ISAIAH 59

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Evil and Oppression59:1

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,

or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2

but your iniquities have made a separation

between you and your God,

and your sins have hidden his face from you

so that he does not hear. 3

For your hands are defiled with blood

and your fingers with iniquity;

your lips have spoken lies;

your tongue mutters wickedness. 4

No one enters suit justly;

no one goes to law honestly;

they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,

they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity. 5

They hatch adders’ eggs;

they weave the spider’s web;

he who eats their eggs dies,

and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched. 6

Their webs will not serve as clothing;

men will not cover themselves with what they make.

Their works are works of iniquity,

and deeds of violence are in their hands. 7

Their feet run to evil,

and they are swift to shed innocent blood;

their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;

desolation and destruction are in their highways. 8

The way of peace they do not know,

and there is no justice in their paths;

they have made their roads crooked;

no one who treads on them knows peace.
9

Therefore justice is far from us,

and righteousness does not overtake us;

we hope for light, and behold, darkness,

and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. 10

We grope for the wall like the blind;

we grope like those who have no eyes;

we stumble at noon as in the twilight,

among those in full vigor we are like dead men. 11

We all growl like bears;

we moan and moan like doves;

we hope for justice, but there is none;

for salvation, but it is far from us. 12

For our transgressions are multiplied before you,

and our sins testify against us;

for our transgressions are with us,

and we know our iniquities: 13

transgressing, and denying the Lord,

and turning back from following our God,

speaking oppression and revolt,

conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words. Judgment and Redemption14

Justice is turned back,

and righteousness stands far away;

for truth has stumbled in the public squares,

and uprightness cannot enter.
15

Truth is lacking,

and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

The Lord saw it, and it displeased him

that there was no justice. 16

He saw that there was no man,

and wondered that there was no one to intercede;

then his own arm brought him salvation,

and his righteousness upheld him. 17

He put on righteousness as a breastplate,

and a helmet of salvation on his head;

he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,

and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak. 18

According to their deeds, so will he repay,

wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies;

to the coastlands he will render repayment. 19

So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west,

and his glory from the rising of the sun;

for he will come like a rushing stream,

which the wind of the Lord drives.
20

“And a Redeemer will come to Zion,

to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord. 21 “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

ISAIAH 60

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The Future Glory of Israel60:1

Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2

For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,

and thick darkness the peoples;

but the Lord will arise upon you,

and his glory will be seen upon you. 3

And nations shall come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your rising.
4

Lift up your eyes all around, and see;

they all gather together, they come to you;

your sons shall come from afar,

and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. 5

Then you shall see and be radiant;

your heart shall thrill and exult,

because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,

the wealth of the nations shall come to you. 6

A multitude of camels shall cover you,

the young camels of Midian and Ephah;

all those from Sheba shall come.

They shall bring gold and frankincense,

and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord. 7

All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you;

the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;

they shall come up with acceptance on my altar,

and I will beautify my beautiful house.
8

Who are these that fly like a cloud,

and like doves to their windows? 9

For the coastlands shall hope for me,

the ships of Tarshish first,

to bring your children from afar,

their silver and gold with them,

for the name of the Lord your God,

and for the Holy One of Israel,

because he has made you beautiful.
10

Foreigners shall build up your walls,

and their kings shall minister to you;

for in my wrath I struck you,

but in my favor I have had mercy on you. 11

Your gates shall be open continually;

day and night they shall not be shut,

that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations,

with their kings led in procession. 12

For the nation and kingdom

that will not serve you shall perish;

those nations shall be utterly laid waste. 13

The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,

the cypress, the plane, and the pine,

to beautify the place of my sanctuary,

and I will make the place of my feet glorious. 14

The sons of those who afflicted you

shall come bending low to you,

and all who despised you

shall bow down at your feet;

they shall call you the City of the Lord,

the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15

Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,

with no one passing through,

I will make you majestic forever,

a joy from age to age. 16

You shall suck the milk of nations;

you shall nurse at the breast of kings;

and you shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior

and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
17

Instead of bronze I will bring gold,

and instead of iron I will bring silver;

instead of wood, bronze,

instead of stones, iron.

I will make your overseers peace

and your taskmasters righteousness. 18

Violence shall no more be heard in your land,

devastation or destruction within your borders;

you shall call your walls Salvation,

and your gates Praise.
19

The sun shall be no more

your light by day,

nor for brightness shall the moon

give you light;

but the Lord will be your everlasting light,

and your God will be your glory. 20

Your sun shall no more go down,

nor your moon withdraw itself;

for the Lord will be your everlasting light,

and your days of mourning shall be ended. 21

Your people shall all be righteous;

they shall possess the land forever,

the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,

that I might be glorified. 22

The least one shall become a clan,

and the smallest one a mighty nation;

I am the Lord;

in its time I will hasten it.

PROVERBS 29

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29:1

He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,

will suddenly be broken beyond healing. 2

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,

but when the wicked rule, the people groan. 3

He who loves wisdom makes his father glad,

but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. 4

By justice a king builds up the land,

but he who exacts gifts tears it down. 5

A man who flatters his neighbor

spreads a net for his feet. 6

An evil man is ensnared in his transgression,

but a righteous man sings and rejoices. 7

A righteous man knows the rights of the poor;

a wicked man does not understand such knowledge. 8

Scoffers set a city aflame,

but the wise turn away wrath. 9

If a wise man has an argument with a fool,

the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet. 10

Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless

and seek the life of the upright. 11

A fool gives full vent to his spirit,

but a wise man quietly holds it back. 12

If a ruler listens to falsehood,

all his officials will be wicked. 13

The poor man and the oppressor meet together;

the Lord gives light to the eyes of both. 14

If a king faithfully judges the poor,

his throne will be established forever. 15

The rod and reproof give wisdom,

but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. 16

When the wicked increase, transgression increases,

but the righteous will look upon their downfall. 17

Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;

he will give delight to your heart. 18

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint,

but blessed is he who keeps the law. 19

By mere words a servant is not disciplined,

for though he understands, he will not respond. 20

Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?

There is more hope for a fool than for him. 21

Whoever pampers his servant from childhood

will in the end find him his heir. 22

A man of wrath stirs up strife,

and one given to anger causes much transgression. 23

One’s pride will bring him low,

but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. 24

The partner of a thief hates his own life;

he hears the curse, but discloses nothing. 25

The fear of man lays a snare,

but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. 26

Many seek the face of a ruler,

but it is from the Lord that a man gets justice. 27

An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,

but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

JAMES 2

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The Sin of Partiality  2:1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
    8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Faith Without Works Is Dead14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
    18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.