Isaiah 1

Chapter 1

1 These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.t

A Message for Rebellious Judah

2 Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth!
This is what the LORD says:
“The children I raised and cared for
have rebelled against me.3 Even an ox knows its owner,
and a donkey recognizes its master’s care—
but Israel doesn’t know its master.
My people don’t recognize my care for them.”4 Oh, what a sinful nation they are—
loaded down with a burden of guilt.
They are evil people,
corrupt children who have rejected the LORD.
They have despised the Holy One of Israel
and turned their backs on him.5 Why do you continue to invite punishment?
Must you rebel forever?
Your head is injured,
and your heart is sick.6 You are battered from head to foot—
covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds—
without any soothing ointments or bandages.7 Your country lies in ruins,
and your towns are burned.
Foreigners plunder your fields before your eyes
and destroy everything they see.8 Beautiful Jerusalemt stands abandoned
like a watchman’s shelter in a vineyard,
like a lean-to in a cucumber field after the harvest,
like a helpless city under siege.9 If the LORD of Heaven’s Armies
had not spared a few of us,t
we would have been wiped out like Sodom,
destroyed like Gomorrah.10 Listen to the LORD, you leaders of “Sodom.”
Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”11 “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
says the LORD.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
of bulls and lambs and goats.12 When you come to worship me,
who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?13 Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
I want no more of your pious meetings.14 I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!15 When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.
Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.16 Wash yourselves and be clean!
Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways.17 Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows.18 “Come now, let’s settle this,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
I will make them as white as wool.19 If you will only obey me,
you will have plenty to eat.20 But if you turn away and refuse to listen,
you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.
I, the LORD, have spoken!”

Unfaithful Jerusalem

21 See how Jerusalem, once so faithful,
has become a prostitute.
Once the home of justice and righteousness,
she is now filled with murderers.22 Once like pure silver,
you have become like worthless slag.
Once so pure,
you are now like watered-down wine.23 Your leaders are rebels,
the companions of thieves.
All of them love bribes
and demand payoffs,
but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans
or fight for the rights of widows.24 Therefore, the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,
the Mighty One of Israel, says,
“I will take revenge on my enemies
and pay back my foes!25 I will raise my fist against you.
I will melt you down and skim off your slag.
I will remove all your impurities.26 Then I will give you good judges again
and wise counselors like you used to have.
Then Jerusalem will again be called the Home of Justice
and the Faithful City.”27 Zion will be restored by justice;
those who repent will be revived by righteousness.28 But rebels and sinners will be completely destroyed,
and those who desert the LORD will be consumed.29 You will be ashamed of your idol worship
in groves of sacred oaks.
You will blush because you worshiped
in gardens dedicated to idols.30 You will be like a great tree with withered leaves,
like a garden without water.31 The strongest among you will disappear like straw;
their evil deeds will be the spark that sets it on fire.
They and their evil works will burn up together,
and no one will be able to put out the fire.

ISAIAH 1

1  t I am Isaiah, the son of Amoz.
And this is the messaget that I was given about Judah and Jerusalem when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were the kings of Judah:t

A Guilty Nation

2 The [Lord] has said,
“Listen, heaven and earth!
The children I raised
have turned against me.

3 Oxen and donkeys know
who owns and feeds them,
but my people won't ever learn.”

4 Israel, you are a sinful nation
loaded down with guilt.
You are wicked and corrupt
and have turned from the [Lord],
the holy God of Israel.

5 Why be punished more?
Why not give up your sin?
Your head is badly bruised,
and you are weak all over.

6 From your head to your toes
there isn't a healthy spot.
Bruises, cuts, and open sores
go without care
or oil to ease the pain.

A Country in Ruins

7 Your country lies in ruins;
your towns are in ashes.
Foreigners and strangers
take and destroy your land
while you watch.

8 Enemies surround Jerusalem,
alone like a hut
in a vineyardt
or in a cucumber field.

9  t Zion would have disappeared
like Sodom and Gomorrah, t
if the [Lord] All-Powerful
had not let a few
of its people survive.

Justice, Not Sacrifices

10 You are no better
than the leaders and people
of Sodom and Gomorrah!
So listen to the [Lord] God:

11  t “Your sacrifices
mean nothing to me.
I am sick of your offerings
of rams and choice cattle;
I don't like the blood
of bulls or lambs or goats.

12 “Who asked you to bring all this
when you come to worship me?
Stay out of my temple!

13 Your sacrifices are worthless,
and your incense disgusting.
I can't stand the evil you do
on your New Moon Festivals
or on your Sabbaths
and other times of worship.

14 I hate your New Moon Festivals
and all others as well.
They are a heavy burden
I am tired of carrying.

15 “No matter how much you pray,
I won't listen.
You are too violent.

16 Wash yourselves clean!
I hate your filthy deeds.
Stop doing wrong

17 and learn to live right.
See that justice is done.
Defend widows and orphans
and help the oppressed.”t

An Invitation //from the [Lord]

18 I, the [Lord], invite you
to come and talk it over.
Your sins are scarlet red,
but they will be whiter
than snow or wool.

19 If you willingly obey me,
the best crops in the land
will be yours.

20 But if you turn against me,
your enemies will kill you.
I, the [Lord], have spoken.

The [Lord] //Condemns Jerusalem

21 Jerusalem, you are like
an unfaithful wife.
Once your judges were honest
and your people lived right;
now you are a city
full of murderers.

22 Your silver is fake,
and your wine
is watered down.

23 Your leaders have rejected me
to become friends of crooks;
your rulers are looking
for gifts and bribes.
Widows and orphans
never get a fair trial.

24 I am the [Lord] All-Powerful,
the mighty ruler of Israel,
and I make you a promise:
You are now my enemy,
and I will show my anger
by taking revenge on you.

25 I will punish you terribly
and burn away everything
that makes you unfit
to worship me.

26 Jerusalem, I will choose
judges and advisors
like those you had before.
Your new name will be
“Justice and Faithfulness.”

The [Lord] //Will Save Jerusalem

27 Jerusalem, you will be saved
by showing justice;t
Zion's people who turn to me
will be saved
by doing right.

28 But those rebellious sinners
who turn against me, the [Lord],
will all disappear.

29 You will be made ashamed
of those groves of trees
where you worshiped idols.

30 You will be like a grove of trees
dying in a drought.

31 Your strongest leaders
will be like dry wood
set on fire by their idols.t
No one will be able to help,
as they all go up in flames.