Isaiah 45; Isaiah 46; 1 Thessalonians 3

1 This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, his appointed king: "I hold your right hand and will help you defeat nations and take away other kings' power. I will open doors for you so city gates will not stop you.

2 I will go before you and make the mountains flat. I will break down the bronze gates of the cities and cut through their iron bars.

3 I will give you the wealth that is stored away and the hidden riches so you will know I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.

4 I do these things for my servants, the people of Jacob, and for my chosen people, the Israelites. Cyrus, I call you by name, and I give you a title of honor even though you don't know me.

5 I am the Lord. There is no other God; I am the only God. I will make you strong, even though you don't know me,

6 so that everyone will know there is no other God. From the east to the west they will know I alone am the Lord.

7 I made the light and the darkness. I bring peace, and I cause troubles. I, the Lord, do all these things.

8 "Sky above, make victory fall like rain; clouds, pour down victory. Let the earth receive it, and let salvation grow, and let victory grow with it. I, the Lord, have created it.

9 "How terrible it will be for those who argue with the God who made them. They are like a piece of broken pottery among many pieces. The clay does not ask the potter, 'What are you doing?' The thing that is made doesn't say to its maker, 'You have no hands.'

10 How terrible it will be for the child who says to his father, 'Why are you giving me life?' How terrible it will be for the child who says to his mother, 'Why are you giving birth to me?'"

11 This is what the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker, says: "You ask me about what will happen. You question me about my children. You give me orders about what I have made.

12 I made the earth and all the people living on it. With my own hands I stretched out the skies, and I commanded all the armies in the sky.

13 I will bring Cyrus to do good things, and I will make his work easy. He will rebuild my city and set my people free without any payment or reward. The Lord All-Powerful says this."

14 The Lord says, "The goods made in Egypt and Cush and the tall people of Seba will come to you and will become yours. The Sabeans will walk behind you, coming along in chains. They will bow down before you and pray to you, saying, 'God is with you, and there is no other God.'"

15 God and Savior of Israel, you are a God that people cannot see.

16 All the people who make idols will be put to great shame; they will go off together in disgrace.

17 But Israel will be saved by the Lord, and that salvation will continue forever. Never again will Israel be put to shame.

18 The Lord created the heavens. He is the God who formed the earth and made it. He did not want it to be empty, but he wanted life on the earth. "I am the Lord. There is no other God.

19 I did not speak in secret or hide my words in some dark place. to look for me in empty places. I am the Lord, and I speak the truth; I say what is right.

20 "You people who have escaped from other nations, gather together and come before me; come near together. People who carry idols of wood don't know what they are doing. They pray to a god who cannot save them.

21 Tell these people to come to me. Let them talk about these things together. Who told you long ago that this would happen? Who told about it long ago? I, the Lord, said these things. There is no other God besides me. I am the only good God. I am the Savior. There is no other God.

22 "All people everywhere, follow me and be saved. I am God. There is no other God.

23 I will make a promise by my own power, and my promise is true; what I say will not be changed. I promise that everyone will bow before me and will promise to follow me.

24 People will say about me, 'Goodness and power come only from the Lord.'" Everyone who has been angry with him will come to him and be ashamed.

25 But with the Lord's help, the people of Israel will be found to be good, and they will praise him.

1 Bel and Nebo bow down. Their idols are carried by animals. The statues are only heavy loads that must be carried; they only make people tired.

2 These gods will all bow down. They cannot save themselves but will all be carried away like prisoners.

3 "Family of Jacob, listen to me! All you people from Israel who are still alive, listen! I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth.

4 Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you. I will carry you and save you.

5 "Can you compare me to anyone? No one is equal to me or like me.

6 Some people are rich with gold and weigh their silver on the scales. They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god. Then they bow down and worship it.

7 They put it on their shoulders and carry it. They set it in its place, and there it stands; it cannot move from its place. People may yell at it, but it cannot answer. It cannot save them from their troubles.

8 "Remember this, and do not forget it! Think about these things, you who turn against God.

9 Remember what happened long ago. Remember that I am God, and there is no other God. I am God, and there is no one like me.

10 From the beginning I told you what would happen in the end. A long time ago I told you things that have not yet happened. When I plan something, it happens. What I want to do, I will do.

11 I am calling a man from the east to carry out my plan; he will come like a hawk from a country far away. I will make what I have said come true; I will do what I have planned.

12 Listen to me, you stubborn people, who are far from what is right.

13 I will soon do the things that are right. I will bring salvation soon. and bring glory to Israel."

1 When we could not wait any longer, we decided it was best to stay in Athens alone

2 and send Timothy to you. Timothy, our brother, works with us for God and helps us tell people the Good News about Christ. We sent him to strengthen and encourage you in your faith

3 so none of you would be upset by these troubles. You yourselves know that we must face these troubles.

4 Even when we were with you, we told you we all would have to suffer, and you know it has happened.

5 Because of this, when I could wait no longer, I sent Timothy to you so I could learn about your faith. I was afraid the devil had tempted you, and then our hard work would have been wasted.

6 But Timothy now has come back to us from you and has brought us good news about your faith and love. He told us that you always remember us in a good way and that you want to see us just as much as we want to see you.

7 So, brothers and sisters, while we have much trouble and suffering, we are encouraged about you because of your faith.

8 Our life is really full if you stand strong in the Lord.

9 We have so much joy before our God because of you. We cannot thank him enough for all the joy we feel.

10 Night and day we continue praying with all our heart that we can see you again and give you all the things you need to make your faith strong.

11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus prepare the way for us to come to you.

12 May the Lord make your love grow more and multiply for each other and for all people so that you will love others as we love you.

13 May your hearts be made strong so that you will be holy and without fault before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.