are a lot of behavioral things and there are postures in there. But Paul says let the Spirit renew your thoughts. In other words, we can allow the Spirit of God to remind us of who we were created to be. And anger and bitterness and unforgiveness, those are not choosing the best version of ourselves. We have been given a new nature. We are growing in a new direction. We are growing up to look like Jesus. The alternative would be to sort of try to have lip service to Jesus trying to hold on to this old nature along with this new nature, so half dead, half alive. This is not righteous and holy. This is not set apart to God. So, it does kinda come down to a choice. All kinds of messaging are being sent at us every day. We’ll get the best version of ourselves if we will make the choice to buy the thing. What’s being offered to us here is free. The best version of ourselves is the one who is reborn, made new, set apart as holy and righteous before God as a member of God’s family. What we have to do is believe and obey. The best version of ourselves is found in surrendering to God and walking through life in the glorious dance that is the gift of life that He has given us. So, I guess it comes down to a choice. Which version…if we’re gonna continue to use the vernacular, which version do we want to be?

Prayer: Holy Spirit, we invite you into that. And we recognize the tension in it because immediately our hearts say, this is…we want to be reborn, we want to be set apart, we want to be remade, we want to be holy, we want to be good children, we want to be sons and daughters that make you proud. And we can say that from our heart and we can even intellectualize it from our head, but then we catch ourselves doing all kinds of things that do not bring glory to your name. And, so, we realize we’re pretty conflicted about it because our…our words and our deeds don’t always match. And, so, to live into this and become who you’ve created us to be, which would be the best version of…that we could ever be, we will have to surrender to you. We actually don’t know how to do this. We haven’t figured it out. But you have created life itself and you know how it works. And, so, we surrender to you, and we open our hands and let go of all the things that we are holding onto and we become aware of your presence all around us and within us, a still small voice leading us forward. Come Holy Spirit lead us into all truth we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

09/26/2023 DAB Transcript (Part 1)

Isaiah 48:12-50:11, Ephesians 4:17-32, Psalms 69:1-18, Proverbs 24:5-6

Today is the 26th day of September welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian and it is wonderful to be together with you today. Yeah, every day is a wonderful opportunity to come around the Global Campfire and find a place and take a step forward together. So, let’s put one foot in front of the other and take that next step forward, which leads us back into the book of Isaiah. And today we will read chapter 48 verse 12 through 50 verse 11.

Commentary:

Okay. So, in the world today there is a premise and it’s a marketing tool and its used and slapped on all kinds of different goods and services with…with a promise. And the promise is, if you have this thing then you can experience like the best iteration of…of who you are, your…your best self. You’ll be your best self if you get this thing. And you begin to realize if you’re paying attention, wow, I need a lot of things to have my best self because everything that’s being marketed to me is promising me a better self, a better life, a better experience if I just have this thing. So, I guess I need everything. So, Paul’s kinda talking about this best version, like what we’re growing into, the best version of ourself in our reading from today. And he starts out by…by clarifying what it’s not. And Paul describes that as “walking in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. They’ve lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. That is not the way you learned Christ.” So, according to Paul, keeping our mind closed and our heart hardened is not the path forward. If we want to become the best version of ourselves Paul says there’s an ingredient that’s absolutely essential and irreplaceable and that is faith. Faith activates your renewal. Faith is the only path that leads us to God. And…and…and to actually live faith beyond just saying the right words, to actually live into your faith requires that we believe with our whole heart. And that can’t be done with a closed mind and a hardened heart. So, that path cannot get us there. It’s not who we…we were made to be. So, how do we move toward this best iteration, this best version. And I quote from Paul. “Put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and diluted by its lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds. Clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness’s. So, if we’re breaking this down Paul’s saying there is a new nature and new self, created after the likeness of God, that becomes ours through faith. The best version of ourselves would be to become a new creation. And that this is even remotely a possibility should be overwhelming to us, that we could be made new again. But through faith Paul is saying that’s what happens. You put on a new nature and it’s not just a reset, a reset where you get to just start over and corrupt your new nature. It’s the nature of God. It’s truly righteous and holy. It makes us new creatures and sets us apart. I mean, I know we…it’s so easy if you’ve been in the faith a long time to get into a theological concept, our doctrine and just glaze over and go yeah, great, I believe it. Great. If we’d stop and understand the implications though.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Wednesday September 27, 2023 (NIV)

Isaiah 51-53

Salvation for Zion

51 Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,
you who seek the Lord:
Look to the rock from which you were cut,
and to the quarry from which you were dug.
Look to Abraham your father,
and to Sarah who gave birth to you.
When I called him, he was only one;
I blessed him and made him many.(A)
For the Lord will comfort Zion;(B)
he will comfort all her waste places,
and he will make her wilderness like Eden,(C)
and her desert like the garden of the Lord.(D)
Joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and melodious song.
Pay attention to me, my people,
and listen to me, my nation;
for instruction will come from me,
and my justice for a light to the nations.(E)
I will bring it about quickly.
My righteousness is near,(F)
my salvation appears,
and my arms will bring justice to the nations.(G)
The coasts and islands will put their hope in me,
and they will look to my strength.[a]
Look up to the heavens,
and look at the earth beneath;
for the heavens will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and its inhabitants will die like gnats.[b](H)
But my salvation will last forever,(I)
and my righteousness will never be shattered.
Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people in whose heart is my instruction:(J)
do not fear disgrace by men,
and do not be shattered by their taunts.
For moths will devour them like a garment,(K)
and worms will eat them like wool.(L)
But my righteousness will last forever,
and my salvation for all generations.
Wake up, wake up!
Arm of the Lord, clothe yourself with strength.
Wake up as in days past,
as in generations long ago.
Wasn’t it you who hacked Rahab to pieces,(M)
who pierced the sea monster?(N)
10 Wasn’t it you who dried up the sea,(O)
the waters of the great deep,
who made the sea-bed into a road
for the redeemed to pass over?(P)
11 And the ransomed of the Lord will return(Q)
and come to Zion with singing,
crowned with unending joy.
Joy and gladness will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee.

12 I—I am the one who comforts you.
Who are you that you should fear humans who die,(R)
or a son of man who is given up like grass?(S)
13 But you have forgotten the Lord, your Maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth.(T)
You are in constant dread all day long
because of the fury of the oppressor,
who has set himself to destroy.
But where is the fury of the oppressor?(U)
14 The prisoner[c] is soon to be set free;
he will not die and go to the Pit,
and his food will not be lacking.
15 For I am the Lord your God
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar(V)
his name is the Lord of Armies.
16 I have put my words in your mouth,(W)
and covered you in the shadow of my hand,(X)
in order to plant[d] the heavens,
to found the earth,
and to say to Zion, “You are my people.”

17 Wake yourself, wake yourself up!
Stand up, Jerusalem,
you who have drunk the cup of his fury(Y)
from the Lord’s hand;
you who have drunk the goblet to the dregs—
the cup that causes people to stagger.
18 There is no one to guide her
among all the children she has raised;
there is no one to take hold of her hand
among all the offspring she has brought up.
19 These two things have happened to you:(Z)
devastation and destruction,
famine and sword.
Who will grieve for you?
How can I[e] comfort you?
20 Your children have fainted;
they lie at the head of every street
like an antelope in a net.
They are full of the Lord’s fury,
the rebuke of your God.

21 So listen to this, suffering
and drunken one—but not with wine.(AA)
22 This is what your Lord says—
the Lord, even your God,
who defends his people(AB)
“Look, I have removed from your hand
the cup that causes staggering;
that goblet, the cup of my fury.
You will never drink it again.
23 I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,
who said to you,(AC)
‘Lie down, so we can walk over you.’
You made your back like the ground,
and like a street for those who walk on it.

52 “Wake up, wake up;
put on your strength, Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments,(AD)
Jerusalem, the holy city!(AE)
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
will no longer enter you.(AF)
Stand up, shake the dust off yourself!
Take your seat, Jerusalem.
Remove the bonds[f] from your neck,
captive Daughter Zion.”
For this is what the Lord says:
“You were sold for nothing,
and you will be redeemed without silver.”(AG)
For this is what the Lord God says:
“At first my people went down to Egypt to reside there,(AH)
then Assyria oppressed them without cause.[g]
So now what have I here”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“that my people are taken away for nothing?
Its rulers wail”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“and my name is continually blasphemed all day long.(AI)
Therefore my people will know my name;(AJ)
therefore they will know on that day
that I am he who says,
‘Here I am.’”

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the herald,
who proclaims peace,
who brings news of good things,(AK)
who proclaims salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (AL)
The voices of your watchmen(AM)
they lift up their voices,
shouting for joy together;
for every eye will see
when the Lord returns to Zion.
Be joyful, rejoice together,
you ruins of Jerusalem!(AN)
For the Lord has comforted his people;(AO)
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has displayed his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;(AP)
all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.(AQ)

11 Leave, leave, go out from there!(AR)
Do not touch anything unclean;
go out from her, purify yourselves,(AS)
you who carry the vessels of the Lord.
12 For you will not leave in a hurry,(AT)
and you will not have to take flight;
because the Lord is going before you,(AU)
and the God of Israel is your rear guard.(AV)

The Servant’s Suffering and Exaltation

13 See, my servant[h](AW) will be successful;[i]
he will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted.(AX)
14 Just as many were appalled at you[j]
his appearance was so disfigured
that he did not look like a man,
and his form did not resemble a human being—
15 so he will sprinkle many nations.[k](AY)
Kings will shut their mouths because of him,
for they will see what had not been told them,
and they will understand what they had not heard.(AZ)

53 Who has believed what we have heard?[l]
And to whom has the arm of the Lord(BA) been revealed?(BB)
He grew up before him like a young plant(BC)
and like a root out of dry ground.
He didn’t have an impressive form
or majesty that we should look at him,
no appearance that we should desire him.(BD)
He was despised and rejected by men,(BE)
a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.(BF)
He was like someone people turned away from;[m]
he was despised, and we didn’t value him.

Yet he himself bore our sicknesses,
and he carried our pains;(BG)
but we in turn regarded him stricken,
struck down by God,(BH) and afflicted.
But he was pierced because of our rebellion,(BI)
crushed because of our iniquities;(BJ)
punishment(BK) for our peace was on him,
and we are healed by his wounds.(BL)
We all went astray like sheep;(BM)
we all have turned to our own way;
and the Lord has punished him
for[n] the iniquity(BN) of us all.(BO)

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
and like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not open his mouth.(BP)
He was taken away because of oppression and judgment,
and who considered his fate?[o]
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
he was struck because of my people’s rebellion.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
but he was with a rich man at his death,(BQ)
because he had done no violence
and had not spoken deceitfully.(BR)

10 Yet the Lord was pleased(BS) to crush him severely.[p](BT)
When[q] you make him a guilt offering,(BU)
he will see his seed, he will prolong his days,
and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.(BV)
11 After his anguish,
he will see light[r] and be satisfied.
By his knowledge,
my righteous(BW) servant(BX) will justify many,(BY)
and he will carry their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him[s] the many as a portion,
and he will receive[t] the mighty as spoil,
because he willingly submitted to death,(BZ)
and was counted among the rebels;(CA)
yet he bore the sin of many(CB)
and interceded for the rebels.(CC)

Footnotes:

  1. 51:5 Lit arm
  2. 51:6 Or die in like manner
  3. 51:14 Hb obscure
  4. 51:16 Syr reads to stretch out
  5. 51:19 DSS, LXX, Syr, Vg read you? Who can
  6. 52:2 Alt Hb tradition reads The bonds are removed
  7. 52:4 Or them at last, or them for nothing
  8. 52:13 Tg adds the Messiah
  9. 52:13 Or will act wisely
  10. 52:14 Some Hb mss, Syr, Tg read him
  11. 52:15 LXX reads so many nations will marvel at him
  12. 53:1 Or believed our report
  13. 53:3 Lit And like a hiding of faces from him
  14. 53:6 Or has placed on him; lit with
  15. 53:8 Or and as for his generation, who considered him?
  16. 53:10 Or him; he made him sick.
  17. 53:10 Or If
  18. 53:11 DSS, LXX; MT omits light
  19. 53:12 Or him with
  20. 53:12 Or receive with

Cross references:

  1. 51:2 : Gn 12:1; 15:5; Dt 1:10; Is 29:22; 41:8; 63:16; Ezk 33:24
  2. 51:3 : Is 40:1
  3. 51:3 : Gn 2:8; Jl 2:3
  4. 51:3 : Gn 13:10
  5. 51:4 : Is 42:6; 49:6
  6. 51:5 : Is 46:13; 54:17
  7. 51:5 : Is 40:10
  8. 51:6 : Ps 102:25–26; Is 34:4; Mt 24:35; Heb 1:10–12; 2Pt 3:10
  9. 51:6 : Is 45:17; 2Tm 2:10; Heb 5:9
  10. 51:7 : Ps 37:31
  11. 51:8 : Is 50:9
  12. 51:8 : Is 14:11
  13. 51:9 : Jb 26:12; Ps 89:10; Is 30:7
  14. 51:9 : Ps 74:13; Is 27:1
  15. 51:10 : Is 11:15–16; 50:2; 63:11–12
  16. 51:10 : Ex 15:13
  17. 51:11 : Is 35:10
  18. 51:12 : Ps 118:6; Is 2:22
  19. 51:12 : Is 40:6–7; Jms 1:10–11; 1Pt 1:24
  20. 51:13 : Is 44:24; 45:12; Am 9:6; Zch 12:1
  21. 51:13 : Is 49:26
  22. 51:15 : Ps 107:25; Jr 31:35
  23. 51:16 : Is 59:21
  24. 51:16 : Ex 33:22; Is 49:2
  25. 51:17 : Jb 21:20; Is 63:6; Jr 25:15; Mt 20:22; 26:39; Jn 18:1; Rv 14:10
  26. 51:19 : Is 47:9
  27. 51:21 : Is 29:9
  28. 51:22 : Is 3:12–13; 49:25; Jr 50:34
  29. 51:23 : Is 49:26; Jr 25:15–17,26,28; Zch 12:2
  30. 52:1 : Is 61:3
  31. 52:1 : Neh 11:1; Is 48:2
  32. 52:1 : Is 35:8; Rv 21:27
  33. 52:3 : Is 45:13; 1Pt 1:18
  34. 52:4 : Gn 46:6
  35. 52:5 : Ezk 36:20; Rm 2:24
  36. 52:6 : Is 49:23
  37. 52:7 : Nah 1:15; Rm 10:15
  38. 52:7 : Ps 93:1; Is 24:23
  39. 52:8 : Is 62:6
  40. 52:9 : Is 44:26; 51:3; 61:4
  41. 52:9 : Is 40:1
  42. 52:10 : Ps 98:1–3; Is 51:9; 66:18–19
  43. 52:10 : Is 40:5; Lk 3:6
  44. 52:11 : Is 48:20; Jr 50:8; Ezk 20:34,41; Zch 2:6,7; 2Co 6:17
  45. 52:11 : 2Co 6:17; 2Tm 2:19
  46. 52:12 : Ex 12:11,33; Dt 16:3
  47. 52:12 : Ex 23:23; Dt 1:30; 31:8; Is 45:2
  48. 52:12 : Jos 6:9,13; Is 58:8
  49. 52:13 : Is 42:1; 49:3–7; 50:10; 53:11; Ezk 34:23–24; Zch 3:8; Ac 3:13
  50. 52:13 : Php 2:9–11
  51. 52:15 : Nm 19:18–21; Ezk 36:25
  52. 52:15 : Rm 15:21; Eph 3:5
  53. 53:1 : Is 30:30; 40:10; 48:14; 51:9; 52:10; Lk 1:51; Ac 13:17
  54. 53:1 : Jn 12:38; Rm 10:16
  55. 53:2 : Is 11:1
  56. 53:2 : Is 52:14
  57. 53:3 : Ps 22:6; Is 49:7; Lk 18:31–33
  58. 53:3 : Mk 8:31; Jn 1:10–11; Heb 4:15
  59. 53:4 : Mt 8:17; 1Pt 2:21
  60. 53:4 : Ps 69:26
  61. 53:5 : Is 53:8; Rm 4:25; 1Co 15:3; Heb 9:28
  62. 53:5 : Is 1:4
  63. 53:5 : Jr 2:30; Zph 3:2; Heb 5:8
  64. 53:5–6 : 1Pt 2:24–25
  65. 53:6 : Mt 18:12
  66. 53:6 : Is 13:11
  67. 53:6 : 2Co 5:21; Col 2:14
  68. 53:7 : Jr 11:19; Mt 26:63; 27:12–14; Lk 23:9; Jn 19:9; Ac 8:32–33; 1Pt 2:23
  69. 53:9 : Mt 27:57–60
  70. 53:9 : Heb 4:15; 1Pt 2:22; 1Jn 3:5
  71. 53:10 : Is 44:28; 55:11
  72. 53:10 : Dt 29:22; Is 17:11
  73. 53:10 : Lv 5:1–19
  74. 53:10 : Is 46:10
  75. 53:11 : 1Jn 2:1
  76. 53:11 : Is 42:1
  77. 53:11 : Ac 13:39; Rm 5:18–19
  78. 53:12 : Mt 26:42; Jn 10:14–18; Php 2:6–8
  79. 53:12 : Lk 22:37
  80. 53:12 : Heb 9:28
  81. 53:12 : Lk 23:34; Rm 8:34; Heb 7:25
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Ephesians 5

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us,(A) a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But sexual immorality(B) and any impurity(C) or greed(D) should not even be heard of[a] among you, as is proper for saints. Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral(E) or impure(F) or greedy(G) person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom(H) of Christ and of God.

Light versus Darkness

Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath(I) is coming on the disobedient[b] because of these things. Therefore, do not become their partners. For you were once darkness, but now you are light(J) in the Lord. Walk as children of light(K) for the fruit of the light[c] consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth(L) 10 testing(M) what is pleasing(N) to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless(O) works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible,(P) 14 for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said:

Get up, sleeper,(Q) and rise up from the dead,(R)
and Christ will shine on you.(S)

Consistency in the Christian Life

15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— 16 making the most of the time,[d](T) because the days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand(U) what the Lord’s will(V) is. 18 And don’t get drunk(W) with wine,(X) which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit:(Y) 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.(Z)

Wives and Husbands

22 Wives,(AA) submit[e](AB) to your husbands(AC) as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife(AD) as Christ is the head(AE) of the church. He is the Savior of the body.(AF) 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives,(AG) just as Christ loved(AH) the church and gave himself(AI) for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[f] her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.(AJ) 28 In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 since we are members of his body.[g] 31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,(AK) and the two will become one flesh.[h](AL) 32 This mystery(AM) is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 To sum up, each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband.

Footnotes:

  1. 5:3 Or be named
  2. 5:6 Lit sons of disobedience
  3. 5:9 Other mss read fruit of the Spirit
  4. 5:16 Lit buying back the time
  5. 5:22 Other mss omit submit
  6. 5:26 Or having cleansed
  7. 5:30 Other mss add and of his flesh and of his bones
  8. 5:31 Gn 2:24
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Psalm 69:19-36

19 You know the insults I endure—
my shame and disgrace.
You are aware of all my adversaries.(A)
20 Insults have broken my heart,
and I am in despair.
I waited for sympathy,
but there was none;
for comforters, but found no one.(B)
21 Instead, they gave me gall for my food,
and for my thirst
they gave me vinegar to drink.(C)

22 Let their table set before them be a snare,
and let it be a trap for their allies.(D)
23 Let their eyes grow too dim to see,
and let their hips continually quake.(E)
24 Pour out your rage on them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.(F)
25 Make their fortification desolate;
may no one live in their tents.(G)
26 For they persecute the one you struck
and talk about the pain of those you wounded.(H)
27 Charge them with crime on top of crime;
do not let them share in your righteousness.(I)
28 Let them be erased from the book of life
and not be recorded with the righteous.(J)

29 But as for me—poor and in pain—
let your salvation protect me, God.(K)
30 I will praise God’s name with song
and exalt him with thanksgiving.(L)
31 That will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with horns and hooves.(M)
32 The humble will see it and rejoice.
You who seek God, take heart!(N)
33 For the Lord listens to the needy
and does not despise
his own who are prisoners.(O)

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them,(P)
35 for God will save Zion
and build up[a] the cities of Judah.
They will live there and possess it.(Q)
36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will live in it.(R)

Footnotes:

  1. 69:35 Or and rebuild
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Proverbs 24:7

Wisdom is inaccessible to[a] a fool;(A)
he does not open his mouth at the city gate.(B)

Footnotes:

  1. 24:7 Lit is too high for
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Tuesday September 26, 2023 (NIV)

Isaiah 48:12-50:11

12 “Listen to me, Jacob,
and Israel, the one called by me:
I am he; I am the first,
I am also the last.(A)
13 My own hand founded the earth,
and my right hand spread out the heavens;(B)
when I summoned them,
they stood up together.
14 All of you, assemble and listen!
Who among the idols[a] has declared these things?
The Lord loves him;[b]
he will accomplish his will against Babylon,(C)
and his arm will be against the Chaldeans.
15 I—I have spoken;
yes, I have called him;(D)
I have brought him,
and he will succeed in his mission.(E)
16 Approach me and listen to this.
From the beginning I have not spoken in secret;(F)
from the time anything existed, I was there.”
And now the Lord God
has sent me and his Spirit.(G)

17 This is what the Lord, your Redeemer,(H) the Holy One of Israel(I) says:

I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you for your benefit,
who leads you in the way you should go.
18 If only you had paid attention to my commands.
Then your peace would have been like a river,(J)
and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.(K)
19 Your descendants would have been as countless as the sand,(L)
and the offspring of your body like its grains;
their name would not be cut off
or eliminated from my presence.

20 Leave Babylon,
flee from the Chaldeans!
Declare with a shout of joy,
proclaim this,
let it go out to the end of the earth;
announce,
“The Lord has redeemed his servant(M) Jacob!”
21 They did not thirst
when he led them through the deserts;
he made water flow from the rock for them;(N)
he split the rock, and water gushed out.
22 “There is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.(O)

The Servant Brings Salvation

49 Coasts and islands,[c] listen to me;
distant peoples, pay attention.
The Lord called(P) me before I was born.
He named me while I was in my mother’s womb.(Q)
He made my words like a sharp sword;(R)
he hid me in the shadow of his hand.(S)
He made me like a sharpened arrow;
he hid me in his quiver.
He said to me, “You are my servant,(T)
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
But I myself said: I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and futility;
yet my vindication is with the Lord,
and my reward is with my God.
And now, says the Lord,
who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him
so that Israel might be gathered to him;
for I am honored in the sight of the Lord,
and my God is my strength—
he says,
“It is not enough for you to be my servant
raising up the tribes of Jacob
and restoring the protected ones of Israel.
I will also make you a light for the nations,(U)
to be my salvation to the ends of the earth.”(V)
This is what the Lord,
the Redeemer(W) of Israel, his Holy One, says
to one who is despised,
to one abhorred by people,[d](X)
to a servant of rulers:
“Kings will see, princes will stand up,
and they[e] will all bow down
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel(Y)—and he has chosen you.”(Z)

This is what the Lord says:

I will answer you in a time of favor,
and I will help you in the day of salvation.(AA)
I will keep you, and I will appoint you
to be a covenant for the people,(AB)
to restore the land,
to make them possess the desolate inheritances,
saying to the prisoners, “Come out,”(AC)
and to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.”
They will feed along the pathways,
and their pastures will be on all the barren heights.(AD)
10 They will not hunger or thirst,
the scorching heat or sun will not strike them;
for their compassionate one will guide them,
and lead them to springs.(AE)
11 I will make all my mountains into a road,
and my highways will be raised up.(AF)
12 See, these will come from far away,
from the north and from the west,[f](AG)
and from the land of Sinim.[g][h]

13 Shout for joy, you heavens!(AH)
Earth, rejoice!
Mountains break into joyful shouts!
For the Lord has comforted his people,(AI)
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.(AJ)

Zion Remembered

14 Zion says, “The Lord has abandoned me;
the Lord has forgotten me!”
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
or lack compassion for the child of her womb?
Even if these forget,
yet I will not forget you.
16 Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;(AK)
your walls are continually before me.
17 Your builders[i] hurry;
those who destroy and devastate you will leave you.
18 Look up, and look around.
They all gather together; they come to you.(AL)
As I live”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“you will wear all your children[j] as jewelry,
and put them on as a bride does.
19 For your waste and desolate places
and your land marked by ruins
will now be indeed too small for the inhabitants,(AM)
and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 Yet as you listen, the children
that you have been deprived of will say,
‘This place is too small for me;
make room for me so that I may settle.’(AN)
21 Then you will say within yourself,
‘Who fathered these for me?
I was deprived of my children and unable to conceive,
exiled and wandering—
but who brought them up?
See, I was left by myself—
but these, where did they come from?’” [k]

22 This is what the Lord God says:

Look, I will lift up my hand to the nations,
and raise my banner to the peoples.(AO)
They will bring your sons in their arms,
and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.(AP)
23 Kings will be your guardians
and their queens[l] your nursing mothers.(AQ)
They will bow down to you
with their faces to the ground
and lick the dust at your feet.(AR)
Then you will know that I am the Lord;(AS)
those who put their hope in me
will not be put to shame.(AT)

24 Can the prey be taken from a mighty man,
or the captives of a tyrant[m] be delivered?
25 For this is what the Lord says:
“Even the captives of a mighty man will be taken,
and the prey of a tyrant will be delivered;
I will contend with the one who contends with you,
and I will save your children.
26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,(AU)
and they will be drunk with their own blood
as with sweet wine.
Then all humanity will know
that I, the Lord, am your Savior,(AV)
and your Redeemer,(AW) the Mighty One of Jacob.”(AX)

50 This is what the Lord says:

Where is your mother’s divorce certificate
that I used to send her away?(AY)
Or to which of my creditors did I sell you?(AZ)
Look, you were sold for your iniquities,(BA)
and your mother was sent away
because of your transgressions.
Why was no one there when I came?
Why was there no one to answer when I called?
Is my arm too weak to redeem?(BB)
Or do I have no power to rescue?
Look, I dry up the sea by my rebuke;(BC)
I turn the rivers into a wilderness;
their fish rot because of lack of water
and die of thirst.
I dress the heavens in black
and make sackcloth their covering.(BD)

The Obedient Servant

The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are instructed(BE)
to know how to sustain the weary with a word.
He awakens me each morning;
he awakens my ear to listen like those being instructed.(BF)
The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I did not turn back.(BG)
I gave my back to those who beat me,
and my cheeks to those who tore out my beard.
I did not hide my face from scorn and spitting.(BH)

The Lord God will help me;
therefore I have not been humiliated;
therefore I have set my face like flint,(BI)
and I know I will not be put to shame.
The one who vindicates me is near;(BJ)
who will contend with me?
Let us confront each other.[n]
Who has a case against me?[o]
Let him come near me!

In truth, the Lord God will help me;
who will condemn me?(BK)
Indeed, all of them will wear out like a garment;
a moth will devour them.(BL)
10 Who among you fears the Lord
and listens to his servant?(BM)
Who among you walks in darkness,
and has no light?
Let him trust in the name of the Lord;
let him lean on his God.
11 Look, all you who kindle a fire,
who encircle yourselves with[p] torches;
walk in the light of your fire
and of the torches you have lit!
This is what you’ll get from my hand:
you will lie down in a place of torment.

Footnotes:

  1. 48:14 Lit among them
  2. 48:14 = Cyrus
  3. 49:1 Or Islands
  4. 49:7 Or by the nation
  5. 49:7 Lit princes and they
  6. 49:12 Lit sea
  7. 49:12 DSS read of the Syenites
  8. 49:12 Perhaps modern Aswan in southern Egypt
  9. 49:17 DSS, Aq, Theod, Vg; MT, Syr, Sym read sons
  10. 49:18 Lit all of them
  11. 49:21 Lit where are they
  12. 49:23 Lit princesses
  13. 49:24 DSS, Syr, Vg; MT reads a righteous man
  14. 50:8 Lit us stand
  15. 50:8 Lit Who is lord of my judgment
  16. 50:11 Syr reads who set ablaze

Cross references:

  1. 48:12 : Is 41:4; 43:10–13; 46:4; Rv 1:17
  2. 48:13 : Ps 102:25; Is 42:5; 45:12,18; Heb 1:10–12
  3. 48:14 : Is 13:4–5,17–19; 46:10–11
  4. 48:15 : Is 41:2; 45:1–2
  5. 48:15 : Is 53:10
  6. 48:16 : Is 45:19
  7. 48:16 : Nm 27:18; Ps 51:11; Is 61:1; 63:7,10; Zch 2:9,11
  8. 48:17 : Is 41:14; 43:14
  9. 48:17 : Is 1:4
  10. 48:18 : Is 32:16–18; 66:12
  11. 48:18 : Dt 5:29; 32:29; Ps 81:13–16; Am 5:24
  12. 48:19 : Gn 22:17; Is 10:22; 44:3–4; 54:3; Hs 1:10
  13. 48:20 : Is 41:8–9; 42:19; 43:10; 44:1–2,21; 45:4; 49:3; 54:17; Lk 1:54
  14. 48:21 : Ex 17:6; Ps 78:15–16
  15. 48:22 : Is 57:21
  16. 49:1 : Is 44:2,24; 46:3; Jr 1:5
  17. 49:1 : Lk 1:15
  18. 49:2 : Is 11:4; Heb 4:12; Rv 1:16; 2:12,16
  19. 49:2 : Is 51:16
  20. 49:3 : Is 41:8–9; 42:1; 49:5–7; 50:10; 52:13; 53:11; Ezk 34:23–24; Zch 3:8; Ac 3:13
  21. 49:6 : Is 42:6; 51:4; Lk 2:32; Ac 13:47; 26:23
  22. 49:6 : Ac 13:47
  23. 49:7 : Is 41:14; 43:14
  24. 49:7 : Ps 22:6–8; 69:7–9; Is 53:3
  25. 49:7 : Is 1:4
  26. 49:7 : Is 41:8–9; 42:1; 43:10,20; 44:1–2; 45:4; 65:9,15,22
  27. 49:8 : Ps 69:13; 2Co 6:2
  28. 49:8 : Is 42:6
  29. 49:9 : Is 42:7; 61:1; Lk 4:18
  30. 49:9 : Is 41:18
  31. 49:10 : Ps 23:2; Is 40:11; Jn 4:10; Rv 7:16–17
  32. 49:11 : Is 40:4
  33. 49:12 : Is 43:5–6
  34. 49:13 : Is 44:23
  35. 49:13 : Is 40:1
  36. 49:13 : Is 54:7–10; Mt 11:29
  37. 49:16 : Sg 8:6; Hg 2:23
  38. 49:18 : Is 60:4
  39. 49:19 : Is 54:1–2; Zch 10:10
  40. 49:20 : Is 54:1–3
  41. 49:22 : Is 11:10–12; 18:3; 62:10
  42. 49:22 : Is 14:2; 43:6; 60:4
  43. 49:23 : Is 60:3,10–11
  44. 49:23 : Is 14:1–2
  45. 49:23 : Is 41:20; 43:10; 60:16
  46. 49:23 : Ps 25:3; Is 45:17; Jl 2:27
  47. 49:26 : Is 9:20
  48. 49:26 : Is 43:3
  49. 49:26 : Is 41:14
  50. 49:26 : Gn 49:24; Ps 132:2,5; Is 60:16
  51. 50:1 : Dt 24:1–3; Jr 3:8
  52. 50:1 : Dt 32:30; 2Kg 4:1; Neh 5:5
  53. 50:1 : Is 13:11
  54. 50:2 : Gn 18:14; Nm 11:23; Is 59:1
  55. 50:2 : Ex 14:21; Is 43:16; 44:27
  56. 50:3 : Rv 6:12
  57. 50:4 : Is 8:16; 54:13
  58. 50:4 : Jn 4:34
  59. 50:5 : Jn 8:29; 14:31; 15:10; Php 2:8; Heb 5:8
  60. 50:6 : Mt 26:67; 27:26; Mk 14:65; 15:19; Lk 22:63; Jn 19:1–5
  61. 50:7 : Ezk 3:8–9
  62. 50:8 : Is 45:25
  63. 50:9 : Rm 8:33–34
  64. 50:9 : Jb 13:28; Is 51:8; Hs 5:12
  65. 50:10 : Is 42:1; 49:3–7; 52:13; 53:11; Ezk 34:23–24; Zch 3:8; Ac 3:13
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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Ephesians 4:17-32

Living the New Life

17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because[a] of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity(A) with a desire for more and more.[b]

20 But that is not how you came to know Christ, 21 assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth(B) is in Jesus, 22 to take off[c](C) your former way of life,(D) the old self(E) that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed[d] in the spirit(F) of your minds, 24 and to put on[e](G) the new self, the one created(H) according to God’s likeness(I) in righteousness and purity of the truth.

25 Therefore, putting away(J) lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,[f](K) because we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin.[g](L) Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity. 28 Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share(M) with anyone in need. 29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need,[h] so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit.(N) You were sealed by him[i] for the day of redemption.(O) 31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind(P) and compassionate(Q) to one another, forgiving(R) one another, just as God also forgave you[j] in Christ.

Footnotes:

  1. 4:18 Or in them because
  2. 4:19 Lit with greediness
  3. 4:21–22 Or Jesus. This means: take off (as a command)
  4. 4:22–23 Or desires; renew (as a command)
  5. 4:23–24 Or minds; and put on (as a command)
  6. 4:25 Zch 8:16
  7. 4:26 Ps 4:4
  8. 4:29 Lit for the building up of the need
  9. 4:30 Or Spirit, by whom you were sealed
  10. 4:32 Other mss read us
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Psalm 69:1-18

Psalm 69

A Plea for Rescue

For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.”(A) Of David.

Save me, God,
for the water has risen to my neck.(B)
I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing;
I have come into deep water,
and a flood sweeps over me.(C)
I am weary from my crying;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail, looking for my God.(D)
Those who hate me without cause
are more numerous than the hairs of my head;
my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me,
are powerful.(E)
Though I did not steal, I must repay.(F)

God, you know my foolishness,
and my guilty acts are not hidden from you.(G)
Do not let those who put their hope in you
be disgraced because of me,
Lord God of Armies;
do not let those who seek you
be humiliated because of me,
God of Israel.(H)
For I have endured insults because of you,
and shame has covered my face.(I)
I have become a stranger to my brothers
and a foreigner to my mother’s sons(J)
because zeal for your house has consumed me,(K)
and the insults of those who insult you
have fallen on me.(L)
10 I mourned and fasted,
but it brought me insults.(M)
11 I wore sackcloth as my clothing,
and I was a joke to them.
12 Those who sit at the city gate talk about me,
and drunkards make up songs about me.(N)

13 But as for me, Lord,
my prayer to you is for a time of favor.
In your abundant, faithful love, God,
answer me with your sure salvation.(O)
14 Rescue me from the miry mud; don’t let me sink.
Let me be rescued from those who hate me
and from the deep water.(P)
15 Don’t let the floodwaters sweep over me
or the deep swallow me up;
don’t let the Pit close its mouth over me.(Q)
16 Answer me, Lord,
for your faithful love is good.
In keeping with your abundant compassion,
turn to me.(R)
17 Don’t hide your face from your servant,
for I am in distress.
Answer me quickly!(S)
18 Come near to me and redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies.(T)

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Proverbs 24:5-6

A wise warrior is better than a strong one,[a]
and a man of knowledge than one of strength;[b](A)
for you should wage war with sound guidance—
victory comes with many counselors.(B)

Footnotes:

  1. 24:5 LXX, Syr; MT reads is in strength
  2. 24:5 LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads knowledge exerts strength

Cross references:

  1. 24:5 : Pr 21:22
  2. 24:6 : Pr 11:14; 15:22; 20:18
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.