Isaiah 1

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for Jehovah hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly! they have forsaken Jehovah, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged and gone backward.5 Why will ye be still stricken, that ye revolt more and more? the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and fresh stripes: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil.7 Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.9 Except Jehovah of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.10 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.11 What unto me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah: I have had enough of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample my courts?13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; new moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies,- I cannot away with iniquity and the solemn meeting.14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth; they are a trouble unto me; I am weary of bearing them.15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;17 learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:20 but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.21 How is the faithful city become a harlot! she that was full of justice! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water.23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.24 Therefore saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies;25 and I will turn my hand upon thee, and thoroughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy tin;26 and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, a faithful town.27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.28 But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.31 And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

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.