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Government with Justice Predicted

32 See, a king will reign in righteousness,
    and princes[a] will rule with justice.(A)
Each will be like a hiding place from the wind,
    a covert from the tempest,
like streams of water in a dry place,
    like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.(B)
Then the eyes of those who have sight will not be closed,
    and the ears of those who have hearing will listen.(C)
The minds of the rash will have good judgment,
    and the tongues of stammerers will speak readily and distinctly.(D)
A fool will no longer be called noble
    nor a villain said to be honorable.(E)
For fools speak folly,
    and their minds plot iniquity:
to practice ungodliness,
    to utter error concerning the Lord,
to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied,
    and to deprive the thirsty of drink.(F)
The villainies of villains are evil;
    they devise wicked devices
to ruin the poor with lying words,
    even when the plea of the needy is right.(G)
But those who are noble plan noble things,
    and by noble things they stand.(H)

Complacent Women Warned of Disaster

Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice;
    you complacent daughters, listen to my speech.(I)
10 In little more than a year
    you will shudder, you complacent ones,
for the vintage will fail;
    the fruit harvest will not come.(J)
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease;
    shudder, you complacent ones;
strip and make yourselves bare,
    and put sackcloth on your loins.(K)
12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,[b]
    for the fruitful vine,(L)
13 for the soil of my people
    growing up in thorns and briers,
yes, for all the joyous houses
    in the jubilant city.(M)
14 For the palace will be forsaken,
    the populous city deserted;
the hill and the watchtower
    will become dens forever,
the joy of wild asses,
    a pasture for flocks;(N)
15 until a spirit from on high is poured out on us,
    and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
    and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.(O)

The Peace of God’s Reign

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness
    and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.(P)
17 The effect of righteousness will be peace,
    and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.(Q)
18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
    in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
19 The forest will disappear completely,[c]
    and the city will be utterly laid low.(R)
20 Happy will you be who sow beside every stream,
    who let the ox and the donkey range freely.(S)

A Prophecy of Deliverance from Foes

33 Woe to the destroyer,
    who yourself have not been destroyed;
you treacherous one,
    with whom no one has dealt treacherously!
When you have ceased to destroy,
    you will be destroyed;
and when you have stopped dealing treacherously,
    you will be dealt with treacherously.(T)

O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you.
    Be our arm every morning,
    our salvation in the time of trouble.(U)
At the sound of tumult, peoples fled;
    before your majesty, nations scattered.(V)
Spoil was gathered as the caterpillar gathers;
    as locusts leap, they leaped[d] upon it.
The Lord is exalted; he dwells on high;
    he filled Zion with justice and righteousness;(W)
he will be the stability of your times,
    abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;
    the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.[e](X)

Listen! The people of Ariel[f] cry out in the streets;
    the envoys of peace weep bitterly.(Y)
The highways are deserted;
    travelers have quit the road.
The treaty is broken;
    its oaths[g] are despised,
    the people are disregarded.
The land mourns and languishes;
    Lebanon is confounded and withers away;
Sharon is like a desert,
    and Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves.

10 “Now I will arise,” says the Lord,
    “now I will lift myself up;
    now I will be exalted.
11 You conceive chaff; you bring forth stubble;
    wind like a fire[h] will consume you.
12 And the peoples will be as if burned to lime,
    like thorns cut down that are burned in the fire.”

13 Hear, you who are far away, what I have done,
    and you who are near, acknowledge my might.
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid;
    trembling has seized the godless:
“Who among us can live with the devouring fire?
    Who among us can live with everlasting flames?”
15 Those who walk righteously and speak uprightly,
    who despise the gain of oppression,
who wave away a bribe instead of accepting it,
    who stop their ears from hearing of bloodshed
    and shut their eyes from looking on evil,
16 they will live on the heights;
    their refuge will be the fortresses of rocks;
    their food will be supplied, their water assured.

The Land of the Majestic King

17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty;
    they will behold a land that stretches far away.
18 Your mind will muse on the terror:
    “Where is the one who counted?
    Where is the one who weighed the tribute?
    Where is the one who counted the towers?”(Z)
19 No longer will you see the insolent people,
    the people of an obscure speech that you cannot comprehend,
    stammering in a language that you cannot understand.(AA)
20 Look on Zion, the city of our appointed festivals!
    Your eyes will see Jerusalem,
    a quiet habitation, an immovable tent
whose stakes will never be pulled up
    and none of whose ropes will be broken.(AB)
21 But there the Lord in majesty will be for us
    a place of broad rivers and streams
where no galley with oars can go
    nor stately ship can pass.(AC)
22 For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our ruler;
    the Lord is our king; he will save us.(AD)

23 Your rigging hangs loose;
    it cannot hold the mast firm in its place
    or keep the sail spread out.

Then the blind will divide abundant spoil,[i]
    and the lame will take plunder.(AE)
24 And no inhabitant will say, “I am sick”;
    the people who live there will be forgiven their iniquity.(AF)

Footnotes

  1. 32.1 Gk: Heb and for princes
  2. 32.12 Gk: Heb on the lamenting breasts
  3. 32.19 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. 33.4 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  5. 33.6 Heb his treasure
  6. 33.7 Heb mss: Meaning of MT uncertain
  7. 33.8 Q ms: MT cities
  8. 33.11 Cn: Heb your breath
  9. 33.23 Cn: Heb Then prey and spoil in abundance will be divided

The Kingdom of Righteousness

32 See, a king(A) will reign in righteousness
    and rulers will rule with justice.(B)
Each one will be like a shelter(C) from the wind
    and a refuge from the storm,(D)
like streams of water(E) in the desert(F)
    and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,(G)
    and the ears(H) of those who hear will listen.
The fearful heart will know and understand,(I)
    and the stammering tongue(J) will be fluent and clear.
No longer will the fool(K) be called noble
    nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
For fools speak folly,(L)
    their hearts are bent on evil:(M)
They practice ungodliness(N)
    and spread error(O) concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty(P)
    and from the thirsty they withhold water.
Scoundrels use wicked methods,(Q)
    they make up evil schemes(R)
to destroy the poor with lies,
    even when the plea of the needy(S) is just.(T)
But the noble make noble plans,
    and by noble deeds(U) they stand.(V)

The Women of Jerusalem

You women(W) who are so complacent,
    rise up and listen(X) to me;
you daughters who feel secure,(Y)
    hear what I have to say!
10 In little more than a year(Z)
    you who feel secure will tremble;
the grape harvest will fail,(AA)
    and the harvest of fruit will not come.
11 Tremble,(AB) you complacent women;
    shudder, you daughters who feel secure!(AC)
Strip off your fine clothes(AD)
    and wrap yourselves in rags.(AE)
12 Beat your breasts(AF) for the pleasant fields,
    for the fruitful vines(AG)
13 and for the land of my people,
    a land overgrown with thorns and briers(AH)
yes, mourn(AI) for all houses of merriment
    and for this city of revelry.(AJ)
14 The fortress(AK) will be abandoned,
    the noisy city deserted;(AL)
citadel and watchtower(AM) will become a wasteland forever,
    the delight of donkeys,(AN) a pasture for flocks,(AO)
15 till the Spirit(AP) is poured on us from on high,
    and the desert becomes a fertile field,(AQ)
    and the fertile field seems like a forest.(AR)
16 The Lord’s justice(AS) will dwell in the desert,(AT)
    his righteousness(AU) live in the fertile field.
17 The fruit of that righteousness(AV) will be peace;(AW)
    its effect will be quietness and confidence(AX) forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful(AY) dwelling places,
    in secure homes,(AZ)
    in undisturbed places of rest.(BA)
19 Though hail(BB) flattens the forest(BC)
    and the city is leveled(BD) completely,
20 how blessed you will be,
    sowing(BE) your seed by every stream,(BF)
    and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.(BG)

Distress and Help

33 Woe(BH) 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;(BI)
when you stop betraying,
    you will be betrayed.(BJ)

Lord, be gracious(BK) to us;
    we long for you.
Be our strength(BL) every morning,
    our salvation(BM) in time of distress.(BN)
At the uproar of your army,(BO) the peoples flee;(BP)
    when you rise up,(BQ) the nations scatter.
Your plunder,(BR) O nations, is harvested(BS) as by young locusts;(BT)
    like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it.

The Lord is exalted,(BU) for he dwells on high;(BV)
    he will fill Zion with his justice(BW) and righteousness.(BX)
He will be the sure foundation for your times,
    a rich store of salvation(BY) and wisdom and knowledge;
    the fear(BZ) of the Lord is the key to this treasure.[a](CA)

Look, their brave men(CB) cry aloud in the streets;
    the envoys(CC) of peace weep bitterly.
The highways are deserted,
    no travelers(CD) are on the roads.(CE)
The treaty is broken,(CF)
    its witnesses[b] are despised,
    no one is respected.
The land dries up(CG) and wastes away,
    Lebanon(CH) is ashamed and withers;(CI)
Sharon(CJ) is like the Arabah,
    and Bashan(CK) and Carmel(CL) drop their leaves.

10 “Now will I arise,(CM)” says the Lord.
    “Now will I be exalted;(CN)
    now will I be lifted up.
11 You conceive(CO) chaff,
    you give birth(CP) to straw;
    your breath is a fire(CQ) that consumes you.
12 The peoples will be burned to ashes;(CR)
    like cut thornbushes(CS) they will be set ablaze.(CT)

13 You who are far away,(CU) hear(CV) what I have done;
    you who are near, acknowledge my power!
14 The sinners(CW) in Zion are terrified;
    trembling(CX) grips the godless:
“Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire?(CY)
    Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?”
15 Those who walk righteously(CZ)
    and speak what is right,(DA)
who reject gain from extortion(DB)
    and keep their hands from accepting bribes,(DC)
who stop their ears against plots of murder
    and shut their eyes(DD) against contemplating evil—
16 they are the ones who will dwell on the heights,(DE)
    whose refuge(DF) will be the mountain fortress.(DG)
Their bread will be supplied,
    and water will not fail(DH) them.

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

20 Look on Zion,(DP) the city of our festivals;
    your eyes will see Jerusalem,
    a peaceful abode,(DQ) a tent(DR) that will not be moved;(DS)
its stakes will never be pulled up,
    nor any of its ropes broken.
21 There the Lord will be our Mighty(DT) One.
    It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams.(DU)
No galley with oars will ride them,
    no mighty ship(DV) will sail them.
22 For the Lord is our judge,(DW)
    the Lord is our lawgiver,(DX)
the Lord is our king;(DY)
    it is he who will save(DZ) 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(EA) will carry off plunder.(EB)
24 No one living in Zion will say, “I am ill”;(EC)
    and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.(ED)

Footnotes

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

Salutation

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.[a]

Paul Thanks God for the Colossians

In our prayers for you we always thank God, the[b] Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,(A) for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,(B) because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel(C) that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.(D) This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on our[c] behalf,(E) and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s[d] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,(F) 10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.(G) 11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, so that you may have all endurance and patience, joyfully(H) 12 giving thanks to the Father,[e] who has enabled[f] you[g] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,(I) 14 in whom we have redemption,[h] the forgiveness of sins.

The Supremacy of Christ

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,(J) 16 for in[i] him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in[j] him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.(K) 19 For in him all the fullness of God[k] was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.(L)

21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled[l] in his fleshly body[m] through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him,(M) 23 provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature[n] under heaven. I, Paul, became a minister of this gospel.(N)

Paul’s Interest in the Colossians

24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25 I became its minister according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,(O) 26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints.(P) 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.(Q) 28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.[o](R) 29 For this I toil and strive with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me.(S)

Footnotes

  1. 1.2 Other ancient authorities add and the Lord Jesus Christ
  2. 1.3 Other ancient authorities read thank the God and
  3. 1.7 Other ancient authorities read your
  4. 1.9 Gk his
  5. 1.12 Other ancient authorities read God the Father or the God and Father
  6. 1.12 Other ancient authorities read called
  7. 1.12 Other ancient authorities read us
  8. 1.14 Other ancient authorities add through his blood
  9. 1.16 Or by
  10. 1.17 Or by
  11. 1.19 Gk lacks of God
  12. 1.22 Other ancient authorities read you have now been reconciled
  13. 1.22 Gk in the body of his flesh
  14. 1.23 Or in all creation
  15. 1.28 Other ancient authorities add Jesus

Paul, an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) and Timothy(C) our brother,

To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters[a] in Christ:

Grace(D) and peace to you from God our Father.[b](E)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

We always thank God,(F) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love(G) you have for all God’s people(H) the faith and love that spring from the hope(I) stored up for you in heaven(J) and about which you have already heard in the true message(K) of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit(L) and growing throughout the whole world(M)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras,(N) our dear fellow servant,[c] who is a faithful minister(O) of Christ on our[d] behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.(P)

For this reason, since the day we heard about you,(Q) we have not stopped praying for you.(R) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will(S) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[e](T) 10 so that you may live a life worthy(U) of the Lord and please him(V) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,(W) 11 being strengthened with all power(X) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,(Y) 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father,(Z) who has qualified you[f] to share in the inheritance(AA) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.(AB) 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness(AC) and brought us into the kingdom(AD) of the Son he loves,(AE) 14 in whom we have redemption,(AF) the forgiveness of sins.(AG)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image(AH) of the invisible God,(AI) the firstborn(AJ) over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created:(AK) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;(AL) all things have been created through him and for him.(AM) 17 He is before all things,(AN) and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head(AO) of the body, the church;(AP) he is the beginning and the firstborn(AQ) from among the dead,(AR) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased(AS) to have all his fullness(AT) dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile(AU) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,(AV) by making peace(AW) through his blood,(AX) shed on the cross.

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies(AY) in your minds(AZ) because of[g] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled(BA) you by Christ’s physical body(BB) through death to present you(BC) holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation(BD) 23 if you continue(BE) in your faith, established(BF) and firm, and do not move from the hope(BG) held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,(BH) and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.(BI)

Paul’s Labor for the Church

24 Now I rejoice(BJ) in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,(BK) for the sake of his body, which is the church.(BL) 25 I have become its servant(BM) by the commission God gave me(BN) to present to you the word of God(BO) in its fullness— 26 the mystery(BP) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known(BQ) among the Gentiles the glorious riches(BR) of this mystery, which is Christ in you,(BS) the hope of glory.

28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing(BT) and teaching everyone with all wisdom,(BU) so that we may present everyone fully mature(BV) in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously(BW) contend(BX) with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.(BY)

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 4:15.
  2. Colossians 1:2 Some manuscripts Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
  3. Colossians 1:7 Or slave
  4. Colossians 1:7 Some manuscripts your
  5. Colossians 1:9 Or all spiritual wisdom and understanding
  6. Colossians 1:12 Some manuscripts us
  7. Colossians 1:21 Or minds, as shown by