Isaiah 11; Isaiah 12; Isaiah 13; Ephesians 4

1 Jesse's family is like a tree that has been cut down. A new little tree will grow from its stump. From its roots a Branch will grow and produce fruit.

2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on that Branch. He will help him to be wise and understanding. He will help him make wise plans and carry them out. He will help him know the LORD and have respect for him.

3 The Branch will take delight in respecting the Lord. He will not judge things only by the way they look. He won't make decisions based simply on what people say.

4 He will always do what is right when he judges those who are in need. He'll be completely fair when he makes decisions about poor people. When he commands that people be punished, it will happen. When he orders that evil people be put to death, it will take place.

5 He will put godliness on as if it were his belt. He'll wear faithfulness around his waist.

6 Wolves will live with lambs. Leopards will lie down with goats. Calves and lions will eat together. And little children will lead them around.

7 Cows will eat with bears. Their little ones will lie down together. And lions will eat straw like oxen.

8 A baby will play near a hole where cobras live. A young child will put his hand into a nest where poisonous snakes live.

9 None of those animals will harm or destroy anything or anyone on my holy mountain of Zion. The oceans are full of water. In the same way, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.

10 At that time the man who is called the Root from Jesse's family line will be like a banner that brings nations together. They will come to him. And the place where he rules will be glorious.

11 At that time the Lord will reach out his hand to gather his people a second time. He will bring back those who are left alive. He'll bring them back from Assyria, Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt and Cush. He'll bring them from Elam, Babylonia and Hamath. He will also bring them from the islands of the Mediterranean Sea.

12 He will lift up a banner. It will show the nations that he is gathering the people of Israel. He'll bring back those who had been taken away as prisoners. He'll gather together the scattered people of Judah. He'll bring them back from all four directions.

13 Ephraim's people won't be jealous anymore. Judah's attackers will be cut off. Ephraim won't be jealous of Judah. And Judah won't attack Ephraim.

14 Together they will rush down the slopes of Philistia to the west. They'll take what belongs to the people of the east. They'll take over Edom and Moab. The people of Ammon will be under their control.

15 The LORD will dry up the Red Sea in Egypt. With his powerful hand he'll send a burning wind to sweep over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into many streams. Then people will be able to go across it wearing sandals.

16 There was a road the people of Israel used when they came up from Egypt. In the same way, there will be a wide road coming out of Assyria. It will be used by the LORD's people who are left alive there.

1 In days to come, the people of Israel will sing, "Lord, we will praise you. You were angry with us. But now your anger has turned away from us. And you have brought us comfort.

2 God, you are the one who saves us. We will trust in you. Then we won't be afraid. LORD, you give us strength. We sing about you. Lord, you have saved us."

3 People of Israel, he will save you. That will bring you joy like water that is brought up from wells.

4 In days to come, the people of Israel will sing, "Give thanks to the Lord. Worship him. Tell the nations what he has done. Announce how honored he is.

5 Sing to the Lord. He has done glorious things. Let it be known all over the world.

6 People of Zion, give a loud shout! Sing with joy! The Holy One of Israel is among you. And he is great."

1 Here is the vision about Babylonia that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw.

2 Lift up a banner on the top of a bare hill. Shout to the enemy soldiers. Wave for them to enter the gates that are used by the nobles of Babylon.

3 The LORD has set those soldiers apart to fight for him. He has sent for them to carry out his anger against Babylon. They will be happy when he wins the battle for them.

4 Listen! I hear a noise in the mountains. It sounds like a huge crowd. Listen! I hear a loud noise among the kingdoms. It sounds like nations gathering together. The LORD who rules over all is bringing an army together for war.

5 They come from lands far away. They come from the farthest places on earth. The LORD and those weapons of his anger are coming to destroy the whole country of Babylonia.

6 Cry out! The day of the LORD is near. The Mighty One is coming to destroy them.

7 Their hands won't be able to help them. Everyone's heart will melt away in fear.

8 The people will be filled with terror. Pain and suffering will grab hold of them. They will groan with pain like a woman having a baby. They'll look at one another in terror. Their faces will burn with shame.

9 The day of the LORD is coming. It will be a terrible day. The LORD's burning anger will blaze out. He will make the land dry and empty. He'll destroy the sinners in it.

10 All of the stars in the sky will stop giving their light. The sun will be darkened as soon as it rises. The moon will not shine.

11 The LORD will punish the world because it is so evil. He will punish evil people for their sins. He'll put an end to the bragging of those who are proud. He'll bring down the pride of those who don't show any pity.

12 He'll make men harder to find than pure gold. They will be harder to find than gold from Ophir.

13 He will make the heavens tremble. He'll shake the earth out of its place. The LORD who rules over all will show how angry he is. At that time his burning anger will blaze out.

14 Outsiders who live in Babylonia will scatter like antelope that are chased by a hunter. They are like sheep that don't have a shepherd. All of them will return to their own people. They will run back to their own countries.

15 Those who are captured will have spears stuck through them. Those who are caught will be killed with swords.

16 Their babies will be smashed to pieces right in front of their eyes. Their houses will be robbed. Their wives will be raped.

17 The LORD will stir up the Medes to attack the Babylonians. They aren't interested in getting silver. They don't delight in gold.

18 Instead, they will use their bows and arrows to strike the young men down. They won't even show any mercy to babies. They won't take pity on children.

19 The city of Babylon is the jewel of kingdoms. It is the glory and pride of the Babylonians. But God will destroy it just as he did Sodom and Gomorrah.

20 No one will ever live in Babylon again. No one will live there for all time to come. Arabs will never set up their tents there. Shepherds will never rest their flocks there.

21 But desert creatures will lie down there. Wild dogs will fill its houses. Owls will live there. Wild goats will jump around in it.

22 Hyenas will cry out in its forts. Wild dogs will bark in its beautiful palaces. The time for Babylon to be punished is near. Its days are numbered.

1 I am a prisoner because of the Lord. So I am asking you to live a life worthy of what God chose you for.

2 Don't be proud at all. Be completely gentle. Be patient. Put up with one another in love.

3 The Holy Spirit makes you one in every way. So try your best to remain as one. Let peace keep you together.

4 There is one body. There is one Spirit. You were appointed to one hope when you were chosen.

5 There is one Lord. There is one faith and one baptism.

6 There is one God and Father of all. He is over everything. He is through everything. He is in everything.

7 But each one of us has received a gift of grace, just as Christ wanted us to have it.

8 That is why Scripture says, "When he went up to his place on high, he led a line of prisoners. He gave gifts to people." (Psalm 68:18)

9 What does "he went up" mean? It can only mean that he also came down to the lower, earthly places.

10 The One who came down is the same as the One who went up higher than all the heavens. He did it in order to fill all of creation.

11 He is the One who gave some the gift to be apostles. He gave some the gift to be prophets. He gave some the gift of preaching the good news. And he gave some the gift to be pastors and teachers.

12 He did it so that they might prepare God's people to serve. If they do, the body of Christ will be built up.

13 That will continue until we all become one in the faith and in the knowledge of God's Son. Then we will be grown up in the faith. We will receive everything that Christ has for us.

14 We will no longer be babies in the faith. We won't be like ships tossed around by the waves. We won't be blown here and there by every new teaching. We won't be blown around by the cleverness and tricks of people who try to hide their evil plans.

15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love. We will grow up into Christ in every way. He is the Head.

16 He makes the whole body grow and build itself up in love. Under the control of Christ, each part of the body does its work. It supports the other parts. In that way, the body is joined and held together.

17 Here is what I'm telling you. I am speaking for the Lord as I warn you. You must no longer live like those who aren't Jews. Their thoughts don't have any purpose.

18 They can't understand the truth. They are separated from the life of God. That is because they don't know him. And they don't know him because their hearts are stubborn.

19 They have lost all feeling for what is right. They have given themselves over to the evil pleasures of their bodies. They take part in every kind of unclean act. And they always long for more.

20 But that is not what you have learned about Christ.

21 I'm sure you heard of him. I'm sure you were taught by him. What you learned was the truth about Jesus.

22 You were taught not to live the way you used to. You must get rid of your old way of life. That's because it is polluted by longing for things that lead you down the wrong path.

23 You were taught to be made new in your thinking.

24 You were taught to start living a new life. It is created to be truly good and holy, just as God is.

25 So each of you must get rid of your lying. Speak the truth to your neighbor. We are all parts of one body.

26 Scripture says, "When you are angry, do not sin."(Psalm 4:4) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

27 Don't give the devil a chance.

28 Those who have been stealing must never steal again. Instead, they must work. They must do something useful with their own hands. Then they will have something to give to people in need.

29 Don't let any evil talk come out of your mouths. Say only what will help to build others up and meet their needs. Then what you say will help those who listen.

30 Do not make God's Holy Spirit sad. He marked you with a seal for the day when God will set you completely free.

31 Get rid of all hard feelings, anger and rage. Stop all fighting and lying. Put away every form of hatred.

32 Be kind and tender to one another. Forgive each other, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.