Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God(A) our Savior(B) and of Christ Jesus our hope,(C)

To Timothy(D) my true son(E) in the faith:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.(F)

Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia,(G) stay there in Ephesus(H) so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines(I) any longer or to devote themselves to myths(J) and endless genealogies.(K) Such things promote controversial speculations(L) rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart(M) and a good conscience(N) and a sincere faith.(O) Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers(P) of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.(Q)

We know that the law is good(R) if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous(S) but for lawbreakers and rebels,(T) the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine(U) 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.(V)

The Lord’s Grace to Paul

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength,(W) that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.(X) 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor(Y) and a violent man, I was shown mercy(Z) because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.(AA) 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly,(AB) along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.(AC)

15 Here is a trustworthy saying(AD) that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners(AE)—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy(AF) so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience(AG) as an example for those who would believe(AH) in him and receive eternal life.(AI) 17 Now to the King(AJ) eternal, immortal,(AK) invisible,(AL) the only God,(AM) be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.(AN)

The Charge to Timothy Renewed

18 Timothy, my son,(AO) I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you,(AP) so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well,(AQ) 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience,(AR) which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.(AS) 20 Among them are Hymenaeus(AT) and Alexander,(AU) whom I have handed over to Satan(AV) to be taught not to blaspheme.

Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt

31 Woe(A) to those who go down to Egypt(B) for help,
    who rely on horses,(C)
who trust in the multitude of their chariots(D)
    and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One(E) of Israel,
    or seek help from the Lord.(F)
Yet he too is wise(G) and can bring disaster;(H)
    he does not take back his words.(I)
He will rise up against that wicked nation,(J)
    against those who help evildoers.
But the Egyptians(K) are mere mortals and not God;(L)
    their horses(M) are flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,(N)
    those who help will stumble,
    those who are helped(O) will fall;
    all will perish together.(P)

This is what the Lord says to me:

“As a lion(Q) growls,
    a great lion over its prey—
and though a whole band of shepherds(R)
    is called together against it,
it is not frightened by their shouts
    or disturbed by their clamor(S)
so the Lord Almighty will come down(T)
    to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.
Like birds hovering(U) overhead,
    the Lord Almighty will shield(V) Jerusalem;
he will shield it and deliver(W) it,
    he will ‘pass over’(X) it and will rescue it.”

Return,(Y) you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted(Z) against. For in that day(AA) every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold(AB) your sinful hands have made.(AC)

“Assyria(AD) will fall by no human sword;
    a sword, not of mortals, will devour(AE) them.
They will flee before the sword
    and their young men will be put to forced labor.(AF)
Their stronghold(AG) will fall because of terror;
    at the sight of the battle standard(AH) their commanders will panic,(AI)
declares the Lord,
    whose fire(AJ) is in Zion,
    whose furnace(AK) is in Jerusalem.

The Kingdom of Righteousness

32 See, a king(AL) will reign in righteousness
    and rulers will rule with justice.(AM)
Each one will be like a shelter(AN) from the wind
    and a refuge from the storm,(AO)
like streams of water(AP) in the desert(AQ)
    and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,(AR)
    and the ears(AS) of those who hear will listen.
The fearful heart will know and understand,(AT)
    and the stammering tongue(AU) will be fluent and clear.
No longer will the fool(AV) be called noble
    nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
For fools speak folly,(AW)
    their hearts are bent on evil:(AX)
They practice ungodliness(AY)
    and spread error(AZ) concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty(BA)
    and from the thirsty they withhold water.
Scoundrels use wicked methods,(BB)
    they make up evil schemes(BC)
to destroy the poor with lies,
    even when the plea of the needy(BD) is just.(BE)
But the noble make noble plans,
    and by noble deeds(BF) they stand.(BG)

The Women of Jerusalem

You women(BH) who are so complacent,
    rise up and listen(BI) to me;
you daughters who feel secure,(BJ)
    hear what I have to say!
10 In little more than a year(BK)
    you who feel secure will tremble;
the grape harvest will fail,(BL)
    and the harvest of fruit will not come.
11 Tremble,(BM) you complacent women;
    shudder, you daughters who feel secure!(BN)
Strip off your fine clothes(BO)
    and wrap yourselves in rags.(BP)
12 Beat your breasts(BQ) for the pleasant fields,
    for the fruitful vines(BR)
13 and for the land of my people,
    a land overgrown with thorns and briers(BS)
yes, mourn(BT) for all houses of merriment
    and for this city of revelry.(BU)
14 The fortress(BV) will be abandoned,
    the noisy city deserted;(BW)
citadel and watchtower(BX) will become a wasteland forever,
    the delight of donkeys,(BY) a pasture for flocks,(BZ)
15 till the Spirit(CA) is poured on us from on high,
    and the desert becomes a fertile field,(CB)
    and the fertile field seems like a forest.(CC)
16 The Lord’s justice(CD) will dwell in the desert,(CE)
    his righteousness(CF) live in the fertile field.
17 The fruit of that righteousness(CG) will be peace;(CH)
    its effect will be quietness and confidence(CI) forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful(CJ) dwelling places,
    in secure homes,(CK)
    in undisturbed places of rest.(CL)
19 Though hail(CM) flattens the forest(CN)
    and the city is leveled(CO) completely,
20 how blessed you will be,
    sowing(CP) your seed by every stream,(CQ)
    and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.(CR)

Distress and Help

33 Woe(CS) to you, destroyer,
    you who have not been destroyed!
Woe to you, betrayer,
    you who have not been betrayed!
When you stop destroying,
    you will be destroyed;(CT)
when you stop betraying,
    you will be betrayed.(CU)

Lord, be gracious(CV) to us;
    we long for you.
Be our strength(CW) every morning,
    our salvation(CX) in time of distress.(CY)
At the uproar of your army,(CZ) the peoples flee;(DA)
    when you rise up,(DB) the nations scatter.
Your plunder,(DC) O nations, is harvested(DD) as by young locusts;(DE)
    like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it.

The Lord is exalted,(DF) for he dwells on high;(DG)
    he will fill Zion with his justice(DH) and righteousness.(DI)
He will be the sure foundation for your times,
    a rich store of salvation(DJ) and wisdom and knowledge;
    the fear(DK) of the Lord is the key to this treasure.[a](DL)

Look, their brave men(DM) cry aloud in the streets;
    the envoys(DN) of peace weep bitterly.
The highways are deserted,
    no travelers(DO) are on the roads.(DP)
The treaty is broken,(DQ)
    its witnesses[b] are despised,
    no one is respected.
The land dries up(DR) and wastes away,
    Lebanon(DS) is ashamed and withers;(DT)
Sharon(DU) is like the Arabah,
    and Bashan(DV) and Carmel(DW) drop their leaves.

10 “Now will I arise,(DX)” says the Lord.
    “Now will I be exalted;(DY)
    now will I be lifted up.
11 You conceive(DZ) chaff,
    you give birth(EA) to straw;
    your breath is a fire(EB) that consumes you.
12 The peoples will be burned to ashes;(EC)
    like cut thornbushes(ED) they will be set ablaze.(EE)

13 You who are far away,(EF) hear(EG) what I have done;
    you who are near, acknowledge my power!
14 The sinners(EH) in Zion are terrified;
    trembling(EI) grips the godless:
“Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire?(EJ)
    Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?”
15 Those who walk righteously(EK)
    and speak what is right,(EL)
who reject gain from extortion(EM)
    and keep their hands from accepting bribes,(EN)
who stop their ears against plots of murder
    and shut their eyes(EO) against contemplating evil—
16 they are the ones who will dwell on the heights,(EP)
    whose refuge(EQ) will be the mountain fortress.(ER)
Their bread will be supplied,
    and water will not fail(ES) them.

17 Your eyes will see the king(ET) in his beauty(EU)
    and view a land that stretches afar.(EV)
18 In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror:(EW)
    “Where is that chief officer?
Where is the one who took the revenue?
    Where is the officer in charge of the towers?(EX)
19 You will see those arrogant people(EY) no more,
    people whose speech is obscure,
    whose language is strange and incomprehensible.(EZ)

20 Look on Zion,(FA) the city of our festivals;
    your eyes will see Jerusalem,
    a peaceful abode,(FB) a tent(FC) that will not be moved;(FD)
its stakes will never be pulled up,
    nor any of its ropes broken.
21 There the Lord will be our Mighty(FE) One.
    It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams.(FF)
No galley with oars will ride them,
    no mighty ship(FG) will sail them.
22 For the Lord is our judge,(FH)
    the Lord is our lawgiver,(FI)
the Lord is our king;(FJ)
    it is he who will save(FK) us.

23 Your rigging hangs loose:
    The mast is not held secure,
    the sail is not spread.
Then an abundance of spoils will be divided
    and even the lame(FL) will carry off plunder.(FM)
24 No one living in Zion will say, “I am ill”;(FN)
    and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.(FO)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 33:6 Or is a treasure from him
  2. Isaiah 33:8 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text / the cities

ה He

33 Teach me,(A) Lord, the way of your decrees,
    that I may follow it to the end.[a]
34 Give me understanding,(B) so that I may keep your law(C)
    and obey it with all my heart.(D)
35 Direct me(E) in the path of your commands,(F)
    for there I find delight.(G)
36 Turn my heart(H) toward your statutes
    and not toward selfish gain.(I)
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
    preserve my life(J) according to your word.[b](K)
38 Fulfill your promise(L) to your servant,
    so that you may be feared.
39 Take away the disgrace(M) I dread,
    for your laws are good.
40 How I long(N) for your precepts!
    In your righteousness preserve my life.(O)

ו Waw

41 May your unfailing love(P) come to me, Lord,
    your salvation, according to your promise;(Q)
42 then I can answer(R) anyone who taunts me,(S)
    for I trust in your word.
43 Never take your word of truth from my mouth,(T)
    for I have put my hope(U) in your laws.
44 I will always obey your law,(V)
    for ever and ever.
45 I will walk about in freedom,
    for I have sought out your precepts.(W)
46 I will speak of your statutes before kings(X)
    and will not be put to shame,(Y)
47 for I delight(Z) in your commands
    because I love them.(AA)
48 I reach out for your commands, which I love,
    that I may meditate(AB) on your decrees.

ז Zayin

49 Remember your word(AC) to your servant,
    for you have given me hope.(AD)
50 My comfort in my suffering is this:
    Your promise preserves my life.(AE)
51 The arrogant mock me(AF) unmercifully,
    but I do not turn(AG) from your law.
52 I remember,(AH) Lord, your ancient laws,
    and I find comfort in them.
53 Indignation grips me(AI) because of the wicked,
    who have forsaken your law.(AJ)
54 Your decrees are the theme of my song(AK)
    wherever I lodge.
55 In the night, Lord, I remember(AL) your name,
    that I may keep your law.(AM)
56 This has been my practice:
    I obey your precepts.(AN)

ח Heth

57 You are my portion,(AO) Lord;
    I have promised to obey your words.(AP)
58 I have sought(AQ) your face with all my heart;
    be gracious to me(AR) according to your promise.(AS)
59 I have considered my ways(AT)
    and have turned my steps to your statutes.
60 I will hasten and not delay
    to obey your commands.(AU)
61 Though the wicked bind me with ropes,
    I will not forget(AV) your law.
62 At midnight(AW) I rise to give you thanks
    for your righteous laws.(AX)
63 I am a friend to all who fear you,(AY)
    to all who follow your precepts.(AZ)
64 The earth is filled with your love,(BA) Lord;
    teach me your decrees.(BB)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 119:33 Or follow it for its reward
  2. Psalm 119:37 Two manuscripts of the Masoretic Text and Dead Sea Scrolls; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text life in your way

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