Isaiah 1

1 This is the vision Isaiah son of Amoz saw about what would happen to Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah saw these things while Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.

God’s Case Against His Children

2 Heaven and earth, listen, because the Lord is speaking:
“I raised my children and helped them grow up, but they have turned against me.

3 An ox knows its master, and a donkey knows where its owner feeds it,
but the people of Israel do not know me; my people do not understand.”

4 How terrible! Israel is a nation of sin, a people loaded down with guilt,
a group of children doing evil, children who are full of evil.
They have left the Lord; they hate God, the Holy One of Israel, and have turned away from him as if he were a stranger.

5 Why should you continue to be punished? Why do you continue to turn against him?
Your whole head is hurt, and your whole heart is sick.

6 There is no healthy spot from the bottom of your foot to the top of your head; you are covered with wounds, hurts, and open sores
that are not cleaned and covered, and no medicine takes away the pain.

7 Your land is ruined; your cities have been burned with fire.
While you watch, your enemies are stealing everything from your land; it is ruined like a country destroyed by enemies.

8 Jerusalem is left alone like an empty shelter in a vineyard,
like a hut left in a field of melons, like a city surrounded by enemies.

9 The Lord All-Powerful allowed a few of our people to live. Otherwise we would have been completely destroyed like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

10 Jerusalem, your rulers are like those of Sodom, and your people are like those of Gomorrah.
Hear the word of the Lord; listen to the teaching of our God!

11 The Lord says, “I do not want all these sacrifices.
I have had enough of your burnt sacrifices of male sheep and fat from fine animals.
I am not pleased by the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats.

12 You come to meet with me, but who asked you to do all this running in and out of my Temple’s rooms?

13 Don’t continue bringing me worthless sacrifices! I hate the incense you burn.
I can’t stand your New Moons, Sabbaths, and other feast days; I can’t stand the evil you do in your holy meetings.

14 I hate your New Moon feasts and your other yearly feasts.
They have become a heavy weight on me, and I am tired of carrying it.

15 When you raise your arms to me in prayer, I will refuse to look at you.
Even if you say many prayers, I will not listen to you,
because your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean. Stop doing the evil things I see you do.
Stop doing wrong.

17 Learn to do good.
Seek justice. Punish those who hurt others.
Help the orphans. Stand up for the rights of widows.”

18 The Lord says, “Come, let us talk about these things.
Though your sins are like scarlet, they can be as white as snow.
Though your sins are deep red, they can be white like wool.

19 If you become willing and obey me, you will eat good crops from the land.

20 But if you refuse to obey and if you turn against me, you will be destroyed by your enemies’ swords.”
The Lord himself said these things.

Jerusalem Is Not Loyal to God

21 The city of Jerusalem once followed the Lord, but she is no longer loyal to him.
She used to be filled with fairness; people there lived the way God wanted. But now, murderers live there.

22 Jerusalem, you have become like the scum left when silver is purified; you are like wine mixed with water.

23 Your rulers are rebels and friends of thieves.
They all accept money for doing wrong, and they are paid to cheat people.
They don’t seek justice for the orphans or listen to the widows’ needs.

24 So the Lord God All-Powerful, the Mighty One of Israel, says:
“You, my enemies, will not cause me any more trouble. I will pay you back for what you did.

25 I will turn against you and clean away all your wrongs as if with soap; I will take all the worthless things out of you.

26 I will bring back judges as you had long ago; your counselors will be like those you had in the beginning.
Then you will be called the City That Is Right with God, the Loyal City.”

27 By doing what is fair, Jerusalem will be free again.
By doing what is right, her people who come back to the Lord will have freedom.

28 But sinners and those who turn against him will be destroyed; those who have left the Lord will die.

29 “You will be ashamed, because you have worshiped gods under the oak trees.
You will be disgraced, because you have worshiped idols in your gardens.

30 You will be like an oak whose leaves are dying or like a garden without water.

31 Powerful people will be like small, dry pieces of wood, and their works will be like sparks.
They will burn together, and no one will be able to put out that fire.”

Isaiah 1

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1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalems that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah.ts

Obedience, not Sacrifice

2 Listen, O heavens,
pay attention, O earth!s
For the Lord speaks:
“I raised children,ts I brought them up,s
buts they have rebelleds against me!

3 An ox recognizes its owner,
a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food;t
but Israel does not recognize me,t
my people do not understand.”

4 s The sinful nation is as good as dead,t
the people weighed down by evil deeds.
They are offspring who do wrong,
childrent who do wicked things.
They have abandoned the Lord,
and rejected the Holy One of Israel.s
They are alienated from him.t

5 s Why do you insist on being battered?
Why do you continue to rebel?t
Your head has a massive wound,t
your whole body is weak.t

6 From the soles of your feet to your head,
there is no spot that is unharmed.t
There are only bruises, cuts,
and open wounds.
They have not been cleansedt or bandaged,
nor have they been treatedt with olive oil.s

7 Your land is devastated,
your cities burned with fire.
Right before your eyes your crops
are being destroyed by foreign invaders.t
They leave behind devastation and destruction.t

8 Daughter Ziont is left isolated,
like a hut in a vineyard,
or a shelter in a cucumber field;
she is a besieged city.t

9 If the Lord who commands armiest had not left us a few survivors,
we would have quickly become like Sodom,s
we would have become like Gomorrah.

10 Listen to the Lord’s word,
you leaders of Sodom!s
Pay attention to our God’s rebuke,t
people of Gomorrah!

11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?”ts
says the Lord.
“I am stuffed witht burnt sacrifices
of rams and the fat from steers.
The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats
I do not want.s

12 When you enter my presence,
do you actually think I want this –
animals trampling on my courtyards?t

13 Do not bring any more meaninglesst offerings;
I consider your incense detestable!s
You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,
but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!t

14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies;
they are a burden
that I am tired of carrying.

15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I look the other way;t
when you offer your many prayers,
I do not listen,
because your hands are covered with blood.s

16 s Wash! Cleanse yourselves!
Remove your sinful deedss
from my sight.
Stop sinning!

17 Learn to do what is right!
Promote justice!
Give the oppressed reason to celebrate!t
Take up the cause of the orphan!
Defend the rights of the widow!t

18 s Come, let’s consider your options,”t says the Lord.
“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,
you can becomet white like snow;
though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,
you can becomet white like wool.t

19 If you have a willing attitude and obey,t
then you will again eat the good crops of the land.

20 But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoureds by the sword.”
Know for certain that the Lord has spoken.t

Purifying Judgment

21 How tragic that the once-faithful city
has become a prostitute!t
She was once a center oft justice,
fairness resided in her,
but now only murderers.t

22 Yourt silver has become scum,t
your beer is diluted with water.s

23 Your officials are rebels,t
they associate witht thieves.
All of them love bribery,
and look fort payoffs.s
They do not take up the cause of the orphan,s
or defend the rights of the widow.s

24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies,t
the powerful ruler of Israel,t says this:
“Ah, I will seek vengeancet against my adversaries,
I will take revenge against my enemies.s

25 I will attack you;t
I will purify your metal with flux.t
I will remove all your slag.s

26 I will reestablish honest judges as in former times,
wise advisers as in earlier days.t
Then you will be called, ‘The Just City,
Faithful Town.’”

27 s Zion will be freed by justice,t
and her returnees by righteousness.s

28 All rebellious sinners will be shattered,t
those who abandon the Lord will perish.

29 Indeed, theys will be ashamed of the sacred trees
yout find so desirable;
you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchardst
where you choose to worship.

30 For you will be like a tree whose leaves wither,
like an orchardt that is unwatered.

31 The powerful will be liket a thread of yarn,
their deeds like a spark;
both will burn together,
and no one will put out the fire.