1 Timothy 1; Isaiah 31; Isaiah 32; Isaiah 33; Psalms 119:33-64

1 Timothy 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus, our hope:

2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach other doctrine

4 or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God's plan, which operates by faith.

5 Now the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

6 Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion.

7 They want to be teachers of the law, although they don't understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on.

8 Now we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately.

9 We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers,

10 for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching

11 based on the glorious gospel of the blessed God that was entrusted to me.

12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry-

13 one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. Since it was out of ignorance that I had acted in unbelief, I received mercy,

14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"-and I am the worst of them.

16 But I received mercy because of this, so that in me, the worst [of them], Christ Jesus might demonstrate the utmost patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

18 Timothy, my child, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle,

19 having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have suffered the shipwreck of their faith.

20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them, and I have delivered them to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

Isaiah 31

1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and who depend on horses! They trust in the number of chariots and in the great strength of charioteers. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel and they do not seek the Lord's help.

2 But He also is wise and brings disaster. He does not go back on what He says; He will rise up against the house of wicked men and against the allies of evildoers.

3 Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the Lord raises His hand [to strike], the helper will stumble and the helped will fall; both will perish together.

4 For this is what the Lord said to me: As a lion or young lion growls over its prey when a band of shepherds is called out against it, and is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their noise, so the Lord of Hosts will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.

5 Like hovering birds, so the Lord of Hosts will protect Jerusalem- by protecting [it], He will rescue [it], by sparing [it], He will deliver [it].

6 Return to the One the Israelites have greatly rebelled against.

7 For on that day, each one will reject the silver and gold idols that your own hands have sinfully made.

8 Then Assyria will fall, but not by human sword; a sword will devour him, but not one made by man. He will flee from the sword, his young men will be put to forced labor.

9 His rock will pass away because of fear, and his officers will be afraid because of the signal flag. [This is] the Lord's declaration-whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 32

1 Indeed, a king will reign righteously, and rulers will rule justly.

2 Each will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the rain, like streams of water in a dry land and the shade of a massive rock in an arid land.

3 Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

4 The reckless mind will gain knowledge, and the stammering tongue will speak clearly and fluently.

5 A fool will no longer be called a noble, nor a scoundrel said to be important.

6 For a fool speaks foolishness and his mind plots iniquity. He lives in a godless way and speaks falsely about the Lord. He leaves the hungry empty and deprives the thirsty of drink.

7 The scoundrel's weapons are destructive; he hatches plots to destroy the needy with lies, and by charging the poor during a judgment.

8 But a noble person plans noble things; he stands up for noble causes.

9 Stand up, you complacent women; listen to me. Pay attention to what I say, you overconfident daughters.

10 In a little more than a year you overconfident ones will shudder, for the vintage will fail and the harvest will not come.

11 Shudder, you complacent ones; tremble, you overconfident ones! Strip yourselves bare and put [sackcloth] about your waists.

12 Beat your breasts [in mourning] for the delightful fields and the fruitful vines,

13 for the ground of my people growing thorns and briers, indeed, for every joyous house in the joyful city.

14 For the palace will be forsaken, the busy city abandoned. The hill and the watchtower will become barren places forever, the joy of wild donkeys, and a pasture for flocks,

15 until the Spirit from heaven is poured out on us. Then the desert will become an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest.

16 Then justice will inhabit the wilderness, and righteousness will dwell in the orchard.

17 The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.

18 Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, and in safe and restful dwellings.

19 But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink into the depths.

20 Happy are you who sow seed beside abundant waters, who let ox and donkey range freely.

Isaiah 33

1 Woe, you destroyer never destroyed, you traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, they will betray you.

2 Lord, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning, and our salvation in time of trouble.

3 The peoples flee at the thunderous noise; the nations scatter when You rise in Your majesty.

4 Your spoil will be gathered as locusts are gathered; people will swarm over it like an infestation of locusts.

5 The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.

6 There will be times of security for you- a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is Zion's treasure.

7 Listen! Their warriors cry loudly in the streets; the messengers of peace weep bitterly.

8 The highways are deserted; travel has ceased. An agreement has been broken, cities despised, and human life disregarded.

9 The land mourns and withers; Lebanon is ashamed and decayed. Sharon is like a desert; Bashan and Carmel shake off [their] leaves.

10 "Now I will rise up," says the Lord. "Now I will lift Myself up. Now I will be exalted.

11 You will conceive chaff; you will give birth to stubble. Your breath is fire that will consume you.

12 The peoples will be burned to ashes, like thorns cut down and burned in a fire.

13 You who are far off, hear what I have done; you who are near, know My strength."

14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling seizes the ungodly: "Who among us can dwell with a consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with ever-burning flames?"

15 The one who lives righteously and speaks rightly, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears from listening to murderous plots and shuts his eyes to avoid endorsing evil-

16 he will dwell on the heights; his refuge will be the rocky fortresses, his food provided, his water assured.

17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty; you will see a vast land.

18 Your mind will meditate on the [past] terror: "Where is the accountant? Where is the tribute collector? Where is the one who spied out our defenses?"

19 You will no longer see the barbarians, a people whose speech is difficult to comprehend- who stammer in a language that is not understood.

20 Look at Zion, the city of our festival times. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander; its tent pegs will not be pulled up nor will any of its cords be loosened.

21 For there the majestic One, the Lord, will be for us, a place of rivers and broad streams, where ships that are rowed will not go, and majestic vessels will not pass.

22 For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our King. He will save us.

23 Your ropes are slack; they cannot hold the base of the mast or spread out the flag. Then abundant spoil will be divided, the lame will plunder it,

24 and none there will say, "I am sick." The people who dwell there will be forgiven [their] iniquity.

Psalms 119:33-64

33 Teach me, Lord, the meaning of Your statutes, and I will always keep them.

34 Help me understand Your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart.

35 Help me stay on the path of Your commands, for I take pleasure in it.

36 Turn my heart to Your decrees and not to material gain.

37 Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in Your ways.

38 Confirm what You said to Your servant, for it produces reverence for You.

39 Turn away the disgrace I dread; indeed, Your judgments are good.

40 How I long for Your precepts! Give me life through Your righteousness.

41 Let Your faithful love come to me, Lord, Your salvation, as You promised.

42 Then I can answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in Your word.

43 Never take the word of truth from my mouth, for I hope in Your judgments.

44 I will always keep Your law, forever and ever.

45 I will walk freely in an open place because I seek Your precepts.

46 I will speak of Your decrees before kings and not be ashamed.

47 I delight in Your commands, which I love.

48 I will lift up my hands to Your commands, which I love, and will meditate on Your statutes.

49 Remember [Your] word to Your servant; You have given me hope through it.

50 This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life.

51 The arrogant constantly ridicule me, but I do not turn away from Your instruction.

52 Lord, I remember Your judgments from long ago and find comfort.

53 Rage seizes me because of the wicked who reject Your instruction.

54 Your statutes are [the theme of] my song during my earthly life.

55 I remember Your name in the night, Lord, and I keep Your law.

56 This is my [practice]: I obey Your precepts.

57 The Lord is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.

58 I have sought Your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.

59 I thought about my ways and turned my steps back to Your decrees.

60 I hurried, not hesitating to keep Your commands.

61 Though the ropes of the wicked were wrapped around me, I did not forget Your law.

62 I rise at midnight to thank You for Your righteous judgments.

63 I am a friend to all who fear You, to those who keep Your precepts.

64 Lord, the earth is filled with Your faithful love; teach me Your statutes.