Isaiah 3; Isaiah 4; Galatians 6

Isaiah 3

1 For now the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts, is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and staff— all support of bread, and all support of water—

2 warrior and soldier, judge and prophet, diviner and elder,

3 captain of fifty and dignitary, counselor and skillful magician and expert enchanter.

4 And I will make boys their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

5 The people will be oppressed, everyone by another and everyone by a neighbor; the youth will be insolent to the elder, and the base to the honorable.

6 Someone will even seize a relative, a member of the clan, saying, "You have a cloak; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule."

7 But the other will cry out on that day, saying, "I will not be a healer; in my house there is neither bread nor cloak; you shall not make me leader of the people."

8 For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.

9 The look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom, they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.

10 Tell the innocent how fortunate they are, for they shall eat the fruit of their labors.

11 Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are, for what their hands have done shall be done to them.

12 My people—children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you, and confuse the course of your paths.

13 The Lord rises to argue his case; he stands to judge the peoples.

14 The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

15 What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God of hosts.

16 The Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet;

17 the Lord will afflict with scabs the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.

18 In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents;

19 the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarfs;

20 the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets;

21 the signet rings and nose rings;

22 the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags;

23 the garments of gauze, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.

24 Instead of perfume there will be a stench; and instead of a sash, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a binding of sackcloth; instead of beauty, shame.

25 Your men shall fall by the sword and your warriors in battle.

26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; ravaged, she shall sit upon the ground.

Isaiah 4

1 Seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, "We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes; just let us be called by your name; take away our disgrace."

2 On that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel.

3 Whoever is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem,

4 once the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.

5 Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over its places of assembly a cloud by day and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night. Indeed over all the glory there will be a canopy.

6 It will serve as a pavilion, a shade by day from the heat, and a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

Galatians 6

1 My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted.

2 Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

3 For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves.

4 All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor's work, will become a cause for pride.

5 For all must carry their own loads.

6 Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.

7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.

8 If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

9 So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.

10 So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.

11 See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand!

12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

13 Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh.

14 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything!

16 As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

17 From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body.

18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.