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

1 For Zion's sake I will not remain silent. For Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until its righteousness shines like the dawn and its salvation burns brightly like a torch.

2 The nations will see your righteousness. All kings will see your glory. You will be given a new name that the LORD will announce.

3 Then you will be a beautiful crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal crown in the hand of your God.

4 You will no longer be called Deserted, and your land will no longer be called Destroyed. But you will be named My Delight, and your land will be named Married. The LORD is delighted with you, and your land will be married.

5 As a young man marries a woman, so your sons will marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.

6 I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night. Whoever calls on the LORD, do not give yourselves any rest,

7 and do not give him any rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it an object of praise throughout the earth.

8 The LORD has sworn with his right hand and with his mighty arm, "I will never again let your enemies eat your grain, nor will foreigners drink the new wine which you made."

9 Those who harvest grain will eat it and praise the LORD. Those who gather grapes will drink wine in my holy courtyards.

10 Go through! Go through the gates! Prepare a way for the people! Build up! Build up the highway! Clear away the stones! Raise a flag for the people!

11 The LORD has announced to the ends of the earth: "Tell my people Zion, 'Your Savior is coming. His reward is with him, and the people he has won arrive ahead of him.'"

12 They will be called Holy People, Those Reclaimed by the LORD, and you will be called Sought After, a City Not Deserted.

1 Who is this coming from Bozrah in Edom with his clothes stained bright red? Who is this dressed in splendor, going forward with great strength? "It is I, the LORD. I am coming to announce my victory. I am powerful enough to save [you]."

2 Why are your clothes red and your garments like those who trample grapes in a winepress?

3 "I have trampled alone in the winepress. No one was with me. In my anger I trampled on people. In my wrath I stomped on them. Their blood splattered my clothes so all my clothing has been stained.

4 I planned the day of vengeance. The year for my reclaiming [you] has come.

5 I looked, but there was no help. I was astounded that there was no [outside] support. So with my own power I won a victory. My anger supported me.

6 In my anger I trampled on people. In my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground."

7 I will acknowledge the LORD's acts of mercy, and [sing] the praises of the LORD, because of everything that the LORD has done for us. He has done many good things for the nation of Israel because of his compassion and his unlimited mercy.

8 He said, "They are my people, children who will not lie to me." So he became their Savior.

9 In all their troubles he was troubled, and he was the Messenger who saved them. In his love and compassion he reclaimed them. He always held them and carried them in the past.

10 But they rebelled and offended his Holy Spirit. So he turned against them as their enemy; he fought against them.

11 Then his people remembered Moses and the distant past. Where is the one who brought them out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is the one who put his Holy Spirit in them?

12 Where is the one who sent his powerful arm to support the right hand of Moses? Where is the one who divided the water in front of them to make an everlasting name for himself?

13 Where is the one who led them through the deep water? Like horses in the wilderness, they didn't stumble.

14 Like animals going down into a valley, they were given rest by the LORD's Spirit. In this way you guided your people to make an honored name for yourself.

15 Look down and see from heaven, from your holy and beautiful dwelling. Where is your determination and might? Where is the longing of your heart and your compassion? Don't hold back.

16 You are our Father. Even though Abraham doesn't know us and Israel doesn't pay attention to us, O LORD, you are our Father. Your name is our Defender From Everlasting.

17 O LORD, why do you let us wander from your ways and become so stubborn that we are unable to fear you? Return for the sake of your servants. They are the tribes that belong to you.

18 Your holy people possessed the land for a little while. Our enemies have trampled on your holy place.

19 We have become like those whom you never ruled, like those who are not called by your name.

1 If only you would split open the heavens and come down! The mountains would quake at your presence.

2 Be like the fire that kindles brushwood and makes water boil. Come down to make your name known to your enemies. The nations will tremble in your presence.

3 When you did awe-inspiring things that we didn't expect, you came down and the mountains quaked in your presence.

4 No one has ever heard, no one has paid attention, and no one has seen any god except you. You help those who wait for you.

5 You greeted the one who gladly does right and remembers your ways. You showed your anger, because we've sinned. We've continued to sin for a long time. Can we still be saved?

6 We've all become unclean, and all our righteous acts are like permanently stained rags. All of us shrivel like leaves, and our sins carry us away like the wind.

7 No one calls on your name or tries to hold on to you. You have hidden your face from us. You have let us be ruined by our sins.

8 But now, LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are our potter. We are the work of your hands.

9 Don't be too angry, LORD. Don't remember our sin forever. Now look, we are all your people.

10 Your holy cities have become a desert. Zion has become a desert. Jerusalem is a wasteland.

11 Our holy and beautiful temple, where our ancestors praised you, has been burned to the ground. All that we valued has been ruined.

12 Despite these things, LORD, will you hold back? Will you be silent and make us suffer more than we can bear?

1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our confidence.

2 To Timothy, a genuine child in faith. Good will, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord are yours!

3 When I was going to the province of Macedonia, I encouraged you to stay in the city of Ephesus. That way you could order certain people to stop teaching false doctrine

4 and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These myths and genealogies raise a lot of questions rather than promoting God's plan, which centers in faith.

5 My goal in giving you this order is for love to flow from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith.

6 Some people have left these qualities behind and have turned to useless discussions.

7 They want to be experts in Moses' Teachings. However, they don't understand what they're talking about or the things about which they speak so confidently.

8 We know that Moses' Teachings are good if they are used as they were intended to be used.

9 For example, a person must realize that laws are not intended for people who have God's approval. Laws are intended for lawbreakers and rebels, for ungodly people and sinners, for those who think nothing is holy or sacred, for those who kill their fathers, their mothers, or other people.

10 Laws are intended for people involved in sexual sins, for homosexuals, for kidnappers, for liars, for those who lie when they take an oath, and for whatever else is against accurate teachings.

11 Moses' Teachings were intended to be used in agreement with the Good News that contains the glory of the blessed God. I was entrusted with that Good News.

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord that he has trusted me and has appointed me to do his work with the strength he has given me.

13 In the past I cursed him, persecuted him, and acted arrogantly toward him. However, I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in my unbelief.

14 Our Lord was very kind to me. Through his kindness he brought me to faith and gave me the love that Christ Jesus shows people.

15 This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the foremost sinner.

16 However, I was treated with mercy so that Christ Jesus could use me, the foremost sinner, to demonstrate his patience. This patience serves as an example for those who would believe in him and live forever.

17 Worship and glory belong forever to the eternal king, the immortal, invisible, and only God. Amen.

18 Timothy, my child, I'm giving you this order about the prophecies that are still coming to you: Use these prophecies in faith and with a clear conscience to fight this noble war.

19 Some have refused to let their faith guide their conscience and their faith has been destroyed like a wrecked ship.

20 Among these people are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan in order to teach them not to dishonor God.