Bible Reading Plan

The Sign of Immanuel

¹ When Ahaz^(a) son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin^(b) of Aram^(c) and Pekah^(d) son of Remaliah^(e) king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.

² Now the house of David^(f) was told, "Aram has allied itself with^[a] Ephraim^(g)"; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken,^(h) as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.

³ Then the Lord said to Isaiah, "Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub,^[b](i) to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer's Field.^{(j) 4} Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm^(k) and don't be afraid.^(l) Do not lose heart^(m) because of these two smoldering stubs⁽ⁿ⁾ of firewood—because of the fierce anger^(o) of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.^{(p) 5} Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah's^(q) son have plotted^(r) your ruin, saying, ⁶ "Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it." ⁷ Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says:^(s)

¹⁰ Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, ¹¹ "Ask the Lord your God for a sign,^(ab) whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.^(ac)"

¹² But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.^(ad)"

¹³ Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David!^(ae) Is it not enough^(af) to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience^(ag) of my God^(ah) also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you^[c] a sign:^(ai) The virgin^[d](aj) will conceive and give birth to a son,^(ak) and^[e] will call him Immanuel.^{[f](al) 15} He will be eating curds^(am) and honey^(an) when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, ¹⁶ for before the boy knows^(ao) enough to reject the wrong and choose the right,^(ap) the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.^{(aq) 17} The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away^(ar) from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.^(as)"

Assyria, the Lord's Instrument

¹⁸ In that day^(at) the Lord will whistle^(au) for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.^{(av) 19} They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices^(aw) in the rocks, on all the thornbushes^(ax) and at all the water holes. ²⁰ In that day^(ay) the Lord will use^(az) a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River^(ba)—the king of Assyria^(bb)—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard^(bc) also.^{(bd) 21} In that day,^(be) a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats.^{(bf) 22} And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds^(bg) and honey.^{(bh) 23} In that day,^(bi) in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels,^[g](bj) there will be only briers and thorns.^{(bk) 24} Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers^(bl) and thorns. ²⁵ As for all the hills^(bm) once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns;^(bn) they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.^(bo)

Chapter 20

¹⁷ From Miletus,^(ab) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders^(ac) of the church. ¹⁸ When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,^(ad) from the first day I came into the province of Asia.^{(ae) 19} I served the Lord with great humility and with tears^(af) and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.^{(ag) 20} You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything^(ah) that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. ²¹ I have declared to both Jews^(ai) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance^(aj) and have faith in our Lord Jesus.^(ak)

²² "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,^(al) not knowing what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me^(am) that prison and hardships are facing me.^{(an) 24} However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;^(ao) my only aim is to finish the race^(ap) and complete the task^(aq) the Lord Jesus has given me^(ar)—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.^(as)

²⁵ "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom^(at) will ever see me again.^{(au) 26} Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.^{(av) 27} For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.^{(aw) 28} Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock^(ax) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.^(ay) Be shepherds of the church of God,^[a](az) which he bought^(ba) with his own blood.^{[b](bb) 29} I know that after I leave, savage wolves^(bc) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.^{(bd) 30} Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples^(be) after them. ³¹ So be on your guard! Remember that for three years^(bf) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.^(bg)

³² "Now I commit you to God^(bh) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance^(bi) among all those who are sanctified.^{(bj) 33} I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.^{(bk) 34} You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.^{(bl) 35} In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

³⁶ When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.^{(bm) 37} They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.^{(bn) 38} What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.^(bo) Then they accompanied him to the ship.^(bp)