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Isaiah 55-57
New American Standard Bible
Isaiah 55-57
New American Standard Bible
The Free Offer of Mercy
55 “[a]You there! Everyone who (A)thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have (B)no [b]money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy (C)wine and milk
(D)Without money and without cost.
2 Why do you [c]spend money for what is (E)not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and (F)eat what is good,
And (G)delight yourself in abundance.
3 (H)Incline your ear and come to Me.
Listen, that [d]you may (I)live;
And I will make (J)an everlasting covenant with you,
According to the (K)faithful mercies [e]shown to David.
4 Behold, I have made (L)him a witness to the peoples,
A (M)leader and commander for the peoples.
5 Behold, you will call a (N)nation you do not know,
And a nation which does not know you will (O)run to you,
Because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel;
For He has (P)glorified you.”
6 (Q)Seek the Lord while He may be found;
(R)Call upon Him while He is near.
7 (S)Let the wicked abandon his way,
And the unrighteous person his (T)thoughts;
And let him (U)return to the Lord,
And He will have (V)compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will (W)abundantly pardon.
8 “For My thoughts are not (X)your thoughts,
Nor are (Y)your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For (Z)as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the (AA)rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it produce and sprout,
And providing (AB)seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 So will My (AC)word be which goes out of My mouth;
It will (AD)not return to Me empty,
Without (AE)accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.
12 For you will go out with (AF)joy
And be led in (AG)peace;
The (AH)mountains and the hills will break into shouts of joy before you,
And all the (AI)trees of the field will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the (AJ)thorn bush, the (AK)juniper will come up,
And instead of the (AL)stinging nettle, the myrtle will come up;
And [f]it will be a [g](AM)memorial to the Lord,
An everlasting (AN)sign which (AO)will not be eliminated.”
Rewards for Obedience to God
56 This is what the Lord says:
“(AP)Guard justice and do righteousness,
For My (AQ)salvation is about to come
And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 (AR)Blessed is a man who does this,
And a son of man who (AS)takes hold of it;
Who (AT)keeps from profaning the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Let not the (AU)foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
“The Lord will certainly separate me from His people.”
Nor let the (AV)eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
4 For this is what the Lord says:
“To the eunuchs who (AW)keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And (AX)hold firmly to My covenant,
5 To them I will give in My (AY)house and within My (AZ)walls a memorial,
And a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give [h]them an everlasting (BA)name which (BB)will not be eliminated.
6 “Also the (BC)foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
To attend to His service and to love the name of the Lord,
To be His servants, every one who (BD)keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane it,
And holds firmly to My covenant;
7 Even (BE)those I will bring to My (BF)holy mountain,
And (BG)make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on (BH)My altar;
For (BI)My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”
8 The Lord [i]God, who (BJ)gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,
“I will yet gather (BK)others to [j]them, to those already gathered.”
9 All you [k](BL)wild animals,
All you animals in the forest,
Come to eat.
10 His (BM)watchmen are (BN)blind,
All of them know nothing.
All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,
Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;
11 And the dogs are [l](BO)greedy, they [m]are never satisfied.
And they are shepherds who have (BP)no understanding;
They have all (BQ)turned to their own way,
Each one to his unjust gain, [n]without exception.
12 “Come,” they say, “[o]let’s get (BR)wine, and let’s drink heavily of intoxicating drink;
And (BS)tomorrow will be like today, only more so.”
Evil Leaders Rebuked
57 The righteous person perishes, and no one (BT)takes it to heart;
And devout people are taken away, while no one understands.
For the righteous person is taken away from (BU)evil,
2 He enters into peace;
They rest in their [p]beds,
Each one who (BV)walked in his upright way.
3 “But come here, you sons of a (BW)sorceress,
(BX)Offspring of an adulterer and [q]a (BY)prostitute!
4 Of whom do you make fun?
Against whom do you open wide your mouth
And stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of (BZ)rebellion,
Offspring of deceit,
5 Who inflame yourselves among the (CA)oaks,
(CB)Under every luxuriant tree,
Who (CC)slaughter the children in the [r]ravines,
Under the clefts of the rocks?
6 Among the [s](CD)smooth stones of the [t]ravine
Is your portion, [u]they are your lot;
Even to them you have (CE)poured out a drink offering,
You have made a grain offering.
Should I [v](CF)relent of these things?
7 On a (CG)high and lofty mountain
You have (CH)made your bed.
You also went up there to offer sacrifice.
8 Behind the door and the doorpost
You have set up your sign;
Indeed, far removed from Me, you have (CI)uncovered yourself,
And have gone up and made your bed wide.
And you have made an agreement for yourself with them,
You have loved their bed,
You have looked at their [w]manhood.
9 You have journeyed to the king with oil
And increased your perfumes;
You have (CJ)sent your messengers a great distance
And made them go down to [x]Sheol.
10 You were tired out by the length of your road,
Yet you did not say, ‘(CK)It is hopeless!’
You found [y]renewed strength,
Therefore you did not [z]faint.
11 “Of (CL)whom were you worried and fearful
When you lied, and did (CM)not remember Me
[aa]Nor (CN)give Me a thought?
Was I not silent, even for a long time,
So you do not fear Me?
12 I will (CO)declare your righteousness and your (CP)deeds,
And they will not benefit you.
13 When you cry out, (CQ)let your collection of idols save you.
But the wind will carry them all up,
And a breath will take them away.
But the one who (CR)takes refuge in Me will (CS)inherit the land
And (CT)possess My holy mountain.”
14 And it will be said,
“(CU)Build up, build up, prepare the way,
Remove every obstacle from the way of My people.”
15 For this is what the (CV)high and exalted One
Who [ab](CW)lives forever, whose name is Holy, says:
“I (CX)dwell in a high and holy place,
And also with the (CY)contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to (CZ)revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I will (DA)not contend forever,
(DB)Nor will I always be angry;
For the spirit would grow faint before Me,
And the (DC)breath of those whom I have made.
17 Because of the wrongful act of his (DD)unjust gain I was angry and struck him;
I hid My face and was angry,
And he went on (DE)turning away, in the way of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will (DF)heal him;
I will (DG)lead him and (DH)restore comfort to him and to his mourners,
19 Creating the [ac](DI)praise of the lips.
(DJ)Peace, peace to him who is (DK)far away and to him who is near,”
Says the Lord, “and I will heal him.”
20 But the (DL)wicked are like the tossing sea,
For it cannot be quiet,
And its waters toss up refuse and mud.
21 “(DM)There is no peace,” says (DN)my God, “for the wicked.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 55:1 Lit Hoy
- Isaiah 55:1 Lit silver
- Isaiah 55:2 Lit weigh out silver
- Isaiah 55:3 Lit your soul
- Isaiah 55:3 Lit of David
- Isaiah 55:13 I.e., the transformation of the desert
- Isaiah 55:13 Lit name
- Isaiah 56:5 As in DSS; MT him
- Isaiah 56:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Isaiah 56:8 Lit him
- Isaiah 56:9 Lit animals of the field
- Isaiah 56:11 Lit strong of soul/appetite
- Isaiah 56:11 Lit do not know satisfaction
- Isaiah 56:11 Lit from his end
- Isaiah 56:12 As in DSS and some ancient versions; MT I will
- Isaiah 57:2 I.e., graves
- Isaiah 57:3 As in ancient versions; MT she prostitutes herself
- Isaiah 57:5 Or wadis
- Isaiah 57:6 I.e., symbols of fertility gods
- Isaiah 57:6 Or wadi
- Isaiah 57:6 Lit they, they
- Isaiah 57:6 Or repent
- Isaiah 57:8 Lit hand
- Isaiah 57:9 I.e., the netherworld
- Isaiah 57:10 Lit the life of your hand
- Isaiah 57:10 Or become sick
- Isaiah 57:11 Lit You did not set it upon your heart
- Isaiah 57:15 Or dwells in eternity
- Isaiah 57:19 Lit fruit of the lips
Isaiah 55-57
New International Version
Isaiah 55-57
New International Version
Invitation to the Thirsty
55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,(A)
come to the waters;(B)
and you who have no money,
come, buy(C) and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk(D)
without money and without cost.(E)
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?(F)
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,(G)
and you will delight in the richest(H) of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
listen,(I) that you may live.(J)
I will make an everlasting covenant(K) with you,
my faithful love(L) promised to David.(M)
4 See, I have made him a witness(N) to the peoples,
a ruler and commander(O) of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations(P) you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you,(Q)
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One(R) of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.”(S)
6 Seek(T) the Lord while he may be found;(U)
call(V) on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake(W) their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.(X)
Let them turn(Y) to the Lord, and he will have mercy(Z) on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.(AA)
8 “For my thoughts(AB) are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”(AC)
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,(AD)
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.(AE)
10 As the rain(AF) and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,(AG)
so that it yields seed(AH) for the sower and bread for the eater,(AI)
11 so is my word(AJ) that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,(AK)
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose(AL) for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy(AM)
and be led forth in peace;(AN)
the mountains and hills
will burst into song(AO) before you,
and all the trees(AP) of the field
will clap their hands.(AQ)
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers(AR) the myrtle(AS) will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,(AT)
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
Salvation for Others
56 This is what the Lord says:
“Maintain justice(AU)
and do what is right,(AV)
for my salvation(AW) is close at hand
and my righteousness(AX) will soon be revealed.
2 Blessed(AY) is the one who does this—
the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath(AZ) without desecrating it,
and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”
3 Let no foreigner(BA) who is bound to the Lord say,
“The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”(BB)
And let no eunuch(BC) complain,
“I am only a dry tree.”
4 For this is what the Lord says:
“To the eunuchs(BD) who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose what pleases me
and hold fast to my covenant(BE)—
5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls(BF)
a memorial(BG) and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name(BH)
that will endure forever.(BI)
6 And foreigners(BJ) who bind themselves to the Lord
to minister(BK) to him,
to love the name(BL) of the Lord,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath(BM) without desecrating it
and who hold fast to my covenant—
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain(BN)
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices(BO)
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations.(BP)”(BQ)
8 The Sovereign Lord declares—
he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather(BR) still others to them
besides those already gathered.”
God’s Accusation Against the Wicked
9 Come, all you beasts of the field,(BS)
come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
10 Israel’s watchmen(BT) are blind,
they all lack knowledge;(BU)
they are all mute dogs,
they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
they love to sleep.(BV)
11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
they never have enough.
They are shepherds(BW) who lack understanding;(BX)
they all turn to their own way,(BY)
they seek their own gain.(BZ)
12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!(CA)
Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
or even far better.”(CB)
57 The righteous perish,(CC)
and no one takes it to heart;(CD)
the devout are taken away,
and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil.(CE)
2 Those who walk uprightly(CF)
enter into peace;
they find rest(CG) as they lie in death.
3 “But you—come here, you children of a sorceress,(CH)
you offspring of adulterers(CI) and prostitutes!(CJ)
4 Who are you mocking?
At whom do you sneer
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,(CK)
the offspring of liars?
5 You burn with lust among the oaks(CL)
and under every spreading tree;(CM)
you sacrifice your children(CN) in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.
6 The idols(CO) among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings(CP)
and offered grain offerings.
In view of all this, should I relent?(CQ)
7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;(CR)
there you went up to offer your sacrifices.(CS)
8 Behind your doors and your doorposts
you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,(CT)
and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.(CU)
9 You went to Molek[a](CV) with olive oil
and increased your perfumes.(CW)
You sent your ambassadors[b](CX) far away;
you descended to the very realm of the dead!(CY)
10 You wearied(CZ) yourself by such going about,
but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’(DA)
You found renewal of your strength,(DB)
and so you did not faint.
11 “Whom have you so dreaded and feared(DC)
that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered(DD) me
nor taken this to heart?(DE)
Is it not because I have long been silent(DF)
that you do not fear me?
12 I will expose your righteousness and your works,(DG)
and they will not benefit you.
13 When you cry out(DH) for help,
let your collection of idols save(DI) you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a mere breath will blow(DJ) them away.
But whoever takes refuge(DK) in me
will inherit the land(DL)
and possess my holy mountain.”(DM)
Comfort for the Contrite
14 And it will be said:
“Build up, build up, prepare the road!(DN)
Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”(DO)
15 For this is what the high and exalted(DP) One says—
he who lives forever,(DQ) whose name is holy:
“I live in a high(DR) and holy place,
but also with the one who is contrite(DS) and lowly in spirit,(DT)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.(DU)
16 I will not accuse(DV) them forever,
nor will I always be angry,(DW)
for then they would faint away because of me—
the very people(DX) I have created.
17 I was enraged by their sinful greed;(DY)
I punished them, and hid(DZ) my face in anger,
yet they kept on in their willful ways.(EA)
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal(EB) them;
I will guide(EC) them and restore comfort(ED) to Israel’s mourners,
19 creating praise on their lips.(EE)
Peace, peace,(EF) to those far and near,”(EG)
says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
20 But the wicked(EH) are like the tossing sea,(EI)
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire(EJ) and mud.
21 “There is no peace,”(EK) says my God, “for the wicked.”(EL)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 57:9 Or to the king
- Isaiah 57:9 Or idols
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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