"Dripdown,O heavens,from above,And let the cloudspourdownrighteousness;Let the earthopenup and salvationbearfruit,And righteousnessspringup with it. I, the LORD,have createdit.
Have you not heard?LongagoI didit; From ancienttimesI plannedit. NowI have broughtit to pass,That you should turnfortifiedcitiesinto ruinousheaps.
The earthquaked;The heavensalsodropped[rain] at the presenceof God;Sinaiitself[quaked] at the presenceof God,the Godof Israel.
Let the mountainsbringpeaceto the people,And the hills,in righteousness.
May he comedownlike rainupon the mowngrass, Like showersthat waterthe earth.
Then a shootwill springfrom the stemof Jesse,And a branchfrom his rootswill bearfruit.
Untilthe Spiritis pouredout upon us from on high,And the wildernessbecomesa fertilefield,And the fertilefieldis consideredas a forest.
In that daythe Branchof the LORDwill be beautifuland glorious,and the fruitof the earth[will be] the prideand the adornmentof the survivorsof Israel.
Thussaysthe LORD,your Redeemer,and the one who formedyou from the womb,"I, the LORD,am the makerof allthings,Stretchingout the heavensby MyselfAnd spreadingout the earthallalone,
For I will pourout wateron the thirsty[land] And streamson the dryground;I will pourout My Spiriton your offspringAnd My blessingon your descendants;
"I bringnearMy righteousness,it is not faroff; And My salvationwill not delay.And I will grantsalvationin Zion,[And] My gloryfor Israel.
"Ifonlyyou had paidattentionto My commandments!Then your well-beingwould have beenlike a river,And your righteousnesslike the wavesof the sea.
For He grewup beforeHim like a tendershoot,And like a rootout of parchedground;He has no[stately] formor majestyThat we should lookupon Him, Norappearancethat we should be attractedto Him.
"Then allyour people[will be] righteous;They will possessthe landforever,The branchof My planting,The workof My hands,That I may be glorified.
For as the earthbringsforthits sprouts,And as a gardencauses the thingssownin it to springup, Sothe LordGODwill cause righteousnessand praiseTo springup beforeallthe nations.
To grantthose who mourn[in] Zion,Givingthem a garlandinsteadof ashes,The oilof gladnessinsteadof mourning,The mantleof praiseinsteadof a spiritof fainting.So they will be calledoaksof righteousness,The plantingof the LORD,that He may be glorified.
"For justas the newheavensand the newearthWhichI makewill endurebeforeMe," declaresthe LORD,"Soyour offspringand your namewill endure.
"Howlongwill you gohereand there,O faithlessdaughter?For the LORDhas createda newthingin the earth--A womanwill encompassa man."
"I will makethem and the placesaroundMy hilla blessing.And I will cause showersto comedownin their season;they will be showersof blessing.
Sowwith a view to righteousness,Reapin accordancewith kindness;Breakup your fallowground,For it is timeto seekthe LORDUntilHe comesto rainrighteousnesson you.
And in that dayThe mountainswill dripwith sweetwine,And the hillswill flowwith milk,And allthe brooksof Judahwill flowwith water;And a springwill goout from the houseof the LORDTo waterthe valleyof Shittim.
"Thereforehaving been exaltedto the right handof God,and having receivedfrom the Fatherthe promiseof the HolySpirit,He has poured forththiswhichyou bothseeand hear.
For we are His workmanship,createdin ChristJesusfor goodworks,whichGodprepared beforehandsothat we would walkin them.
and puton the newself,which in [the likeness of] Godhas been createdin righteousnessand holinessof the truth.
