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

Heading

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.