Isaiah 62; Isaiah 63; Isaiah 64; 1 Timothy 1

Isaiah 62

1 For Zion's sake I won't keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I won't sit still until her righteousness shines out like a light, and her salvation blazes like a torch.

2 Nations will see your righteousness, all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name, which the LORD's own mouth will determine.

3 You will be a splendid garland in the LORD's hand, a royal turban in the palm of God's hand.

4 You will no longer be called Abandoned, and your land will no longer be called Deserted. Instead, you will be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land, Married. Because the LORD delights in you, your land will be cared for once again.

5 As a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you. With the joy of a bridegroom because of his bride, so your God will rejoice because of you.

6 Upon your walls, Jerusalem, I have appointed sentinels. Continually, all day and all night, they won't keep silent. You who call on the LORD, don't rest,

7 and don't allow God to rest until he establishes Jerusalem, and makes it the praise of the earth.

8 The LORD has promised with raised hand and strong arm: I will never again give your grain as food for your enemies. Foreigners won't drink your wine for which you labored.

9 Those who harvest will eat it and will praise the LORD; those who gather will drink it in my holy courtyards.

10 Pass through, pass through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build, build the road; clear away the stones! Raise up a signal for the peoples.

11 This is what the LORD announced to the earth's distant regions: Say to Daughter Zion, "Look! Your deliverer arrives, bringing reward and payment!"

12 They will be called The Holy People, Redeemed By the LORD. And you will be called Sought After— A City That Is Not Abandoned.

Isaiah 63

1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah in bright red garments, this splendidly dressed one, striding with great power? It is I, proclaiming righteousness, powerful to save!

2 Why is your clothing red, and your garments like those of one who stomps on grapes?

3 I have pressed out in the vat by myself—from the peoples, no one was with me. I stomped on them in my anger, trampled them in my wrath. Their blood splashed on my garments, and stained all my clothing,

4 because I intended a day of vengeance; the year of my deliverance had arrived.

5 I looked and found no helper; I was astonished to find no supporter. But my arm brought victory for me; my wrath helped me.

6 I trampled down nations in my anger and made them drunk on my wrath; I spilled their blood on the ground.

7 I will recount the LORD's faithful acts; I will sing the LORD's praises, because of all the LORD did for us, for God's great favor toward the house of Israel. God treated them compassionately and with deep affection.

8 God said, "Truly, they are my people, children who won't do what is wrong." God became their savior.

9 During all their distress, God also was distressed, so a messenger who served him saved them. In love and mercy God redeemed them, lifting and carrying them throughout earlier times.

10 But they rebelled, and made God's holy spirit terribly sad, so that he turned into their enemy— he fought against them!

11 Then they remembered earlier times, when he rescued his people. Where was the one who drew them up from the sea, the shepherd of the flock? Where was the one who put within them his holy spirit;

12 the one who guided Moses' strong hand with his glorious arm; who split the water for them to create an enduring reputation for himself,

13 and who guided them through the depths? Like a horse in the desert, they didn't stumble.

14 Like cattle descending to the valley, the LORD's spirit brought them to rest. In this way you led your people and made for yourself a glorious reputation.

15 Look down from heaven and see, from your holy and glorious perch. Where are your energy and your might, your concern and your pity? Don't hold back!

16 You are surely our father, even though Abraham doesn't know us, and Israel doesn't recognize us. You, LORD, are our father; your reputation since long ago is that of our redeemer.

17 Why do you lead us astray, LORD, from your ways? Why do you harden our heart so we don't fear you? Return for the sake of your servants the tribes that are your heritage!

18 Why did the wicked bring down your holy place? Why did our enemies trample your sanctuary?

19 For too long we have been like those you don't rule, like those not known by your name.

Isaiah 64

1 If only you would tear open the heavens and come down! Mountains would quake before you

2 like fire igniting brushwood or making water boil. If you would make your name known to your enemies, the nations would tremble in your presence.

3 When you accomplished wonders beyond all our expectations; when you came down, mountains quaked before you.

4 From ancient times, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any god but you who acts on behalf of those who wait for him!

5 You look after those who gladly do right; they will praise you for your ways. But you were angry when we sinned; you hid yourself when we did wrong.

6 We have all become like the unclean; all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag. All of us wither like a leaf; our sins, like the wind, carry us away.

7 No one calls on your name; no one bothers to hold on to you, for you have hidden yourself from us, and have handed us over to our sin.

8 But now, LORD, you are our father. We are the clay, and you are our potter. All of us are the work of your hand.

9 Don't rage so fiercely, LORD; don't hold our sins against us forever, but gaze now on your people, all of us:

10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a wasteland.

11 Our holy, glorious house, where our ancestors praised you, has gone up in flames; all that we treasured has become a ruin.

12 After all this, will you hold back, LORD? Will you keep silent and torment us so terribly?

1 Timothy 1

1 From Paul, who is an apostle of Jesus Christ by 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 from Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 When I left for Macedonia, I asked you to stay behind in Ephesus so that you could instruct certain individuals not to spread wrong teaching.

4 They shouldn't pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. Their teaching only causes useless guessing games instead of faithfulness to God's way of doing things.

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

6 Because they missed this goal, some people have been distracted by talk that doesn't mean anything.

7 They want to be teachers of Law without understanding either what they are saying or what they are talking about with such confidence.

8 Now we know that the Law is good if used appropriately.

9 We understand this: the Law isn't established for a righteous person but for people who live without laws and without obeying any authority. They are the ungodly and the sinners. They are people who are not spiritual, and nothing is sacred to them. They kill their fathers and mothers, and murder others.

10 They are people who are sexually unfaithful, and people who have intercourse with the same sex. They are kidnappers, liars, individuals who give false testimonies in court, and those who do anything else that is opposed to sound teaching.

11 Sound teaching agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God that has been trusted to me.

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength because he considered me faithful. So he appointed me to ministry

13 even though I used to speak against him, attack his people, and I was proud. But I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and without faith.

14 Our Lord's favor poured all over me along with the faithfulness and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15 This saying is reliable and deserves full acceptance: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"—and I'm the biggest sinner of all.

16 But this is why I was shown mercy, so that Christ Jesus could show his endless patience to me first of all. So I'm an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.

17 Now to the king of the ages, to the immortal, invisible, and only God, may honor and glory be given to him forever and always! Amen.

18 Timothy, my child, I'm giving you these instructions based on the prophecies that were once made about you. So if you follow them, you can wage a good war

19 because you have faith and a good conscience. Some people have ruined their faith because they refused to listen to their conscience,

20 such as Hymenaeus and Alexander. I've handed them over to Satan so that they can be taught not to speak against God.