“‘ High Priest Joshua, pay attention! I want you other priests who are sitting with Joshua to listen also. All you men are signs of things to come. I am going to bring to you my servant the Branch.

大祭司约书亚啊，你和坐在你面前的同伴都当听。（他们是作预兆的。）我必使我仆人大卫的苗裔发出。

约书亚大祭司啊，你和坐在你面前的同伴都当听，因为他们是作预兆的：看哪，我必使我仆人大卫的苗裔长出。

约书亚大祭司啊，你和坐在你面前的同伴都当听，因为他们是作预兆的：看哪，我必使我仆人大卫的苗裔长出。

约书亚大祭司啊，你和坐在你面前的同伴们听着，你们都是将来之事的预兆——我将使我仆人大卫的苗裔兴起。

大祭司约书亚啊！你和坐在你面前的众同伴都要听，（他们都是预表将来奇事的人，）我必使我的仆人，就是大卫的苗裔出生。

大祭司約書亞啊，你和坐在你面前的同伴都當聽。（他們是作預兆的。）我必使我僕人大衛的苗裔發出。

約書亞大祭司啊，你和坐在你面前的同伴都當聽，因為他們是作預兆的：看哪，我必使我僕人大衛的苗裔長出。

約書亞大祭司啊，你和坐在你面前的同伴都當聽，因為他們是作預兆的：看哪，我必使我僕人大衛的苗裔長出。

約書亞大祭司啊，你和坐在你面前的同伴們聽著，你們都是將來之事的預兆——我將使我僕人大衛的苗裔興起。

大祭司約書亞啊！你和坐在你面前的眾同伴都要聽，（他們都是預表將來奇事的人，）我必使我的僕人，就是大衛的苗裔出生。

大祭司約書亞啊，你和坐在你面前的同伴都是好兆頭的人，你們都要聽！看吧！我必使我僕人大衛、那稱為樹苗的、發生出來。

「『大祭司約書亞啊，你和坐在你面前的同伴們都當聽！因為你們都是將來之事的預表。看哪，我將使我的僕人——那苗裔來到！

大祭司約書亞歟、爾與坐於爾前之儔侶、皆為預兆之人、咸宜聽之、我將使我僕名萌蘖者出、

爾祭司長約書亞、與並坐之儔侶、俱為民間所異、咸聽我言、必使我僕至、長若枝柯、

惟爾大祭司約書亞、與坐於爾前之伴侶、俱非常之人、俱非常之人或作必為之施異跡爾與彼咸宜聽、我必使我僕稱枝來、我必使我僕稱枝來或作我必使我僕大衛苗裔來見六章十二節

“‘ Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch.

“ Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.

“ Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring my servant, the Branch.

Now listen, Joshua, you high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you— indeed they are men who are a sign: for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch.

‘ Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men that are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.

“ Listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring My servant, the Branch.

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they[ are] men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

Listen now, Joshua the high priest, both you and your colleagues who are sitting before you, all of you are a symbol that I am about to introduce my servant, the Branch.

Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you; for they are men who are a sign: for, behold, I will bring out my servant, the Branch.

“ A new day is coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time I will raise up for David’s royal line a godly Branch. He will be a King who will rule wisely. He will do what is fair and right in the land.

Jesse’s family is like a tree that has been cut down. A new little tree will grow from its stump. From its roots a Branch will grow and produce fruit.

Give Joshua a message from the Lord who rules over all. He says,‘ Here is the man whose name is the Branch. He will branch out and build my temple.

“ Here is what I will do in those days and at that time. I will make a godly Branch grow from David’s royal line. He will do what is fair and right in the land.

After Ashdod was captured, the Lord said,“ My servant Isaiah has gone around barefoot and naked for three years. He is a sign and reminder to Egypt and Cush about what will happen to them.

“ Here is my servant. I take good care of him. I have chosen him. I am very pleased with him. I will put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.

At that time Israel’s king will be beautiful and glorious. He will be called The Branch of the Lord. The fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of those who are still left alive in Israel.

His servant grew up like a tender young plant. He grew like a root coming up out of dry ground. He didn’t have any beauty or majesty that made us notice him. There wasn’t anything special about the way he looked that drew us to him.

The Lord formed me in my mother’s body to be his servant. He wanted me to bring the family of Jacob back to him. He wanted me to gather the people of Israel to himself. The Lord will honor me. My God will give me strength.

It seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of a parade. We are like people sentenced to die in front of a crowd. We have been made a show for the whole creation to see. Angels and people are staring at us.We are fools for Christ. But you are so wise in Christ! We are weak. But you are so strong! You are honored. But we are looked down on!Up to this very hour we are hungry and thirsty. We are dressed in rags. We are being treated badly. We have no homes.We work hard with our own hands. When others curse us, we bless them. When we are attacked, we put up with it.When others say bad things about us, we answer with kind words. We have become the world’s garbage. We are everybody’s trash, right up to this moment.

Here I am. Here are the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and reminders to Israel from the Lord who rules over all. He lives on Mount Zion.

After he has suffered, he will see the light of life. And he will be satisfied. My godly servant will make many people godly because of what he will accomplish. He will be punished for their sins.

In his very nature he was God. Jesus was equal with God. But Jesus didn’t take advantage of that fact.Instead, he made himself nothing. He did this by taking on the nature of a servant. He was made just like human beings.He appeared as a man. He was humble and obeyed God completely. He did this even though it led to his death. Even worse, he died on a cross!

Tell them,‘ The things I’ve done are a picture of what’s going to happen to you.“‘ So what I’ve done will happen to you. You will be forced to leave home. You will be taken to Babylon as prisoners.’

The Lord says,“ My servant will act wisely and accomplish his task. He will be highly honored. He will be greatly respected.

“‘ The Lord and King says,“ I myself will get a twig from the very top of a cedar tree and plant it. I will break off the highest twig. I will plant it on a very high mountain.I will plant it on the high mountains of Israel. It will produce branches and bear fruit. It will become a beautiful cedar tree. All kinds of birds will make their nests in it. They will live in the shade of its branches.All the trees in the forest will know that I bring down tall trees. I make short trees grow tall. I dry up green trees. And I make dry trees green.”“‘ I have spoken. I will do this. I am the Lord.’ ”

He said to me,“ You are my true servant Israel. I will show my glory through you.”

I will place one shepherd over them. He will belong to the family line of my servant David. He will take good care of them. He will look after them. He will be their shepherd.I am the Lord. I will be their God. And my servant from David’s family line will be the prince among them. I have spoken. I am the Lord.

I will give them a land that is famous for its crops. They will never again be hungry there. The nations will not make fun of them anymore.

To many people I am an example of how much you care. You are my strong place of safety.

What Ezekiel has done will show you what is going to happen to you. You will do just as he has done. Then you will know that I am the Lord and King.’ ” ’

All of that will happen because our God is tender and caring. His kindness will bring the rising sun to us from heaven.

“‘ “A man who belongs to the family line of my servant David will be their king. All of them will have one shepherd. They will obey my laws. And they will be careful to keep my rules.