Lectionary Calendar
Friday, May 3rd, 2024
the Fifth Week after Easter
Attention!

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Contemporary English Version

Isaiah 60

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A New Day for Jerusalem

1 Jerusalem, stand up! Shine!
    Your new day is dawning.
The glory of the Lord
    shines brightly on you.
2 The earth and its people
    are covered with darkness,
but the glory of the Lord
    is shining upon you.
3 Nations and kings
will come to the light
    of your dawning day.

Crowds Are Coming to Jerusalem

The Lord said:

4 Open your eyes! Look around!
    Crowds are coming.
Your sons are on their way
    from distant lands;
your daughters are being carried
    like little children.
5 When you see this,
    your faces will glow;
your hearts will pound
    and swell with pride.[a]
Treasures from across the sea
and the wealth of nations
    will be brought to you.
6 Your country will be covered
with caravans
of young camels
    from Midian and Ephah.[b]
The people of Sheba[c]
will bring gold and spices
    in praise of me, the Lord.
7 Every sheep of Kedar
    will come to you;
rams from Nebaioth[d]
    will be yours as well.
I will accept them as offerings
    and bring honor to my temple.

8 What is that sailing by
like clouds
    or like doves flying home?
9 On those distant islands
your people are waiting
    for me, the Lord.[e]
Seagoing ships[f] lead the way
to bring them home
    with their silver and gold.
I, the holy Lord God of Israel,
do this
to honor your people,
    so they will honor me.

Jerusalem Will Be Rebuilt

The Lord said:

10 Jerusalem, your city walls
    will be rebuilt by foreigners;
their rulers will become
    your slaves.
I punished you in my anger;
now I will be kind
    and treat you with mercy.

11 Your gates will be open
    day and night
to let the rulers of nations
lead their people to you
    with all their treasures.
12 Any nation or kingdom
that refuses to serve you
    will be wiped out.
13 Wood from Lebanon's best trees
will be brought to you—
    the pines, the firs,
    and the cypress trees.
It will be used in my temple
to make beautiful
the place
    where I rest my feet.

14 The descendants of enemies
who hated and mistreated you
    will kneel at your feet.
They will say, "You are Zion,
the city of the Lord,
    the holy God of Israel."

15 You were hated and deserted,
    rejected by everyone.
But I will make you beautiful,
a city to be proud of
    for all time to come.
16 You will drain the wealth
    of kings and foreign nations.
You will know that I,
the mighty Lord God of Israel,
    have saved and rescued you.

17 I will bring bronze and iron
    in place of wood and stone;
in place of bronze and iron,
    I will bring gold and silver.
I will appoint peace and justice
    as your rulers and leaders.
18 Violence, destruction, and ruin
will never again
be heard of
    within your borders.
"Victory" will be the name
    you give to your walls;
"Praise" will be the name
    you give to your gates.

19 You won't need the light
    of the sun or the moon.
I, the Lord your God,
will be your eternal light
    and bring you honor.
20 Your sun will never set
    or your moon go down.
I, the Lord, will be
    your everlasting light,
and your days of sorrow
    will come to an end.
21 Your people will live right
    and always own the land;
they are the trees I planted
    to bring praise to me.
22 Even the smallest family
    will be a powerful nation.
I am the Lord,
and when the time comes,
    I will quickly do all this.

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