Isaiah 1; Isaiah 2; Galatians 5

1 Here is the vision about Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah had. It came to him when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were ruling. They were kings of Judah. Isaiah was the son of Amoz.

2 Listen to me, heavens! Pay attention to me, earth! The LORD has said, "I raised children. I brought them up. But they have refused to obey me.

3 The ox knows its master. The donkey knows where its owner feeds it. But Israel does not know me. My people do not understand me."

4 They are a sinful nation. They are loaded down with guilt. They are people who do nothing but evil. They are children who are always sinning. They have deserted the Lord. They have turned against the Holy One of Israel. They have turned their backs on him.

5 Israel, why do you want to be beaten all the time? Why do you always refuse to obey the LORD? Your head is covered with wounds. Your whole heart is weak.

6 There isn't a healthy spot on your body from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head. There are only wounds, cuts and open sores. They haven't been cleaned up or bandaged or treated with olive oil.

7 Your country has been deserted. Your cities have been burned down. The food from your fields is being eaten up by outsiders. They are doing it right in front of you. Your land has been completely destroyed. It looks as if strangers have taken it over.

8 The city of Zion is left like a hut where someone stands guard in a vineyard. It is left like an empty cabin in a melon field. It's like a city that is being attacked.

9 The LORD who rules over all has let some people live through that time of trouble. If he hadn't, we would have become like Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah.

10 Rulers of Sodom, hear the LORD's message. People of Gomorrah, listen to the law of our God.

11 "Do you think I need any more of your sacrifices?" asks the Lord. "I have more than enough of your burnt offerings. I have more than enough of rams and the fat of your fattest animals. I do not find any pleasure in the blood of your bulls, lambs and goats.

12 Who asked you to bring all of those animals when you come to worship me? Who asked you and your animals to walk all over my courtyards?

13 Stop bringing offerings that do not mean anything to me! I hate your incense. I can't stand your evil gatherings. I can't stand the way you celebrate your New Moon Feasts, Sabbath days and special services.

14 I hate your New Moon Feasts and your other appointed feasts. They have become a heavy load to me. I am tired of carrying it.

15 You might spread out your hands toward me when you pray. But I will not look at you. You might even offer many prayers. But I will not listen to them. Your hands are covered with the blood of the people you have murdered.

16 So wash your hands. Make yourselves clean. Get your evil actions out of my sight! Stop doing what is wrong!

17 Learn to do what is right! Treat people fairly. Give hope to those who are beaten down. Cheer them up. Stand up in court for children whose fathers have died. And do the same thing for widows.

18 "Come. Let us talk some more about this matter," says the Lord. "Even though your sins are bright red, they will be as white as snow. Even though they are deep red, they will be white like wool.

19 But you have to be willing to change and obey me. If you are, you will eat the best food that grows on the land.

20 You must follow me. You must obey me. If you do not, you will be killed with swords." The LORD has spoken.

21 See how the faithful city of Jerusalem has become like a prostitute! Once it was full of people who treated others fairly. Those who did what was right used to live in it. But now murderers live there!

22 Jerusalem, your silver isn't pure anymore. Your best wine has been made weak with water.

23 Your rulers refuse to obey the Lord. They are companions of robbers. All of them love to accept money from those who want special favors. They are always looking for gifts from other people. They don't stand up in court for children whose fathers have died. They don't do it for widows either.

24 The Lord is the Mighty One of Israel. The LORD who rules over all announces, "Israel, you have become my enemies. I will pay you back for what you have done. Then you will not trouble me anymore.

25 I will turn my powerful hand against you. I will make you completely clean. I will remove everything that is not pure.

26 I will give judges to you like the ones you had long ago. I will give you advisers like those you had at the beginning. Then you will be called The City That Does What Is Right. You will also be called The Faithful City."

27 Zion will be saved when others are treated fairly. Those who are sorry for their sins will be saved when what is right is done.

28 But sinners and those who refuse to obey the LORD will be destroyed. And those who desert the LORD will die.

29 Israel, you take delight in worshiping among the sacred oak trees. You will be full of shame for doing that. You have chosen to worship in the sacred gardens. You will be dishonored for doing that.

30 You will be like an oak tree whose leaves are dying. You will be like a garden that doesn't have any water.

31 Your strongest men will become like dry pieces of wood. Their worship of other gods will be the spark that lights the fire. Everything will be burned up. No one will be there to put the fire out.

1 Here is a vision that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, had about Judah and Jerusalem.

2 In the last days the mountain where the LORD's temple is located will be famous. It will be the most important mountain of all. It will stand out above the hills. All of the nations will go to it.

3 People from many nations will go there. They will say, "Come. Let us go up to the LORD's mountain. Let's go to the house of Jacob's God. He will teach us how we should live. Then we will live the way he wants us to." The law of the LORD will be taught at Zion. His message will go out from Jerusalem.

4 He will judge between the nations. He'll settle problems among many of them. They will hammer their swords into plows. They'll hammer their spears into pruning tools. Nations will not go to war against one another. They won't even train to fight anymore.

5 People of Jacob, come. Let us live the way the LORD has taught us to.

6 Lord, you have deserted the people of Jacob. They are your people. The land is full of false beliefs from the east. The people practice evil magic, just as the Philistines do. They make ungodly people their friends.

7 Their land is full of silver and gold. There is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses. There is no end to their chariots.

8 Their land is full of statues of gods. They bow down to what their own hands have made. They bow down to what their fingers have shaped.

9 So man will be brought low. People will be put to shame. Do not forgive them.

10 Go and hide in caves in the rocks, you people! Hide in holes in the ground. Hide from the terror of the LORD! Hide when he comes in glory and majesty!

11 A man who brags will be brought low. Men who are proud will be put to shame. The LORD alone will be honored at that time.

12 The LORD who rules over all has set apart a day when he will judge. He has set it apart for all those who are proud and think they are important. He has set it apart for all those who brag about themselves. All of them will be brought low.

13 The LORD has set that day apart for all of the cedar trees in Lebanon. They are very tall. He has set it apart for all of the oak trees in Bashan.

14 He has set it apart for all of the towering mountains. He has set it apart for all of the high hills.

15 He has set it apart for every high tower and every strong wall.

16 He has set it apart for every trading ship and every beautiful boat.

17 A man who brags will be brought low. Men who are proud will be put to shame. The LORD alone will be honored at that time.

18 And the statues of gods will totally disappear.

19 People will run and hide in caves in the rocks. They will go into holes in the ground. They will run away from the terror of the Lord. They will run when he comes in glory and majesty. When he comes, he will shake the earth.

20 Men had made some statues of gods out of silver. They had made others out of gold. Then they worshiped them. But when the LORD comes, they will throw the statues away to the rodents and bats.

21 They will run and hide in caves in the rocks. They will go into holes in the cliffs. They will run away from the terror of the Lord. They will run when he comes in glory and majesty. When he comes, he will shake the earth.

22 Stop trusting man. He can't help you. He only lives for a little while. What good is he?

1 Christ has set us free. He wants us to enjoy freedom. So stand firm. Don't let the chains of slavery hold you again.

2 Here is what I, Paul, say to you. Don't let yourselves be circumcised. If you do, Christ won't be of any value to you.

3 I say it again. Every man who lets himself be circumcised must obey the whole law.

4 Some of you are trying to be made right with God by obeying the law. You have been separated from Christ. You have fallen away from God's grace.

5 But we expect to be made completely holy because of our faith in Christ. Through the Holy Spirit we wait in hope.

6 Circumcision and uncircumcision aren't worth anything to those who believe in Christ Jesus. The only thing that really counts is faith that shows itself through love.

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?

8 The One who chooses you does not keep you from obeying the truth.

9 You should know that "just a little yeast works its way through the whole batch of dough."

10 The Lord makes me certain that you will not think in any other way. The one who has gotten you all mixed up will pay the price. It doesn't matter who that may be.

11 Brothers and sisters, I am not still preaching that people must be circumcised. If I were, why am I still being opposed? If that were what I preach, then the cross wouldn't upset anyone.

12 So then, what about troublemakers who try to get others to be circumcised? I wish they would go the whole way! I wish they would cut off everything that marks them as men!

13 My brothers and sisters, you were chosen to be free. But don't use your freedom as an excuse to live in sin. Instead, serve one another in love.

14 The whole law can be found in a single command. "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."(Leviticus 19:18)

15 You must not keep on biting each other. You must not keep eating each other up. Watch out! You might destroy each other.

16 So I say, live by the Holy Spirit's power. Then you will not do what your sinful nature wants you to do.

17 The sinful nature does not want what the Spirit delights in. And the Spirit does not want what the sinful nature delights in. The two are at war with each other. That's what makes you do what you don't want to do.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the authority of the law.

19 What the sinful nature does is clear. It enjoys sexual sins, impure acts and wild living.

20 It worships statues of gods. It also worships evil powers. It is full of hatred and fighting. It is full of jealousy and fits of anger. It is interested only in getting ahead. It stirs up trouble. It separates people into their own little groups.

21 It wants what others have. It gets drunk and takes part in wild parties. It does many things of that kind. I warn you now as I did before. People who live like that will not receive God's kingdom.

22 But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful

23 and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind.

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful nature to his cross. They don't want what their sinful nature loves and longs for.

25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us march in step with the Spirit.

26 Let us not become proud. Let us not make each other angry. Let us not want what belongs to others.