Isaiah 55:6 - Easy To Read Version So you should look for the Lord\par before it is too late.\par You should call to him now,\par while he is near.\par Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Seek, inquire for, and require the Lord while He may be found [claiming Him by necessity and by right]; call upon Him while He is near. American Standard Version (1901) Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near: Common English Bible Seek the LORD when he can still be found; call him while he is yet near. Catholic Public Domain Version Seek the Lord, while he is able to be found. Call upon him, while he is near. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Seek ye the Lord while he may be found: call upon him while he is near. |
“And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father. Serve God with a pure heart. Be happy in your heart (mind) to serve God. Why? Because the Lord knows what is in every person’s heart (mind). The Lord understands everything you think. If you go to the Lord for help, you will get an answer. But if you turn away from the Lord, he will leave you forever.
But there are some good things in your life. You removed the Asherah poles {\cf2\super [218]} from this country, and you decided in your heart to follow God.”
Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, spoke to Ezra. Shecaniah said, “We have not been faithful to our God. We have married the people living around us. But, even though we have done this, there is still hope for Israel.
The Lord looked down from heaven\par to see if there were any wise people.\par (Wise people turn to God for help.)\par
The Lord is close to every person\par who calls to him for help.\par The Lord is close to every person\par who truly worships him.\par
God will make his people strong.\par People will praise God’s followers.\par People will praise Israel.\par They are the people God fights for.\par Praise the Lord!\par
Lord, I want to talk with you.\par I want to speak to you from my heart.\par I come before you to speak with you.\par
For this reason, God, all your followers should pray to you.\par Your followers should pray even when troubles come like a great flood.\par
Good people might have many problems,\par but the Lord will save them\par from every one of their problems.\par
We praise you, God!\par We praise you.\par You {\cf2\super [428]} are near and people tell about\par the amazing things you do.\par
He is our God, and we are his people.\par We are his sheep today—\par if we listen to his voice.\par
I love people who love me.\par And if people try hard to find me,\par they will find me.\par
People of Zion, {\cf2\super [140]} shout about these things!\par The Holy One of Israel is with you\par in a powerful way.\par So, be happy!\par
My soul wants to be with you at night.\par And the spirit in me wants to be with you\par at the dawning of every new day.\par When your way of justice comes to the land,\par people will learn the right way of living.\par
I did not speak in secret.\par I have spoken freely.\par I did not hide my words\par in a dark place of the world.\par I did not tell the people of Jacob\par to look for me in empty places.\par I am the Lord, and I speak the truth.\par I say things that are true.”\par
All you people in faraway places should \{stop following those false gods\}. You should follow me and be saved. I am God. There is no other God. I am the only God.
I will do good things! Soon, I will save \{my people\}. I will bring salvation to Zion and to my wonderful Israel.”
The Lord says,\par “There will be a special time\par when I show my kindness.\par At that time I will answer your prayers.\par There will be a special day\par when I save you.\par At that time I will help you.\par I will protect you.\par And you will be the proof that I have\par an Agreement with the people.\par The country is destroyed now,\par but you will give that land back\par to the people who own it.\par
Then you will call to the Lord, and the Lord will answer you. You will shout to the Lord, and he will say, “Here I am.”
Then Sharon Valley {\cf2\super [470]} will be a field for sheep. The Valley of Achor {\cf2\super [471]} will be a place for cattle to rest. All these things will be for my people—the people that look for me.
I will know what they need\par before they ask.\par And I will help them—\par even before they finish asking.\par
Those prophets said, “Change your lives! Stop doing those bad things! If you change, then you can return to the land which the Lord gave you and your ancestors {\cf2\super [200]} long ago. He gave you this land to live in forever.
“Judah, pray to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you important secrets. You have never heard these things before.
“So tell the family of Israel these things. Tell them, ‘The Lord my Master says: Come back \{to me\} and leave your filthy idols. Turn away from those terrible false gods.
“You must say to them, ‘The Lord my Master says: On my life, I promise, I don’t enjoy seeing people die—not even evil people! I don’t want them to die. I want those evil people to come back to me. I want them to change their lives so they can really live! So come back to me! Stop doing bad things! Why must you die, family of Israel?’
Then \{God\} said to me, “Son of man, {\cf2\super [63]} do you see what terrible things the people of Israel are doing? They built that thing here, right next to my temple! And if you come with me, you will see even more terrible things!”
So, king, please accept my advice. I advise you to stop sinning and do what is right. Stop doing bad things. And be kind to poor people. Then you might continue to be successful.”
If you plant goodness, you will harvest true love. Plow your ground, and you will harvest with the Lord. He will come, and he will make goodness fall on you like rain!
Go to the Lord, and live.\par If you don’t go to the Lord,\par then a fire will start at Joseph’s house. {\cf2\super [65]} \par That fire will destroy Joseph’s house,\par and no person will be able to stop\par that fire at Bethel.\par
But every person and every animal must be covered with a special cloth \{to show he is sad\}. People must cry loudly to God. Every person must change his life and stop doing bad things.
“If your enemy is taking you to court, then become friends with him quickly. You should do that before you go to court. If you don’t become his friend, then he might give you to the judge. And the judge might give you to a guard to put you in jail.
If a man locks the door of his house, then you can stand outside and knock on the door, but he won’t open it. You can say, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ But the man will answer, ‘I don’t know you! Where did you come from?’
Again, Jesus said to the people, “I will leave you. You will look for me, but you will die with your sin. You cannot come where I am going.”
So I ask you not to become discouraged \{and lose hope\} because of the sufferings I am having for you. My sufferings bring honor to you.
But there in these other lands you will look for the Lord your God. And if you look for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.
“The Lord our God is near when we ask him to help us. No other nation has a god like that!
The salvation \{that was given to us\} is very great. So surely we also will be punished if we live like this salvation is not important. It was the Lord (Jesus) who first told people about this salvation. And the people who heard him proved to us that this salvation is true.
But encourage each other every day. Do this while it is “today. {\cf2\super [19]} ” Help each other so that none of you will become hardened because of sin and the way sin fools people.