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

1 The LORD says to the people in Jerusalem, "Do you think I divorced your people before you? Is that why I sent them away? If it is, show me the letter of divorce. I did not sell you into slavery to pay someone I owe. You were sold because you sinned against me. Your people were sent away because of their lawless acts.

2 When I came to save you, why didn't anyone welcome me? When I called out to you, why didn't anyone answer me? Wasn't my arm powerful enough to set you free? Wasn't I strong enough to save you? I dry up the sea with a single command. I turn rivers into a desert. Then fish rot because they do not have any water. They die because they are thirsty.

3 I make the sky turn dark. It looks as if it is dressed in black clothes."

4 The LORD and King has taught me what to say. He has taught me how to help those who are tired. He wakes me up every morning. He makes me want to listen like a good student.

5 The LORD and King has unplugged my ears. I've always obeyed him. I haven't turned away from him.

6 I let my enemies beat me on my bare back. I let them pull the hair out of my beard. I didn't turn my face away when they made fun of me and spit on me.

7 The LORD and King helps me. He won't let me be dishonored. So I've made up my mind to keep on serving him. I know he won't let me be put to shame.

8 He is near. He will prove I haven't done anything wrong. So who will bring charges against me? Let's face each other in court! Who can bring charges against me? Let him come and face me!

9 The LORD and King helps me. So who will judge me? My enemies will be like clothes that moths have eaten up. They will disappear.

10 Does anyone among you have respect for the LORD? Does anyone obey the message of the LORD's servant? Let the person who walks in the dark trust in the Lord. Let the one who doesn't have any light to guide him depend on his God.

11 But all of you sinners who light fires should go ahead and walk in their light. You who carry flaming torches should walk in their light. Here's what I'm going to do to you. I'll make you lie down in great pain.

1 The LORD says, "Listen to me, you who want to do what is right. Pay attention, you who look to me. Consider the rock you were cut out of. Think about the rock pit you were dug from.

2 Consider Abraham. He is the father of your people. Think about Sarah. She is your mother. When I chose Abraham, he did not have any children. But I blessed him and gave him many of them.

3 You can be sure that I will comfort Zion's people. I will look with loving concern on all of their destroyed buildings. I will make their deserts like Eden. I will make their dry and empty land like my very own garden. Joy and gladness will be there. People will sing and give thanks to me.

4 "Listen to me, my people. Pay attention, my nation. My law will go out to the nations. I make everything right. That will be a guiding light for them.

5 The time for me to set you free is near. I will soon save you. My powerful arm will make everything right among the nations. The islands will put their hope in me. They will wait for my powerful arm to act.

6 Look up toward the heavens. Then look at the earth. The heavens will vanish like smoke. The earth will wear out like clothes. Those who live there will die like flies. But I will save you forever. My saving power will never end.

7 "Listen to me, you who know what is right. Pay attention, you who have my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid when mere people make fun of you. Do not be terrified when they laugh at you.

8 They will be like clothes that moths have eaten up. They will be like wool that worms have chewed up. But my saving power will last forever. I will save you for all time to come."

9 Wake up! Lord, wake up! Dress your powerful arm with strength as if it were your clothes. Wake up, just as you did in the past. Wake up, as you did long ago. Didn't you cut Rahab to pieces? Didn't you stab that sea monster to death?

10 Didn't you dry up the Red Sea? Didn't you dry up those deep waters? You made a road on the bottom of that sea. Then those who were set free went across.

11 Those the LORD has saved will return to their land. They will sing as they enter the city of Zion. Joy that lasts forever will be like beautiful crowns on their heads. They will be filled with gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing will be gone.

12 The LORD says to his people, "I comfort you because of who I am. Why are you afraid of mere men? They are only human beings. They are like grass that dries up.

13 How can you forget me? I made you. I spread out the heavens. I laid the foundations of the earth. Why are you terrified every day? Is it because those who are angry with you are crushing you? Is it because they are trying to destroy you? Their anger can't harm you anymore.

14 You prisoners who are so afraid will soon be set free. You will not die in your prison cells. You will not go without food.

15 I am the LORD your God. I stir up the ocean. I make its waves roar. My name is The LORD Who Rules Over All.

16 I have put my words in your mouth. I have kept you safe in the palm of my hand. I set the heavens in place. I laid the foundations of the earth. I say to Zion, 'You are my people.' "

17 Wake up, Jerusalem! Wake up! Get up! The LORD has handed you the cup of his burning anger. And you have drunk from it. That cup makes men unsteady on their feet. And you have drunk from it to the very last drop.

18 None of the children who were born to you are left to guide you. None of the children you brought up are left to lead you by the hand.

19 Nothing but trouble has come to you. You have been wiped out and destroyed. And you have suffered hunger and war. No one feels sorry for you. No one can comfort you.

20 Your children have fainted. They lie helpless at every street corner. They are like antelope that have been caught in a net. They have felt the full force of the LORD's burning anger. Jerusalem, your God had to warn them strongly.

21 So listen to me, you suffering people of Jerusalem. You have been made drunk, but not by drinking wine.

22 Your LORD and King speaks. He is your God. He stands up for his people. He says, "I have taken from you the cup of my burning anger. It made you unsteady on your feet. But you will never drink from that cup again.

23 Instead, I will give it to those who made you suffer. They said to you, 'Fall down flat on the ground. Then we can walk all over you.' And that is exactly what you did. You made your back like a street to be walked on."

1 Wake up! Zion, wake up! Dress yourself with strength as if it were your clothes. Holy city of Jerusalem, put on your clothes of glory. Those who haven't been circumcised will never enter you again. Neither will those who are "unclean."

2 Get up, Jerusalem! Shake off your dust. Take your place on your throne. Captured people of Zion, remove the chains from your neck.

3 The LORD says, "When you were sold as slaves, no one paid anything for you. Now no one will pay any money to set you free."

4 The LORD and King continues, "Long ago my people went down to Egypt. They lived there for a while. Later, Assyria crushed them without any reason.

5 "Now look at what has happened to them," announces the Lord. "Once again my people have been taken away. And no one paid anything for them. Those who rule over them brag about it," announces the Lord. "All day long without stopping, people speak evil things against my name.

6 So the day will come when my people will really know the meaning of my name. They will know what kind of God I am. They will know that I told them ahead of time they would return to their land. They will know that it was I."

7 What a beautiful sight it is to see messengers coming with good news! How beautiful to see them coming down from the mountains with a message about peace! How wonderful it is when they bring the good news that we are saved! How wonderful when they say to Zion, "Your God rules!"

8 Listen! Those on guard duty are shouting out the message. With their own eyes they see the LORD returning to Zion. So they shout with joy.

9 Burst into songs of joy together, you broken-down buildings in Jerusalem. The LORD has comforted his people. He has set Jerusalem free.

10 The LORD will use the power of his holy arm to save his people. All of the nations will see him do it. Everyone from one end of the earth to the other will see it.

11 You who carry the articles that belong to the LORD's temple, leave Babylon! Leave it! Get out of there! Don't touch anything that isn't pure and clean. Come out of Babylon and be pure.

12 But this time you won't have to leave in a hurry. You won't have to rush away. The LORD will go ahead of you and lead you. The God of Israel will follow behind you and guard you.

13 The LORD says, "My servant will act wisely and accomplish his task. He will be highly honored. He will be greatly respected.

14 Many people were shocked when they saw him. He was so scarred that he did not look like a man at all. His body was so twisted that he did not look like a human being anymore.

15 But many nations will be surprised when they see what he has done. Kings will be so amazed that they will not be able to say anything. They will understand things they were never told about. They will know the meaning of things they never heard about."

1 Brothers and sisters, we don't have to write to you about times and dates.

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

3 People will be saying that everything is peaceful and safe. Then suddenly they will be destroyed. It will happen like birth pains coming on a pregnant woman. None of the people will escape.

4 Brothers and sisters, you are not in darkness. So that day should not surprise you as a thief would.

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

6 So let us not be like the others. They are asleep. Instead, let us be wide awake and in full control of ourselves.

7 Those who sleep, sleep at night. Those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

8 But we belong to the day. So let us control ourselves. Let us put the armor of faith and love on our chest. Let us put on the hope of salvation like a helmet.

9 God didn't choose us to receive his anger. He chose us to receive salvation because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.

10 Jesus died for us. Some will be alive when he comes. Others will be dead. Either way, we will live together with him.

11 So cheer each other up with the hope you have. Build each other up. In fact, that's what you are doing.

12 Brothers and sisters, we ask you to have respect for the godly leaders who work hard among you. They have authority over you. They correct you.

13 Have a lot of respect for them. Love them because of what they do. Live in peace with each other.

14 Brothers and sisters, we are asking you to warn those who don't want to work. Cheer up those who are shy. Help those who are weak. Put up with everyone.

15 Make sure that nobody pays back one wrong act with another. Always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

16 Always be joyful.

17 Never stop praying.

18 Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to thank him because you believe in Christ Jesus.

19 Don't put out the Holy Spirit's fire.

20 Don't treat prophecies as if they amount to nothing.

21 Put everything to the test. Hold on to what is good.

22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

23 God is the God who gives peace. May he make you holy through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept free from blame. May you be without blame from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes.

24 The One who has chosen you is faithful. He will do all these things.

25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.

26 Greet all the believers with a holy kiss.

27 While the Lord is watching, here is what I command you. Have this letter read to all the believers.

28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.