For to Us a Child Is Born
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a But there will be no 1gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he 2brought into contempt the land of 3Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he 4has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.b
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c5The people 6who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of 7deep darkness, on them has light shined.
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8You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with 9joy at the harvest, as they 10are glad 11when they divide the spoil.
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12For the yoke of his burden, 13and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as 14on the day of Midian.
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15For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
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16For to us a child is born, to us 17a son is given; 18and the government shall be 19upond his shoulder, and his name shall be callede Wonderful 20Counselor, 21Mighty God, 22Everlasting 23Father, Prince of 24Peace.
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Of the increase of his government and of peace 25there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it 26with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. 27The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Judgment on Arrogance and Oppression
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The Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it will fall on Israel;
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and all the people will know, 28Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart:
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"The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place."
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But the LORD raises the adversaries of Rezin against him, and stirs up his enemies.
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29The Syrians on the east and 30the Philistines on the west devour Israel with open mouth. 31For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
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for those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.
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Therefore the Lord does not 36rejoice over their young men, and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is 37godless and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks 38folly.f 39For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
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For wickedness burns like 40a fire; it consumes briers and thorns; it kindles the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.
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Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land is scorched, and 41the people are like fuel for the fire; 42no one spares another.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)