the Fourth Week of Advent
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Read the Bible
Easy-to-Read Version
Isaiah 60
God Is Coming
1 "Jerusalem, get up and shine![a]
Your Light is coming!
The Glory of the Lord will shine on you.
2 Darkness now covers the earth,
and the people are in darkness.
But the Lord will shine on you,
and his Glory will appear over you.
3 Then the nations will come to your light.
Kings will come to your bright sunrise.
4 Look around you!
See all the people gathering around.
Those are your sons coming from far away,
and your daughters are there beside them.
5 "At that time you will see your people,
and your faces will shine with happiness.
First, you will be afraid,
but then you will be excited.
All the riches from across the seas will be set before you.
The riches of the nations will come to you.
6 Herds of camels from Midian and Ephah
will cross your land.
Long lines of camels will come from Sheba.
They will bring gold and incense.
People will sing praises to the Lord.
7 People will collect all the sheep from Kedar and give them to you.
They will bring you rams from Nebaioth.
You will offer those animals on my altar,
and I will accept them.
I will make my wonderful Temple
even more beautiful.
8 Look at the people.
They are rushing toward you like clouds quickly crossing the sky.
They are like doves flying to their nests.
9 The faraway lands are waiting for me.
The great cargo ships are ready to sail.
They are ready to bring your children from faraway lands.
They will bring silver and gold with them
to honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel.
He has done wonderful things for you.
10 Children from other lands will rebuild your walls.
Their kings will serve you.
"When I was angry, I hurt you,
but now I want to be kind to you.
So I will comfort you.
11 Your gates will always be open.
They will not be closed, day or night.
Nations and kings will bring their wealth to you.
12 Any nation or kingdom that does not serve you
will be destroyed.
13 All the great things of Lebanon will be given to you.
People will bring pine trees, fir trees, and cypress trees to you.
These trees will be used for lumber
to make my Holy Place[b] more beautiful.
This place is like a stool in front of my throne,
and I will honor it.[c]
14 In the past, people hurt you,
but they will bow down before you.
In the past, people hated you,
but they will bow down at your feet.
They will call you ‘The City of the Lord's,'
‘Zion of the Holy One of Israel.'
15 "People hated you.
You were left all alone with no one passing through.
But I will make you great from now on.
You will be happy forever and ever.
16 Nations will give you what you need,
like a child drinking milk from its mother.
But you will ‘drink' riches from kings.
Then you will know that it is I, the Lord, who saves you.
You will know that I, the Great God of Jacob, protect you.
17 "You now have copper,
but I will bring you gold.
You now have iron,
but I will bring you silver.
I will change your wood into copper
and your rocks into iron.
I will change your punishment into peace.
And those who punished you will be replaced with those who are kind to you.
18 There will never again be news of violence in your country.
People will never again attack your country and steal from you.
You will name your walls, ‘Salvation'
and your gates, ‘Praise.'
19 "The sun will no longer be your light during the day.
The light from the moon will no longer be your light at night.
The Lord will be your light forever.
Your God will be your glory.
20 Your sun will never go down again.
Your moon will never again be dark.
That's because the Lord will be your light forever,
and the dark days of mourning will end.
21 "All your people will be good.
They will get the land forever.
They are the young plant in my garden[d]
that will grow to be a wonderful tree.
I made them with my own hands.[e]
22 The smallest family will become a large family group.
The smallest tribe will become a powerful nation.
When the time is right,
I, the Lord, will come quickly.
I will make these things happen."
