Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, November 26th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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New Living Translation

Isaiah 58:2

Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Affections;   Hypocrisy;   Thompson Chain Reference - False;   Formalism;   Religion;   Religion, True-False;   Sanctimony;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Affections, the;   Delighting in God;   Hypocrites;   Seeking God;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Hypocrisy;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Isaiah;   Justice;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Micah, Book of;   Righteousness;   Servant of the Lord;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Commentaries;   Guilt;   Ordinance;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Atonement;   Idi B. Jacob Ii;   Right and Righteousness;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
They still come every day to worship me, acting as if they want to learn my ways. They pretend to be a nation that lives right and obeys the commands of their God. They ask me to judge them fairly. They want their God to be near them.
Update Bible Version
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and did not forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
New Century Version
They still come every day looking for me and want to learn my ways. They act just like a nation that does what is right, that obeys the commands of its God. They ask me to judge them fairly. They want God to be near them.
New English Translation
They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.
Webster's Bible Translation
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
World English Bible
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and didn't forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
Amplified Bible
"Yet they seek Me day by day and delight [superficially] to know My ways, As [if they were in reality] a nation that has done righteousness And has not abandoned (turned away from) the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me righteous judgments, They delight in the nearness of God.
English Standard Version
Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For thei seken me fro dai in to dai, and thei wolen knowe my weies; as a folk, that hath do riytfulnesse, and that hath not forsake the doom of her God; thei preien me domes of riytfulnesse, and wolen neiy to God.
English Revised Version
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness and forsook not the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous ordinances, they delight to draw near unto God.
Berean Standard Bible
For day after day they seek Me and delight to know My ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not forsake the justice of their God. They ask Me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God."
Contemporary English Version
Day after day, you worship him and seem eager to learn his teachings. You act like a nation that wants to do right by obeying his laws. You ask him about justice, and say you enjoy worshiping the Lord .
American Standard Version
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near unto God.
Bible in Basic English
Though they make prayer to me every day, and take pleasure in the knowledge of my ways: like a nation which has done righteousness, and has not given up the rules of their God, they make requests to me for the right orders, it is their delight to come near to God.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Oh yes, they seek me day after day and [claim to] delight in knowing my ways. As if they were an upright nation that had not abandoned the rulings of their God, they ask me for just rulings and [claim] to take pleasure in closeness to God,
Darby Translation
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that doeth righteousness, and hath not forsaken the ordinance of their God; they ask of me the ordinances of righteousness, they take delight in approaching to God:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways; as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God, they ask of Me righteous ordinances, they delight to draw near unto God.
King James Version (1611)
Yet they seeke mee daily, and delight to know my wayes, as a nation that did righteousnesse, and forsooke not the ordinance of their God: they aske of me the ordinances of iustice: they take delight in approching to God.
New Life Bible
Yet they look for Me day by day, and are happy to know My ways, as a nation that has done what is right and good, and has not turned away from the Law of their God. They ask Me to be fair in what I decide, and they are happy to come near to God.
New Revised Standard
Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Yet they seeke me dayly, and will knowe my wayes, euen as a nation that did righteously, and had not forsaken the statutes of their God: they aske of me the ordinances of iustice: they wil drawe neere vnto God, saying,
George Lamsa Translation
Yet they seek me daily and wish to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God; they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in drawing near to God.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yet, me - day by day, do they seek, And in the knowledge of my ways, they delight, - Like a nation that had done righteousness, And the justice of their God, had not forsaken They ask of me the just regulations, In approaching God, they delight.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For they seek me from day to day, and desire to know my ways, as a nation that hath done justice, and hath not forsaken the judgment of their God: they ask of me the judgments of justice: they are willing to approach to God.
Revised Standard Version
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For they seeke me dayly, and wyll knowe my wayes, euen as it were a people that dyd right, and had not forsaken the statutes of their God: they aske of me concerning right iudgement, and wyll be nye vnto God.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
They seek me day by day, and desire to know my ways, as a people that had done righteousness, and had not forsaken the judgment of their God: they now ask of me righteous judgment, and desire to draw nigh to God,
Good News Translation
They worship me every day, claiming that they are eager to know my ways and obey my laws. They say they want me to give them just laws and that they take pleasure in worshiping me."
Christian Standard Bible®
They seek me day after dayand delight to know my ways,like a nation that does what is rightand does not abandon the justice of their God.They ask me for righteous judgments;they delight in the nearness of God.”
Hebrew Names Version
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and didn't forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
King James Version
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
Lexham English Bible
Yet they seek me day by day, and they desire the knowledge of my ways like a nation that practiced righteousness, and had not forsaken the judgment of its God; they ask me for righteous judgments, they desire the closeness of God.
Literal Translation
Yet they seek Me day by day, and desire knowledge of My ways. As a nation that has done right, and not forsaking the judgment of their God, they ask Me about judgments of righteousness; they desire to draw near to God.
Young's Literal Translation
Seeing -- Me day by day they seek, And the knowledge of My ways they desire, As a nation that righteousness hath done, And the judgment of its God hath not forsaken, They ask of me judgments of righteousness, The drawing near of God they desire:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For they seke me dalye, and wil knowe my wayes, euen as it were a people that dyd right, and had not forsaken the statutes of their God. They argue with me concernynge right iudgment, and wil pleate at the lawe with their God.
New American Standard Bible
"Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, As a nation that has done righteousness And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions, They delight in the nearness of God.
New King James Version
Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, As a nation that has done righteousness And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions, They delight in the nearness of God.
Legacy Standard Bible
Yet they seek Me day by day and find pleasure in knowing My ways,As a nation that has done righteousnessAnd has not forsaken the judgment of their God.They ask Me for righteous judgments;They find pleasure in the nearness of God.

Contextual Overview

1 "Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don't be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins! 2 Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they seek: Isaiah 1:11-15, Isaiah 29:13, Isaiah 48:1, Isaiah 48:2, Deuteronomy 5:28, Deuteronomy 5:29, 1 Samuel 15:21-25, Proverbs 15:8, Ezekiel 33:30-33, Matthew 15:7-9, Mark 4:16, Mark 4:17, Mark 6:20, John 5:35, Titus 1:16, Hebrews 6:4-6

they ask: Jeremiah 42:2, Jeremiah 42:20, Mark 12:14, James 1:21, James 1:22, 1 Peter 2:1, 1 Peter 2:2

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 14:36 - Then said the priest Psalms 80:4 - how long Song of Solomon 5:6 - I sought Isaiah 1:12 - When Isaiah 42:20 - opening Isaiah 57:12 - General Jeremiah 7:10 - come Jeremiah 26:2 - all the words Jeremiah 34:15 - ye Jeremiah 42:1 - came Ezekiel 14:7 - and cometh Ezekiel 20:1 - that certain Matthew 13:20 - anon Matthew 20:12 - borne Matthew 23:27 - like Matthew 25:3 - foolish Mark 10:20 - General Luke 8:13 - receive Luke 11:42 - and pass Luke 13:24 - for Luke 13:26 - We Luke 15:29 - Lo Luke 18:11 - God Luke 18:12 - fast John 4:23 - true Acts 4:11 - you Romans 13:2 - ordinance

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Yet they seek me daily,.... Which may be considered as an acknowledgment of their external piety; or as a caution to the prophet not to be imposed upon by outward appearances; or as a reason why they should be rebuked sharply: they sought the Lord, either by prayer, or in the ministry of the word; they sought doctrine, as the Targum; they sought him, and that every day, or, however, every Lord's day; and yet they did not seek him with that diligence and intenseness of spirit, with their whole hearts, cordially and sincerely, as they ought to have done; they sought themselves, and the honour of men, rather than the Lord and his glory:

and delight to know my ways; not only his ways of creation and providence, but of grace; and also the ways which he prescribes and directs his people to walk in; not that they had a real delight in them, or in the knowledge of them, or such a delight as truly gracious souls have when they have the presence of God in them; are assisted by his Spirit; have their hearts enlarged with his love; find food for their souls, and have fellowship with the saints; but this delight was only seeming, and at most only in the knowledge and theory of these ways, but not in the practice of them; see

Ezekiel 33:31:

as a nation that did righteousness: in general appeared to be outwardly righteous; had a form of godliness, and name to live, and yet dead, and so destitute of any works of true righteousness, at best only going about to establish a righteousness of their own:

and forsook not the ordinance of their God; the ordinance of assembling together in general; any of the ordinances of God in particular; hearing, reading, singing, praying, especially the ordinance of the supper, constantly attended to by them; see Luke 13:26:

they ask of me the ordinances of justice; not of justice between man and man, but of righteousness and religion with respect to God; they ask what are the ordinances of the Gospel, and the rules of worship and discipline, and whether there are any they are ignorant of; suggesting they were desirous of being instructed in them, and of complying with them:

they take delight in approaching to God; there is no right approaching God but through Christ, and gracious souls take a real delight in this way; but the approaching here is only in an external manner, by the performance of outward duties; and the delight is not in God, and communion with him; but in the service, performed as a work of their own, in which they trust, and in what they expect as the reward of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Yet they seek me daily - The whole description here is appropriate to the character of formalists and hypocrites; and the idea is, that public worship by sacrifice was celebrated daily in the temple, and was not intermitted. It is not improbable also that they kept up the regular daily service in their dwellings.

And delight to know my ways - Probably this means, they profess to delight to know the ways of God; that is, his commands, truths, and requirements. A hypocrite has no real delight in the service of God, or in his truth, but it is true at the same time that there may be a great deal of professed interest in religion. There may be a great deal of busy and bustling solicitude about the order of religious services; the external organization of the church; the ranks of the clergy; and the claims of a liturgy. There may be much pleasure in theological discussion; in the metaphysics of theology; in the defense of what is deemed orthodoxy. There may be much pleasure in the mere music of devotion. There may be pleasure in the voice of a preacher, and in the power of his arguments. And there may be much pleasure in the advancement of the denomination to which we are attached; the conversion of people not from sin, but from a side opposite to us; and not to holiness and to God, but to our party and denomination. True delight in religion is in religion itself; in the service of God as such, and because it is holy. It is not mere pleasure in creeds, and liturgies, and theological discussions, and in the triumph of our cause, nor even in the triumph of Christianity as a mere party measure; but it is delight in God as he is, in his holy service, and in his truth.

As a nation that did righteousness - As a people would do who really loved the ways of righteousness.

They ask of me the ordinances of justice - Their priests and prophets consult about the laws and institutions of religion, as if they were really afraid of violating the divine commands. At the same time that they are full of oppression, strife, and wickedness, they are scrupulously careful about violating any of the commands pertaining to the rites of religion. The same people were subsequently so conscientious that they did not dare to enter the judgment-hall of Pilate lest they should disqualify themselves from partaking of the Passover, at the same time that they were meditating the death of their own Messiah, and were actually engaged in a plot to secure his crucifixion! John 19:28. It is often the case that hypocrites are most scrupulous and conscientious about forms just as they are meditating some plan of enormous guilt, and accomplishing some scheme of deep depravity.

They take delight in approaching to God - There is a pleasure which even a hypocrite has in the services of religion, and we should not conclude that because we find pleasure in prayer and praise, that therefore we are truly pious. Our pleasure may arise from a great many other sources than any just views of God or of his truth, or an evidence that we have that we are his friends.


 
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