The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NLT. Switch to the NLT to read along with the audio.
10 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] those who make ·unfair [evil; unjust] ·laws [decrees],
and those who ·write [or issue] ·laws that make life hard for people [oppressive regulations/edicts].
2 They ·are not fair [withold justice] to the poor [Ex. 23:6, 11; Deut. 15:4–11],
and they ·rob [deprive] my people of their rights.
They ·allow people to steal from widows [L make widows their plunder/prey; Ex. 22:22]
and ·to take from orphans what really belongs to them [L plunder/loot the fatherless; Deut. 10:18].
3 ·How will you explain the things you have done [L What will you do on the day of accounting/visitation]?
What will you do when your destruction comes from far away?
·Where [or To whom] will you run for help?
Where will you ·hide your riches [or leave your wealth/glory] then?
4 You will have to ·bow down [kneel; cower] among the captives
or fall down among the ·dead bodies [L slain ones].
But the Lord is still angry;
his hand is still ·raised to strike down the people [outstretched].
God Will Punish Assyria
5 God says, “·How terrible it will be for the king of Assyria [L Woe to Assyria].
·I use him like a rod to show my anger […the rod of my anger];
in ·anger [my wrath/fury] I use Assyria like a club.
6 I send ·it [or him; C the king of Assyria] to fight against a godless nation [C Judah; see v. 10].
I ·command [order; dispatch] ·Assyria [L it; or him] to fight against the people ·with whom I am angry [L of my wrath].
to ·take their wealth from them [L plunder the plunder and loot the loot],
to trample them down like dirt in the streets.
7 But Assyria’s king doesn’t ·understand that I am using him [intend to do this];
·he [L his heart] doesn’t ·know he is a tool for me [think/reason this way].
He only wants to destroy other people
and to ·defeat [L cut off] many nations.
8 The king of Assyria says to himself,
‘All of my ·commanders [princes] are like kings
9 The city Calno is like the city Carchemish.
The city Hamath is like the city Arpad.
The city Samaria is like the city Damascus [C all city-states conquered by Assyria].
10 ·I defeated [L My hand has found/seized] those kingdoms that worship idols,
and those ·idols [carved images] were ·more [greater] than the idols of Jerusalem and Samaria.
11 As I ·defeated [L have done to] Samaria and her idols,
·I will also defeat [L shall I also do to…?] Jerusalem and her idols.’”
12 When the Lord finishes doing what he planned to Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will punish the king of Assyria for ·his proud heart and evil deeds [L the fruit of his great/exalted heart and glory of his haughty/high eyes]. 13 The king of Assyria says this:
“By ·my own power [L the strength of my hand] I have done these things;
by my wisdom ·and careful planning [L because I have understanding] I have ·defeated many [L removed the boundaries/borders of] nations.
I have ·taken their wealth [plundered their treasures],
and, like a ·mighty one [or bull], I have ·taken their people [or defeated their kings; L removed the sitting ones; C referring to those inhabiting the land or to kings on thrones].
14 ·I have taken [L My hand has found] the riches of all these people,
like a person reaching into a bird’s nest.
I have ·taken [gathered] these nations,
like a person ·taking [L gathering abandoned] eggs.
Not one ·raised a hand [L flapped a wing]
or opened its mouth to ·stop me [L chirp].”
15 ·An ax is not better than [L Does an ax exalt itself above…?] the person who swings it.
·A saw is not better than […or a saw over…?] the one who uses it.
A ·stick [rod; or scepter] cannot control the person who picks it up.
A club cannot pick up ·the person [L one who is not wood; or as if it were not made of wood]!
16 So the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]
will send ·a terrible disease [L leanness; emaciation] upon Assyria’s ·soldiers [strong/stout/fat ones].
·The strength of Assyria will be burned up [L Under his glory a fire will be lit]
like a fire burning.
17 The Light of Israel [C God], will be like a fire;
the Holy One [1:4] will be like a flame.
He will be like a fire
that ·suddenly [L in one day] burns and ·consumes [devours] the weeds and thorns.
18 The fire burns away the ·great [glorious] trees and rich farmlands,
destroying everything.
It will be like a sick person who wastes away.
19 The trees left standing will be so few
that even a child could count them.
20 At that time the ·people left in [remnant of] Israel
and the survivors of the ·family [L house] of Jacob.
will not continue to depend
on the person who ·defeated [struck] them [9:13].
They will learn truly to depend on the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel [1:4].
21 ·Those who are left alive in Jacob’s family [L A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob; 7:3]
will ·again follow [return to] the powerful God.
22 Israel, though your people are many,
like the grains of sand by the sea [48:19; Gen. 15:5; 22:17; Hos. 1:10].
only a ·few [L remnant] of them will ·be left alive to return to the Lord [L return; 7:3].
·God has announced that he will destroy the land [Destruction has been decreed]
·completely and fairly [L overflowing/overwhelming with righteousness/justice].
23 The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will ·certainly [or fully] destroy this land,
as he has ·announced [decreed].
24 This is what the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says:
“My people living in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; 1:27],
don’t be afraid of the Assyrians,
who beat you with a ·rod [staff; scepter]
and raise a ·stick [staff; rod; club] against you, as Egypt did.
25 After a short time my anger against you will stop,
and then I will turn my anger to destroying them.”
26 Then the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will beat the Assyrians with a whip
as he defeated Midian at the rock of Oreb [Judg. 7:25].
He will raise his ·stick [staff; rod] over the waters
as he did in Egypt [Ex. 14:15–16].
27 ·Then [L In that day] ·the troubles that Assyria puts on you [L their burden on your shoulders]
will be removed,
and the ·load they make you carry [L yoke from your neck]
will be ·taken away[a] [L destroyed because of the fat/oil; C because of Israel’s new strength, or because of the Lord’s blessings, or because of an Anointed One].
Assyria Invades Israel
28 ·The army of Assyria [L They] will enter near Aiath.
Its soldiers will walk through Migron.
They will store their ·food [supplies; equipment] in Micmash.
29 The army will go over the pass.
The soldiers will ·sleep [camp; lodge] at Geba.
·The people of Ramah will be afraid [L Ramah trembles],
·and the people at Gibeah of Saul will run away [L Gibeah of Saul flees; 1 Sam. 11:4].
30 Cry out, ·Bath [or Daughter of] Gallim!
Laishah, listen!
·Poor [or Answer her] Anathoth!
31 ·The people of Madmenah are running away [L Madmenah flees];
the people of Gebim ·are hiding [seek cover].
32 This day the army will stop at Nob [1 Sam 21–22].
They will shake their fist at ·Mount Zion [L the mount of Daughter Zion],
at the hill of Jerusalem.
33 Watch! The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]
with his ·great [terrifying] power will chop them down like a great tree.
Those who are ·great [lofty] will be cut down;
those who are ·important [or tallest] will ·fall to the ground [be brought low].
34 He will cut them down
as a forest is cut down with an ax.
And ·the great trees of Lebanon [L Lebanon]
will fall ·by the power of [or before] the Mighty One.
The King of Peace Is Coming
11 A ·new branch [sprout; shoot; C the Messiah] will grow
from the stump of Jesse [C king David’s father; the Messiah will restore David’s royal line];
a branch will ·come [sprout; or bear fruit]
from his roots.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him [1 Sam. 16:13; Matt. 3:16].
The Spirit will give him wisdom and understanding, ·guidance [counsel] and power.
The Spirit ·will teach him to know [L of knowledge] and ·respect [the fear of] the Lord.
3 ·This king will be glad to [L He will gladly/with delight] ·obey [revere; fear] the Lord.
He will not judge by ·the way things look [appearances; L the vision of his eyes]
or decide by ·what he hears [L the hearing of his ears].
4 But he will judge the poor ·honestly [with justice/righteousness];
he will be ·fair [upright; just; fair] in his decisions for the ·poor [oppressed; meek] people of the ·land [or earth].
·At his command evil people will be punished [L He will strike the earth with the rod/scepter of his mouth],
and by ·his words the wicked will be put to death [L the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked].
5 ·Goodness [Righteousness; Justice] will be like a belt around his waist,
and ·fairness [faithfulness; integrity] like a belt around his ·hips [waist; T loins].
6 The wolf will ·live in peace [L live; dwell] with the lamb,
and the leopard will ·lie down to rest [L lie down] with the young goat [C peace within the animal kingdom symbolizes the restoration of creation; 65:25].
Calves, lions, and ·young bulls [or fattened calves; L fatling] will ·eat [or be] together,
and a little child will lead them.
7 Cows and bears will ·eat [graze] together in peace.
Their young will lie down to rest together.
Lions will eat ·hay [straw] as oxen do.
8 A ·baby [nursing infant] will ·be able to play [L play] near a cobra’s hole,
and a child will ·be able to put [L put] his hand into the nest of a ·poisonous snake [adder; viper].
9 They will not hurt or destroy each other
on all my holy mountain,
because the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord,
as the ·sea is full of water [L waters cover the sea].
10 At that time the ·new king from the family [L root; v. 1] of Jesse will stand as a ·banner [standard; signal flag] for all ·peoples [nations]. The ·nations [Gentiles] will ·come together around [rally to; or seek guidance from] him, and ·the place where he lives [T his resting place] will be filled with glory. 11 ·At that time [L In that day] the Lord will ·again [L again a second time; C the first time was the Exodus from Egypt] ·reach out and take [L reclaim/acquire with his hand the remnant of] his people who ·are left alive [remain] in Assyria, North Egypt, ·South Egypt [L Pathros], Cush, Elam, ·Babylonia [L Shinar], Hamath, and all the ·islands [or coastlands] of the sea.
12 God will raise a ·banner as a sign [standard; signal flag] for all nations,
and he will gather the ·people of Israel who were forced from their country [L exiles/banished ones of Israel].
He will gather the scattered people of Judah
from ·all parts [L the four corners/edges] of the earth.
13 At that time ·Israel [L Ephraim; C the most influential tribe of the northern kingdom of Israel] will not be jealous anymore,
and ·Judah will have no more enemies [or Judah’s hostility will end].
·Israel [L Ephraim] will not be jealous of Judah,
and Judah will not ·hate [harrass; be hostile towards] Israel.
14 But Israel and Judah will ·attack [L swoop down on the hills/or shoulders of] the Philistines on the west.
Together they will ·take the riches from [plunder; loot] the ·people [L sons] of the east.
They will ·conquer [L send their hand against] Edom and Moab,
and the ·people [L sons; children] of Ammon will be ·under their control [subject/obedient to them].
15 The Lord will ·dry up [or utterly destroy]
the ·Red Sea of Egypt [L tongue/gulf of the Egyptian sea].
He will wave his ·arm [or hand] over the ·Euphrates River [L River]
·and dry it up with a scorching wind [L with a scorching wind/breath].
He will ·divide [strike; break] it into seven small rivers
so that people can walk across them with their sandals on.
16 So ·God’s people who are left alive [L the remnant of his people who remain]
will have a ·way to leave [highway from] Assyria,
just like the time the Israelites
came out of Egypt [C a new and greater Exodus].
Paul’s Love for the Christians
11 I have ·been talking like [L become] a fool, but you ·made me [compelled me to] do it. You are the ones who should ·say good things about [have commended] me. Even if I am ·worth nothing [L nothing], I am not at all inferior to those “·great [super-] apostles.”
12 ·When I was with you, I patiently did the things that prove I am an apostle [L The signs of an apostle were performed among you, with all patience/perseverance]—signs, wonders, and ·miracles [powerful deeds]. 13 In what way were you treated worse than the rest of the churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me for this ·wrong [injustice]!
14 [T Behold; L Look] I am now ready to visit you the third time [2:1, 3], and I will not be a burden to you. I want nothing from you, except you. [L For] Children should not have to save up to give to their parents. [L Rather,] Parents should save to give to their children. 15 So I ·am happy to [most gladly] ·give everything I have for you, even myself [L spend and be spent for your lives/souls]. If I love you more, will you love me less?
16 ·It is clear [Granting that; or Be that as it may] I was not a burden to you, but ·you think I was tricky and lied to catch you [L being so crafty, I took you by deceit!; C Paul is being sarcastic]. 17 Did I ·cheat [take advantage of] you by using any of the messengers I sent to you? [C The Greek question assumes a negative answer.] 18 I ·asked [urged; encouraged] Titus [2:13] to go to you, and I sent our brother with him [8:18, 22]. Titus did not cheat you, did he? ·No, you know that Titus and I did the same thing [L Did we not walk in the same footsteps…?] and with the same spirit.
19 ·Do you think we have been defending ourselves to you all this time [or All this time have you been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you]? We have been speaking in Christ and ·before [in the presence of] God, ·dear friends [beloved], and everything we do is to ·make you stronger [build you up]. 20 [L For] I am afraid that when I come, you will not be what I want you to be, and I will not be what you want me to be. I am afraid that among you there may be ·arguing [quarreling], jealousy, anger, selfish ·fighting [or ambition], ·evil talk [slander], gossip, ·pride [arrogance], and ·confusion [disorder]. 21 I am afraid that when I come to you again, my God will ·make me ashamed [or humble/humiliate me] before you. I may ·be saddened by [or mourn/grieve over] many of those who have sinned because they have not ·changed their hearts or turned [repented] from their ·impurity [uncleanness], sexual sins and the ·shameful things [debauchery; licentiousness] they have done.
Trusting God for Help
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Dove in the Distant Oak.” A miktam [C perhaps “inscription”] of David when the Philistines ·captured [seized] him in Gath [C referring to the episode in 1 Sam. 21:10–15 or to an unrecorded event].
56 God, be ·merciful [gracious] to me because people are ·chasing [trampling; hounding; snapping at] me;
the battle has ·pressed [harrassed] me all day long.
2 My enemies have ·chased [trampled on; hounded; snapped at] me all day;
there are many proud people fighting me.
3 When I am afraid,
I will ·trust [have confidence in] you.
4 I praise God for his word.
I ·trust [have confidence in] God, so I am not afraid.
What can ·human beings [L flesh] do to me?
5 All day long they ·twist [find fault with] my words;
all their evil ·plans [or thoughts] are against me.
6 They ·wait [or attack; or strive]. They hide.
They watch my ·steps [L heels],
hoping to kill me.
7 God, do not let them escape;
·punish [L bring down] the ·foreign nations [peoples] in your anger.
8 You have ·recorded [recounted] my ·troubles [wanderings].
You have ·kept a list of my tears [L put my tears in your bottle].
Aren’t they in your records?
9 On the day I call for help, my enemies will ·be defeated [L turn back].
I know that God is on my side.
10 I praise God for his word to me;
I praise the Lord for his word.
11 I ·trust [have confidence] in God. I will not be afraid.
What can people do to me?
12 God, I must keep my ·promises [vows] to you.
I will give you my ·offerings to thank you [thank offerings],
13 because you have ·saved [protected] me from death.
You have kept ·me from being defeated [L my feet from falling].
So I will walk ·with [L in the presence of] God
in light ·among [of] the living.
6 Don’t eat the food of ·selfish [stingy; L evil eye] people;
don’t ·be greedy [long] for their ·fine foods [delicacies].
7 ·Selfish people are always worrying
about how much the food costs [L They calculate in their minds; or They are like a hair in the throat].
They tell you, “Eat and drink,”
but ·they don’t really mean it [L their heart is not with you].
8 You will ·throw up [vomit] the ·little [L crust] you have eaten,
and you will have wasted your ·kind [pleasant] words.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.