Isaiah 50; Isaiah 51; Isaiah 52; 1 Thessalonians 5

1 The LORD says: Where's your mother's divorce decree, with which I sent her away? Or to which lender did I sell you? On account of your sins you were sold; on account of your transgressions your mother was sent away.

2 Why did I come and find no one? Why did I call when no one answered? Is my hand too small to redeem you? Don't I have enough power to save? With my rebuke I dry up the sea and make the rivers into wilderness. Their fish stink from lack of water; they die of thirst.

3 I clothe the heavens with darkness and cover them with funeral clothing.

4 The LORD God gave me an educated tongue to know how to respond to the weary with a word that will awaken them in the morning. God awakens my ear in the morning to listen, as educated people do.

5 The LORD God opened my ear; I didn't rebel; I didn't turn my back.

6 Instead, I gave my body to attackers, and my cheeks to beard pluckers. I didn't hide my face from insults and spitting.

7 The LORD God will help me; therefore, I haven't been insulted. Therefore, I set my face like flint, and knew I wouldn't be ashamed.

8 The one who will declare me innocent is near. Who will argue with me? Let's stand up together. Who will bring judgment against me? Let him approach me.

9 Look! The LORD God will help me. Who will condemn me? Look, they will wear out like clothing; the moth will eat them.

10 Who among you fears the LORD? Who listens to the voice of his servant, who walks in darkness and has no light? They will trust in the LORD's name, and rely upon their God.

11 Look! All of you are kindling fire, igniting torches. Walk by the light of your fire, by the torches you have ignited. This is what will happen to you by my hand: you will lie down in grief.

1 Listen to me, you who look for righteousness, you who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry where you were dug.

2 Look to Abraham your ancestor, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. They were alone when I called them, but I blessed them and made them many.

3 The LORD will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her ruins. He will make her desert like Eden and her wilderness like the LORD's garden. Happiness and joy will be found in her— thanks and the sound of singing.

4 Pay attention to me, my people; listen to me, my nation, for teaching will go out from me, my justice, as a light to the nations.

5 I will quickly bring my victory. My salvation is on its way, and my arm will judge the peoples. The coastlands hope for me; they wait for my judgment.

6 Look up to the heavens, and gaze at the earth beneath. The heavens will disappear like smoke, the earth will wear out like clothing, and its inhabitants will die like gnats. But my salvation will endure forever, and my righteousness will be unbroken.

7 Listen to me, you who know what is right, people who carry my teaching in your heart: Don't fear human scorn, and don't be upset when they abuse you.

8 The moth will eat them as if they were clothing, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness is forever, and my salvation for all generations.

9 Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of the LORD. Awake as in times past, generations long ago. Aren't you the one who crushed Rahab, who pierced the dragon?

10 Didn't you dry up the sea, the waters of the great deep? And didn't you make the redeemed a road to cross through the depths of the sea, a road for the redeemed to pass?

11 Then let those ransomed by the LORD return and come to Zion with singing and with everlasting joy upon their heads. Let happiness and joy overwhelm them; let grief and groaning flee.

12 I, I am the one who comforts you. Why should you fear humans who will die, mortals who are treated like grass?

13 You forgot the LORD your maker, the one who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth. You were continually afraid, all day long, on account of the oppressor's wrath— a fear by which they intend to destroy you. Where now is the oppressor's wrath?

14 The imprisoned ones will soon be released; they won't die in the pit or even lack bread.

15 I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD of heavenly forces is his name.

16 I put my words in your mouth and hid you in the shadow of my hand, stretching out the heavens, founding the earth, and saying to Zion, "You are my people."

17 Wake yourself, wake yourself! Rise up, Jerusalem, who drank the cup of wrath from the LORD's hand. You drank; you drained the goblet of reeling.

18 There's no one to guide her among all the children she bore; there's no one to take her by the hand among all the children she raised.

19 These two things have happened to you— Who will be sorry for you?— destruction and devastation, famine and sword— who will comfort you?

20 Your children passed out; they lay at the head of every street like antelope in a net, filled with the LORD's wrath, with the rebuke of your God.

21 Therefore, hear this, suffering one, who is drunk, but not from wine.

22 The LORD, your Lord and your God, who contends for his people, says: Look, I have taken the cup of reeling, the goblet of my wrath, from your hand. You will no longer drink from it.

23 I will put it in the hand of your tormentors, who said to you, "Lie down so that we can walk on you. Make your back like the ground, like a street for those walking on it."

1 Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion! Put on your splendid clothing, Jerusalem, you holy city; for the uncircumcised and unclean will no longer come into you.

2 Shake the dust off yourself; rise up; sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Loose the bonds from your neck, captive Daughter Zion!

3 The LORD proclaims: You were sold for nothing, and you will be redeemed without money.

4 The LORD God proclaims: Long ago my people went down to reside in Egypt. Moreover, Assyria has oppressed them without cause.

5 And now what have I here? says the LORD. My people are taken away for nothing. Their rulers wail, says the LORD, and continually all day long my name is despised.

6 Therefore, my people will know my name on that day; I'm the one who promises it; I'm here.

7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of a messenger who proclaims peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God rules!"

8 Listen! Your lookouts lift their voice; they sing out together! Right before their eyes they see the LORD returning to Zion.

9 Break into song together, you ruins of Jerusalem! The LORD has comforted his people and has redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The LORD has bared his holy arm in view of all the nations; all the ends of the earth have seen our God's victory.

11 Depart! Depart! Go out from there! Unclean! Don't touch! Get out of that place; purify yourselves, carriers of the LORD's equipment!

12 You won't go out in a rush, nor will you run away, because the one going before you is the LORD; your rear guard is the God of Israel.

13 Look, my servant will succeed. He will be exalted and lifted very high.

14 Just as many were appalled by you, he too appeared disfigured, inhuman, his appearance unlike that of mortals.

15 But he will astonish many nations. Kings will be silenced because of him, because they will see what they haven't seen before; what they haven't heard before, they will ponder.

1 We don't need to write to you about the timing and dates, brothers and sisters.

2 You know very well that the day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night.

3 When they are saying, "There is peace and security," at that time sudden destruction will attack them, like labor pains start with a pregnant woman, and they definitely won't escape.

4 But you aren't in darkness, brothers and sisters, so the day won't catch you by surprise like a thief.

5 All of you are children of light and children of the day. We don't belong to night or darkness.

6 So then, let's not sleep like the others, but let's stay awake and stay sober.

7 People who sleep sleep at night, and people who get drunk get drunk at night.

8 Since we belong to the day, let's stay sober, wearing faithfulness and love as a piece of armor that protects our body and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

9 God didn't intend for us to suffer his wrath but rather to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

10 Jesus died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with him.

11 So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already.

12 Brothers and sisters, we ask you to respect those who are working with you, leading you, and instructing you.

13 Think of them highly with love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are disorderly. Comfort the discouraged. Help the weak. Be patient with everyone.

15 Make sure no one repays a wrong with a wrong, but always pursue the good for each other and everyone else.

16 Rejoice always.

17 Pray continually.

18 Give thanks in every situation because this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Don't suppress the Spirit.

20 Don't brush off Spirit-inspired messages,

21 but examine everything carefully and hang on to what is good.

22 Avoid every kind of evil.

23 Now, may the God of peace himself cause you to be completely dedicated to him; and may your spirit, soul, and body be kept intact and blameless at our Lord Jesus Christ's coming.

24 The one who is calling you is faithful and will do this.

25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss.

27 By the Lord's authority, I order all of you to have this letter read aloud to all the brothers and sisters.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.