Isaiah 66

The People of the Lord’s New Creation

1 This is what the Lord says:Heaven is my throne.The earth is my footstool.Where can you build a house or resting place for me?2 I have made all these things.“That is why all these things have come into being,”declares the Lord.I will pay attention to thosewho are humble and sorry for their sinsand who tremble at my word.3 Whoever kills a bull is like someone who kills a person.Whoever sacrifices a lamb is like someone who breaks a dog’s neck.Whoever offers a grain sacrificeis like someone who offers pig’s blood.Whoever burns incense is like someone who worships an idol.People have certainly chosen their own ways,and their souls delight in detestable things.4 So I will choose harsh treatment for themand bring on them what they fear.I called, but no one answered.I spoke, but they didn’t listen.They did what I consider evil.They chose what I don’t like.5 Listen to the word of the Lord, all who tremble at his word.Your relatives, who hate you and exclude you for my name’s sake, say,“Let the Lord show his glory; then we will see your joy.”But they will be put to shame.6 Listen to the uproar from the city.Listen to the sound from the temple.It is the sound of the Lordpaying back his enemies as they deserve.7 Before a woman goes into labor, she gives birth.Before she has labor pains, she delivers a child.8 Who has heard of such a thing?Who has seen such things?Can a country be born in one day?Can a nation be born in a moment?When Zion went into labor,she also gave birth to her children.9 “Do I bring a mother to the moment of birthand not let her deliver?” asks the Lord.“Do I cause a mother to deliverand then make her unable to have children?” asks your God.10 All who love Jerusalem, be happy and rejoice with her.All who mourn for her, be glad with her.11 You will nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breasts.You will nurse to your heart’s delight at her full breasts.12 This is what the Lord says:I will offer you peace like a riverand the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream.You will nurse and be carried in Jerusalem’s armsand cuddled on her knees.13 As a mother comforts her child,so will I comfort you.You will be comforted in Jerusalem.14 When you see it, your heart will rejoiceand you will flourish like new grass.The power of the Lord will be made known to his servants,but he will condemn his enemies.15 The Lord will come with fireand with his chariots like a thunderstorm.He will pay them back with his burning angerand punish them with flames of fire.16 The Lord will judge with fire,and he will judge all people with his sword.Many people will be struck dead by the Lord.17 People make themselves holyand prepare themselves for their garden rituals.They go into the gardenand devour pork, disgusting things, and mice.“They will come to an end at the same time,”declares the Lord.18 Because of their actions and their thoughts,tI am coming to gather the nations of every language.They will come and see my glory.19 I will set up a sign among themand send some of their survivors to the nations:to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Meshech, Rosh, Tubal, Javan,and to the distant coastlandswho have not heard of my fame or seen my glory.They will tell about my glory among the nations.20 They will bring all your relativesfrom every nation like a grain offering to the Lord.“They will come on horses, in chariots, in wagons,on mules and camels to my holy mountain, Jerusalem,”declares the Lord.They will come like the people of Israel who bringtheir grain offerings in clean dishes to the Lord’s temple.21 “I will make some of them priests and Levites,” declares the Lord.22 “The new heaven and earth that I am about to makewill continue in my presence,” declares the Lord.“So your descendants and your namewill also continue in my presence.23 From one month to the next and from one week to the nextall people will come to worship me,” declares the Lord.24 Then they will go outand look at the corpses of those who have rebelled against me.The worms that eat them will not die.The fire that burns them will not go out.All humanity will be disgusted by them.

Isaiah 66

1 This is what the Lord says:
“The heavens are my throne
and the earth is my footstool.
Where then is the house you will build for me?
Where is the place where I will rest?

2 My hand made them;t
that is how they came to be,”t says the Lord.
I show special favort to the humble and contrite,
who respect what I have to say.t

3 The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man;t
the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck;ts
the one who presents an offering includes pig’s blood with it;t
the one who offers incense also praises an idol.t
They have decided to behave this way;t
they enjoy these disgusting practices.t

4 So I will choose severe punishmentt for them;
I will bring on them what they dread,
because I called, and no one responded,
I spoke and they did not listen.
They did evil before me;t
they chose to do what displeases me.”

5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who respect what he has to say!t
Your countrymen,t who hate you
and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name,
say, “May the Lord be glorified,
then we will witness your joy.”t
But they will be put to shame.

6 The sound of battle comes from the city;
the sound comes from the temple!
It is the sound of the Lord paying back his enemies.

7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth!
Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!

8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen this?
Can a countryt be brought forth in one day?
Can a nation be born in a single moment?
Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!

9 “Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?”
asks the Lord.
“Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?”
asks your God.s

10 Be happy for Jerusalem
and rejoice with her, all you who love her!
Share in her great joy,
all you who have mourned over her!

11 Fort you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished;t
you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts.ts

12 For this is what the Lord says:
“Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river,
the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks.t
You will nurse from her breastt and be carried at her side;
you will play on her knees.

13 As a mother consoles a child,t
so I will console you,
and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”

14 When you see this, you will be happy,t
and you will be revived.t
The Lord will reveal his power to his servants
and his anger to his enemies.t

15 For look, the Lord comes with fire,
his chariots come like a windstorm,s
to reveal his raging anger,
his battle cry, and his flaming arrows.t

16 For the Lord judges all humanityt
with fire and his sword;
the Lord will kill many.t
17 “As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards,t those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like micet – they will all be destroyed together,”t says the Lord.18 “I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am comings to gather all the nations and ethnic groups;t they will come and witness my splendor.19 I will perform a mighty act among themt and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul,t Luds (known for its archerst), Tubal, Javan,s and to the distant coastlandst that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor.20 They will bring back all your countryment from all the nations as an offering to the Lord. They will bring themt on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camelst to my holy hill Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the Israelites bring offerings to the Lord’s temple in ritually pure containers.21 And I will choose some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord.22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the Lord, “so your descendants and your name will remain.23 From one montht to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all peoplet will come to worship me,”t says the Lord.

24 “They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die,t and the fire that consumes them will not die out.t All people will find the sight abhorrent.”ts