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NOTE REGARDING "THE BIBLE" AND THE 2 BIBLE VERSIONS USED HERE: The original Hebrew and Greek texts are what actually constitute "the Bible." All other versions, whether in English or in Chinese or in Aramaic, whether produced in 384 A.D. or in 1611 A.D. or in 1996 A.D., are merely translations indirectly derived from those original Hebrew and Greek texts. The BibleTexts Online Bible Commentary at http://www.bibletexts.com/bt.htm provides verse-by-verse textual corrections that are based upon the most current knowledge of those original Hebrew and Greek texts. Most of those corrections are relevant only to the KJV, because most modern versions such as the NRSV and the TEV were translated from Hebrew and Greek texts that are much more consistent with "the original texts" than those Hebrew and Greek texts from which the 1611 KJV was translated. In the KJV most of the substantive errors are due to the faulty Hebrew and Greek texts from which the KJV was translated. (See S&H 139:15.) For more details on these issues, you can browse http://www.bibletexts.com/kjv-tr.htm and http://www.bibletexts.com/bibles.htm.

Due to continuing time requirements, the NRSV was not included in this week' Bible Lesson study aid. You can expect its return in the near future.

KJV - 47 …My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

TEV - "Mary's Song of Praise" - 46 Mary said, "My heart praises the Lord; 47 my soul is glad because of God my Savior, 48 for he has remembered me, his lowly servant! From now on all people will call me happy, 49 because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me. His name is holy; 50 from one generation to another he shows mercy to those who honor him. 51 He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans. 52 He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly.

KJV - 6 For there shall be a day, that the watchman upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God. 7 For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.

12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.

25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.

TEV - "Israel's Return Home" - 2 In the desert I showed mercy to those people who had escaped death. When the people of Israel longed for rest, 3 I appeared to them from far away. People of Israel, I have always loved you, so I continue to show you my constant love. 4 Once again I will rebuild you. Once again you will take up your tambourines and dance joyfully. 5 Once again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria, and those who plant them will eat what the vineyards produce. 6 Yes, the time is coming when watchmen will call out on the hills of Ephraim, "Let's go up to Zion, to the LORD our God." 7 The LORD says, "Sing with joy for Israel, the greatest of the nations. Sing your song of praise, "The LORD has saved his people; he has rescued all who are left.' 8 I will bring them from the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. The blind and the lame will come with them, pregnant women and those about to give birth. They will come back a great nation.

12 They will come and sing for joy on Mount Zion and be delighted with my gifts -- gifts of grain and wine and olive oil, gifts of sheep and cattle. They will be like a well-watered garden; they will have everything they need. 13 Then the girls will dance and be happy, and men, young and old, will rejoice. I will comfort them and turn their mourning into joy, their sorrow into gladness. 14 I will fill the priests with the richest food and satisfy all the needs of my people. I, the LORD, have spoken."

"The Future Prosperity of God's People" - 23 The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says, "When I restore the people to their land, they will once again say in the land of Judah and in its towns, "May the LORD bless the sacred hill of Jerusalem, the holy place where he lives.' 24 People will live in Judah and in all its towns, and there will be farmers, and shepherds with their flocks. 25 I will refresh those who are weary and will satisfy with food everyone who is weak from hunger. 26 So then, people will say, "I went to sleep and woke up refreshed.'

KJV - 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:

41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.

TEV - "A Promise of Hope" - 36 The LORD, the God of Israel, said to me, "Jeremiah, the people are saying that war, starvation, and disease will make this city fall into the hands of the king of Babylonia. Now listen to what else I have to say. 37 I am going to gather the people from all the countries where I have scattered them in my anger and fury, and I am going to bring them back to this place and let them live here in safety. 38 Then they will be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them a single purpose in life: to honor me for all time, for their own good and the good of their descendants. 40 I will make an eternal covenant with them. I will never stop doing good things for them, and I will make them fear me with all their heart, so that they will never turn away from me. 41 I will take pleasure in doing good things for them, and I will establish them permanently in this land.

KJV - 12 Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One?…

13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:…

TEV - "Habakkuk Complains to the LORD Again" - 12 LORD, from the very beginning you are God. You are my God, holy and eternal. LORD, my God and protector, you have chosen the Babylonians and made them strong so that they can punish us. 13 But how can you stand these treacherous, evil men? Your eyes are too holy to look at evil, and you cannot stand the sight of people doing wrong. So why are you silent while they destroy people who are more righteous than they are?

KJV - 4 Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

TEV - "A Prayer of Thanksgiving" - 4 Sing praise to the LORD, all his faithful people! Remember what the Holy One has done, and give him thanks! 5 His anger lasts only a moment, his goodness for a lifetime. Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the morning. 6 I felt secure and said to myself, "I will never be defeated." 7 You were good to me, LORD; you protected me like a mountain fortress. But then you hid yourself from me, and I was afraid.

KJV - 2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

TEV - "In Praise of God's Goodness" - 1 I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him. 2 I will praise him for what he has done; may all who are oppressed listen and be glad! 3 Proclaim with me the LORD's greatness; let us praise his name together!

19 The good man suffers many troubles, but the LORD saves him from them all; 20 the LORD preserves him completely; not one of his bones is broken. 21 Evil will kill the wicked; those who hate the righteous will be punished. 22 The LORD will save his people; those who go to him for protection will be spared.

KJV - 1 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

TEV - "A Hymn of Praise" - 1 I will proclaim your greatness, my God and king; I will thank you forever and ever. 2 Every day I will thank you; I will praise you forever and ever. 3 The LORD is great and is to be highly praised; his greatness is beyond understanding. 4 What you have done will be praised from one generation to the next; they will proclaim your mighty acts. 5 They will speak of your glory and majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds. 6 People will speak of your mighty deeds, and I will proclaim your greatness. 7 They will tell about all your goodness and sing about your kindness. 8 The LORD is loving and merciful, slow to become angry and full of constant love. 9 He is good to everyone and has compassion on all he made.

15 All living things look hopefully to you, and you give them food when they need it. 16 You give them enough and satisfy the needs of all. 17 The LORD is righteous in all he does, merciful in all his acts. 18 He is near to those who call to him, who call to him with sincerity. 19 He supplies the needs of those who honor him; he hears their cries and saves them. 20 He protects everyone who loves him, but he will destroy the wicked. 21 I will always praise the LORD; let all his creatures praise his holy name forever.

KJV - 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

TEV - "Longing for God's House" - 10 One day spent in your Temple is better than a thousand anywhere else; I would rather stand at the gate of the house of my God than live in the homes of the wicked. 11 The LORD is our protector and glorious king, blessing us with kindness and honor. He does not refuse any good thing to those who do what is right. 12 LORD Almighty, how happy are those who trust in you!

KJV - 22 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, 24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

TEV - "The Priestly Blessing" - 22 The LORD commanded Moses 23 to tell Aaron and his sons to use the following words in blessing the people of Israel: 24 May the LORD bless you and take care of you; 25 May the LORD be kind and gracious to you; 26 May the LORD look on you with favor and give you peace. 27 And the LORD said, "If they pronounce my name as a blessing upon the people of Israel, I will bless them."

KJV - 44 For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy:

TEV - "Animals That May Be Eaten" - 39 If any animal that may be eaten dies, anyone who touches it will be unclean until evening. 40 And if anyone eats any part of the animal, he must wash his clothes, but he will still be unclean until evening; anyone who carries the dead body must wash his clothes, but he will still be unclean until evening. 41 You must not eat any of the small animals that move on the ground, 42 whether they crawl, or walk on four legs, or have many legs. 43 Do not make yourselves unclean by eating any of these. 44 I am the LORD your God, and you must keep yourselves holy, because I am holy. 45 I am the LORD who brought you out of Egypt so that I could be your God. You must be holy, because I am holy.

KJV - 174 I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my delight. 175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me. 176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

TEV - "A Prayer for Help" - 169 Let my cry for help reach you, LORD! Give me understanding, as you have promised. 170 Listen to my prayer, and save me according to your promise! 171 I will always praise you, because you teach me your laws. 172 I will sing about your law, because your commands are just. 173 Always be ready to help me, because I follow your commands. 174 How I long for your saving help, O LORD! I find happiness in your law. 175 Give me life, so that I may praise you; may your instructions help me. 176 I wander about like a lost sheep; so come and look for me, your servant, because I have not neglected your laws.

KJV - 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

TEV - "A Prayer for Forgiveness" - 10 Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence; do not take your holy spirit away from me. 12 Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 13 Then I will teach sinners your commands, and they will turn back to you.

KJV - 23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

TEV - "An Old Man's Prayer" - 22 I will indeed praise you with the harp; I will praise your faithfulness, my God. On my harp I will play hymns to you, the Holy One of Israel. 23 I will shout for joy as I play for you; with my whole being I will sing because you have saved me. 24 I will speak of your righteousness all day long, because those who tried to harm me have been defeated and disgraced.

KJV - 1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 4 That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. 5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. 6 And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

TEV - "The LORD Appears to Samuel" - 1 In those days, when the boy Samuel was serving the LORD under the direction of Eli, there were very few messages from the LORD, and visions from him were quite rare. 2 One night Eli, who was now almost blind, was sleeping in his own room; 3 Samuel was sleeping in the sanctuary, where the sacred Covenant Box was. Before dawn, while the lamp was still burning, 4 the LORD called Samuel. He answered, "Yes, sir!" 5 and ran to Eli and said, "You called me, and here I am." But Eli answered, "I didn't call you; go back to bed." So Samuel went back to bed. 6...7 The LORD called Samuel again. The boy did not know that it was the LORD, because the LORD had never spoken to him before. So he got up, went to Eli, and said, "You called me, and here I am." But Eli answered, "My son, I didn't call you; go back to bed." 8 The LORD called Samuel a third time; he got up, went to Eli, and said, "You called me, and here I am." Then Eli realized that it was the LORD who was calling the boy, 9 so he said to him, "Go back to bed; and if he calls you again, say, "Speak, LORD, your servant is listening." So Samuel went back to bed. 10 The LORD came and stood there, and called as he had before, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak; your servant is listening."

19 As Samuel grew up, the LORD was with him and made come true everything that Samuel said. 20 So all the people of Israel, from one end of the country to the other, knew that Samuel was indeed a prophet of the LORD. 21 The LORD continued to reveal himself at Shiloh, where he had appeared to Samuel and had spoken to him. And when Samuel spoke, all Israel listened.

KJV - 5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

TEV - "The Obedience of the LORD's Servant" - 4 The Sovereign LORD has taught me what to say, so that I can strengthen the weary. Every morning he makes me eager to hear what he is going to teach me. 5 The LORD has given me understanding, and I have not rebelled or turned away from him. 6 I bared my back to those who beat me. I did not stop them when they insulted me, when they pulled out the hairs of my beard and spit in my face.

KJV - 19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

TEV - "Hope for the Future" - 18 When that day comes, the deaf will be able to hear a book being read aloud, and the blind, who have been living in darkness, will open their eyes and see. 19 Poor and humble people will once again find the happiness which the LORD, the holy God of Israel, gives. 20 It will be the end of those who oppress others and show contempt for God. Every sinner will be destroyed. 21 God will destroy those who slander others, those who prevent the punishment of criminals, and those who tell lies to keep honest men from getting justice.

KJV - 6 …godliness with contentment is great gain.

TEV - "False Teaching and True Riches" - 6 Well, religion does make a person very rich, if he is satisfied with what he has. 7 What did we bring into the world? Nothing! What can we take out of the world? Nothing! 8 So then, if we have food and clothes, that should be enough for us. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are caught in the trap of many foolish and harmful desires, which pull them down to ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.

KJV - 1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

TEV - "God's Offer of Mercy" - 1 The LORD says, "Come, everyone who is thirsty -- here is water! Come, you that have no money -- buy grain and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk -- it will cost you nothing! 2 Why spend money on what does not satisfy? Why spend your wages and still be hungry? Listen to me and do what I say, and you will enjoy the best food of all. 3 "Listen now, my people, and come to me; come to me, and you will have life! I will make a lasting covenant with you and give you the blessings I promised to David. 4 I made him a leader and commander of nations, and through him I showed them my power. 5 Now you will summon foreign nations; at one time they did not know you, but now they will come running to join you! I, the LORD your God, the holy God of Israel, will make all this happen; I will give you honor and glory." 6 Turn to the LORD and pray to him, now that he is near. 7 Let the wicked leave their way of life and change their way of thinking. Let them turn to the LORD, our God; he is merciful and quick to forgive. 8 "My thoughts," says the LORD, "are not like yours, and my ways are different from yours. 9 As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways and thoughts above yours.

KJV - 11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord;…

TEV - "True Fasting" - 8 "Then my favor will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed. I will always be with you to save you; my presence will protect you on every side. 9 When you pray, I will answer you. When you call to me, I will respond. "If you put an end to oppression, to every gesture of contempt, and to every evil word; 10 if you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon. 11 And I will always guide you and satisfy you with good things. I will keep you strong and well. You will be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring of water that never goes dry.

"The Reward for Keeping the Sabbath" - 13 The LORD says, "If you treat the Sabbath as sacred and do not pursue your own interests on that day; if you value my holy day and honor it by not traveling, working, or talking idly on that day, 14 then you will find the joy that comes from serving me. I will make you honored all over the world, and you will enjoy the land I gave to your ancestor, Jacob. I, the LORD, have spoken."

KJV - 20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.

TEV - "The Glorious Future" - 17 Once again you will see a king ruling in splendor over a land that stretches in all directions. 18 Your old fears of foreign tax collectors and spies will be only a memory. 19 You will no longer see any arrogant foreigners who speak a language that you can't understand. 20 Look at Zion, the city where we celebrate our religious festivals. Look at Jerusalem! What a safe place it will be to live in! It will be like a tent that is never moved, whose pegs are never pulled up and whose ropes never break. 21 The LORD will show us his glory. We will live beside broad rivers and streams, but hostile ships will not sail on them. 22...23 All the rigging on those ships is useless; the sails cannot be spread! We will seize all the wealth of enemy armies, and there will be so much that even lame men can get a share. The LORD himself will be our king; he will rule over us and protect us. 24 No one who lives in our land will ever again complain of being sick, and all sins will be forgiven.

KJV - 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

TEV - "Jesus Teaches, Preaches, and Heals" - 23 Jesus went all over Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Good News about the Kingdom, and healing people who had all kinds of disease and sickness. 24 The news about him spread through the whole country of Syria, so that people brought to him all those who were sick, suffering from all kinds of diseases and disorders: people with demons, and epileptics, and paralytics -- and Jesus healed them all. 25 Large crowds followed him from Galilee and the Ten Towns, from Jerusalem, Judea, and the land on the other side of the Jordan.

KJV - 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

TEV - "Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man" - 1 Jesus got into the boat and went back across the lake to his own town, 2 where some people brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a bed. When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the paralyzed man, "Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven." 3 Then some teachers of the Law said to themselves, "This man is speaking blasphemy!" 4 Jesus perceived what they were thinking, and so he said, "Why are you thinking such evil things? 5 Is it easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, "Get up and walk'? 6 I will prove to you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, pick up your bed, and go home!" 7 The man got up and went home. 8 When the people saw it, they were afraid, and praised God for giving such authority to men.

KJV - 58 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.

TEV - "Punishment, Repentance, and Hope" - 58 "You came to my rescue, Lord, and saved my life. 59 Judge in my favor; you know the wrongs done against me. 60 You know how my enemies hate me and how they plot against me. 61 "You have heard them insult me, O LORD; you know all their plots. 62 All day long they talk about me and make their plans. 63 From morning till night they make fun of me. 64 "Punish them for what they have done, O LORD; 65 Curse them and fill them with despair! 66 Hunt them down and wipe them off the earth!"

KJV - 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. 5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. 6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

TEV - "In Praise of God's Goodness" - 1 "Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good; his love is eternal!" 2 Repeat these words in praise to the LORD, all you whom he has saved. He has rescued you from your enemies 3 and has brought you back from foreign countries, from east and west, from north and south. 4 Some wandered in the trackless desert and could not find their way to a city to live in. 5 They were hungry and thirsty and had given up all hope. 6 Then in their trouble they called to the LORD, and he saved them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight road to a city where they could live. 8 They must thank the LORD for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them. 9 He satisfies those who are thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

33 The LORD made rivers dry up completely and stopped springs from flowing. 34 He made rich soil become a salty wasteland because of the wickedness of those who lived there. 35 He changed deserts into pools of water and dry land into flowing springs. 36 He let hungry people settle there, and they built a city to live in. 37 They sowed the fields and planted grapevines and reaped an abundant harvest. 38 He blessed his people, and they had many children; he kept their herds of cattle from decreasing. 39 When God's people were defeated and humiliated by cruel oppression and suffering, 40 he showed contempt for their oppressors and made them wander in trackless deserts. 41 But he rescued the needy from their misery and made their families increase like flocks. 42 The righteous see this and are glad, but all the wicked are put to silence. 43 May those who are wise think about these things; may they consider the LORD's constant love.

KJV - 1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. 2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.

TEV - "The Road of Holiness" -1 The desert will rejoice, and flowers will bloom in the wastelands. 2 The desert will sing and shout for joy; it will be as beautiful as the Lebanon Mountains and as fertile as the fields of Carmel and Sharon. Everyone will see the LORD's splendor, see his greatness and power. 3 Give strength to hands that are tired and to knees that tremble with weakness. 4 Tell everyone who is discouraged, "Be strong and don't be afraid! God is coming to your rescue, coming to punish your enemies."

KJV - 12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

TEV - "God's Offer of Mercy" - 10 "My word is like the snow and the rain that come down from the sky to water the earth. They make the crops grow and provide seed for planting and food to eat. 11 So also will be the word that I speak -- it will not fail to do what I plan for it; it will do everything I send it to do. 12 "You will leave Babylon with joy; you will be led out of the city in peace. The mountains and hills will burst into singing, and the trees will shout for joy. 13 Cypress trees will grow where now there are briers; myrtle trees will come up in place of thorns. This will be a sign that will last forever, a reminder of what I, the LORD, have done."