Add parallel Print Page Options

Judah’s Guilt and Judgment

What sorrow for you who buy up house after house and field after field,
    until everyone is evicted and you live alone in the land.
But I have heard the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    swear a solemn oath:
“Many houses will stand deserted;
    even beautiful mansions will be empty.
10 Ten acres[a] of vineyard will not produce even six gallons[b] of wine.
    Ten baskets of seed will yield only one basket[c] of grain.”

11 What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning
    looking for a drink of alcohol
and spend long evenings drinking wine
    to make themselves flaming drunk.
12 They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties—
    lyre and harp, tambourine and flute—
but they never think about the Lord
    or notice what he is doing.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 5:10a Hebrew A ten yoke, that is, the area of land plowed by ten teams of oxen in one day.
  2. 5:10b Hebrew a bath [21 liters].
  3. 5:10c Hebrew A homer [5 bushels or 220 liters] of seed will yield only an ephah [20 quarts or 22 liters].

Woes and Judgments

Woe(A) to you who add house to house
    and join field to field(B)
till no space is left
    and you live alone in the land.

The Lord Almighty(C) has declared in my hearing:(D)

“Surely the great houses will become desolate,(E)
    the fine mansions left without occupants.
10 A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath[a] of wine;
    a homer[b] of seed will yield only an ephah[c] of grain.”(F)

11 Woe(G) to those who rise early in the morning
    to run after their drinks,
who stay up late at night
    till they are inflamed with wine.(H)
12 They have harps and lyres at their banquets,
    pipes(I) and timbrels(J) and wine,
but they have no regard(K) for the deeds of the Lord,
    no respect for the work of his hands.(L)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 5:10 That is, about 6 gallons or about 22 liters
  2. Isaiah 5:10 That is, probably about 360 pounds or about 160 kilograms
  3. Isaiah 5:10 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms

18 What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them
    with ropes made of lies,
    who drag wickedness behind them like a cart!
19 They even mock God and say,
    “Hurry up and do something!
    We want to see what you can do.
Let the Holy One of Israel carry out his plan,
    for we want to know what it is.”

20 What sorrow for those who say
    that evil is good and good is evil,
that dark is light and light is dark,
    that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.
21 What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes
    and think themselves so clever.
22 What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wine
    and boast about all the alcohol they can hold.
23 They take bribes to let the wicked go free,
    and they punish the innocent.

Read full chapter

18 Woe(A) to those who draw sin along with cords(B) of deceit,
    and wickedness(C) as with cart ropes,
19 to those who say, “Let God hurry;
    let him hasten(D) his work
    so we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One(E) of Israel—
    let it approach, let it come into view,
    so we may know it.”(F)

20 Woe(G) to those who call evil good(H)
    and good evil,(I)
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,(J)
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.(K)

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes(L)
    and clever in their own sight.

22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine(M)
    and champions at mixing drinks,(N)
23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe,(O)
    but deny justice(P) to the innocent.(Q)

Read full chapter

Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters,[a] we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.[b] For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. 10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. 11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 5:1 Greek brothers; also in 5:4, 12, 14, 25, 26, 27.
  2. 5:4 Some manuscripts read comes upon you as if you were thieves.

The Day of the Lord

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates(A) we do not need to write to you,(B) for you know very well that the day of the Lord(C) will come like a thief in the night.(D) While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”(E) destruction will come on them suddenly,(F) as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.(G)

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness(H) so that this day should surprise you like a thief.(I) You are all children of the light(J) and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep,(K) but let us be awake(L) and sober.(M) For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.(N) But since we belong to the day,(O) let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate,(P) and the hope of salvation(Q) as a helmet.(R) For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath(S) but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.(T) 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.(U) 11 Therefore encourage one another(V) and build each other up,(W) just as in fact you are doing.

Read full chapter

20 “And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city. 22 For those will be days of God’s vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled. 23 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people. 24 They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.

25 “And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26 People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then everyone will see the Son of Man[a] coming on a cloud with power and great glory.[b] 28 So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 21:27a “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  2. 21:27b See Dan 7:13.

20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies,(A) you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.(B) 22 For this is the time of punishment(C) in fulfillment(D) of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled(E) on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.(F) 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.(G) 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man(H) coming in a cloud(I) with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”(J)

Read full chapter