Isaiah 54-58

New International Version

The Future Glory of Zion

54 “Sing, barren woman,^(A)
    you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,^(B)
    you who were never in labor;^(C)
because more are the children^(D) of the desolate^(E) woman
    than of her who has a husband,^(F)”
says the Lord.
²“Enlarge the place of your tent,^(G)
    stretch your tent curtains wide,
    do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
    strengthen your stakes.^(H)
³For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
    your descendants^(I) will dispossess nations^(J)
    and settle in their desolate^(K) cities.

⁴“Do not be afraid;^(L) you will not be put to shame.^(M)
    Do not fear disgrace;^(N) you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth^(O)
    and remember no more the reproach^(P) of your widowhood.^(Q)
⁵For your Maker^(R) is your husband^(S)—
    the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One^(T) of Israel is your Redeemer;^(U)
    he is called the God of all the earth.^(V)
⁶The Lord will call you back^(W)
    as if you were a wife deserted^(X) and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,^(Y)
    only to be rejected,” says your God.
⁷“For a brief moment^(Z) I abandoned^(AA) you,
    but with deep compassion^(AB) I will bring you back.^(AC)
⁸In a surge of anger^(AD)
    I hid^(AE) my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness^(AF)
    I will have compassion^(AG) on you,”
    says the Lord your Redeemer.^(AH)

⁹“To me this is like the days of Noah,
    when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.^(AI)
So now I have sworn^(AJ) not to be angry^(AK) with you,
    never to rebuke^(AL) you again.
¹⁰Though the mountains be shaken^(AM)
    and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love^(AN) for you will not be shaken^(AO)
    nor my covenant^(AP) of peace^(AQ) be removed,”
    says the Lord, who has compassion^(AR) on you.

¹¹“Afflicted^(AS) city, lashed by storms^(AT) and not comforted,^(AU)
    I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,^[a]^(AV)
    your foundations^(AW) with lapis lazuli.^(AX)
¹²I will make your battlements of rubies,
    your gates^(AY) of sparkling jewels,
    and all your walls of precious stones.
¹³All your children will be taught by the Lord,^(AZ)
    and great will be their peace.^(BA)
¹⁴In righteousness^(BB) you will be established:^(BC)
Tyranny^(BD) will be far from you;
    you will have nothing to fear.^(BE)
Terror^(BF) will be far removed;
    it will not come near you.
¹⁵If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
    whoever attacks you will surrender^(BG) to you.

¹⁶“See, it is I who created the blacksmith^(BH)
    who fans the coals into flame
    and forges a weapon^(BI) fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer^(BJ) to wreak havoc;
¹⁷    no weapon forged against you will prevail,^(BK)
    and you will refute^(BL) every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants^(BM) of the Lord,
    and this is their vindication^(BN) from me,”
declares the Lord.

Invitation to the Thirsty

55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,^(BO)
    come to the waters;^(BP)
and you who have no money,
    come, buy^(BQ) and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk^(BR)
    without money and without cost.^(BS)
²Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?^(BT)
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,^(BU)
    and you will delight in the richest^(BV) of fare.
³Give ear and come to me;
    listen,^(BW) that you may live.^(BX)
I will make an everlasting covenant^(BY) with you,
    my faithful love^(BZ) promised to David.^(CA)
⁴See, I have made him a witness^(CB) to the peoples,
    a ruler and commander^(CC) of the peoples.
⁵Surely you will summon nations^(CD) you know not,
    and nations you do not know will come running to you,^(CE)
because of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One^(CF) of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.”^(CG)

⁶Seek^(CH) the Lord while he may be found;^(CI)
    call^(CJ) on him while he is near.
⁷Let the wicked forsake^(CK) their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.^(CL)
Let them turn^(CM) to the Lord, and he will have mercy^(CN) on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.^(CO)

⁸“For my thoughts^(CP) are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”^(CQ)
declares the Lord.
⁹“As the heavens are higher than the earth,^(CR)
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.^(CS)
¹⁰As the rain^(CT) and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,^(CU)
    so that it yields seed^(CV) for the sower and bread for the eater,^(CW)
¹¹so is my word^(CX) that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,^(CY)
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose^(CZ) for which I sent it.
¹²You will go out in joy^(DA)
    and be led forth in peace;^(DB)
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song^(DC) before you,
and all the trees^(DD) of the field
    will clap their hands.^(DE)
¹³Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
    and instead of briers^(DF) the myrtle^(DG) will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,^(DH)
    for an everlasting sign,
    that will endure forever.”

Salvation for Others

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice^(DI)
    and do what is right,^(DJ)
for my salvation^(DK) is close at hand
    and my righteousness^(DL) will soon be revealed.
²Blessed^(DM) is the one who does this—
    the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath^(DN) without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

³Let no foreigner^(DO) who is bound to the Lord say,
“The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”^(DP)
And let no eunuch^(DQ) complain,
“I am only a dry tree.”

⁴For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs^(DR) who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant^(DS)—
⁵to them I will give within my temple and its walls^(DT)
    a memorial^(DU) and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name^(DV)
    that will endure forever.^(DW)
⁶And foreigners^(DX) who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister^(DY) to him,
to love the name^(DZ) of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath^(EA) without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
⁷these I will bring to my holy mountain^(EB)
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices^(EC)
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.^(ED)”^(EE)
⁸The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather^(EF) still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

⁹Come, all you beasts of the field,^(EG)
    come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
¹⁰Israel’s watchmen^(EH) are blind,
    they all lack knowledge;^(EI)
they are all mute dogs,
    they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
    they love to sleep.^(EJ)
¹¹They are dogs with mighty appetites;
    they never have enough.
They are shepherds^(EK) who lack understanding;^(EL)
    they all turn to their own way,^(EM)
    they seek their own gain.^(EN)
¹²“Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!^(EO)
    Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
    or even far better.”^(EP)

57 The righteous perish,^(EQ)
    and no one takes it to heart;^(ER)
the devout are taken away,
    and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
    to be spared from evil.^(ES)
²Those who walk uprightly^(ET)
    enter into peace;
    they find rest^(EU) as they lie in death.

³“But you—come here, you children of a sorceress,^(EV)
    you offspring of adulterers^(EW) and prostitutes!^(EX)
⁴Who are you mocking?
    At whom do you sneer
    and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,^(EY)
    the offspring of liars?
⁵You burn with lust among the oaks^(EZ)
    and under every spreading tree;^(FA)
you sacrifice your children^(FB) in the ravines
    and under the overhanging crags.
⁶The idols^(FC) among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
    indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings^(FD)
    and offered grain offerings.
    In view of all this, should I relent?^(FE)
⁷You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;^(FF)
    there you went up to offer your sacrifices.^(FG)
⁸Behind 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,^(FH)
    and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.^(FI)
⁹You went to Molek^[b]^(FJ) with olive oil
    and increased your perfumes.^(FK)
You sent your ambassadors^[c]^(FL) far away;
    you descended to the very realm of the dead!^(FM)
¹⁰You wearied^(FN) yourself by such going about,
    but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’^(FO)
You found renewal of your strength,^(FP)
    and so you did not faint.

¹¹“Whom have you so dreaded and feared^(FQ)
    that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered^(FR) me
    nor taken this to heart?^(FS)
Is it not because I have long been silent^(FT)
    that you do not fear me?
¹²I will expose your righteousness and your works,^(FU)
    and they will not benefit you.
¹³When you cry out^(FV) for help,
    let your collection of idols save^(FW) you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
    a mere breath will blow^(FX) them away.
But whoever takes refuge^(FY) in me
    will inherit the land^(FZ)
    and possess my holy mountain.”^(GA)

Comfort for the Contrite

¹⁴And it will be said:

“Build up, build up, prepare the road!^(GB)
    Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”^(GC)
¹⁵For this is what the high and exalted^(GD) One says—
    he who lives forever,^(GE) whose name is holy:
“I live in a high^(GF) and holy place,
    but also with the one who is contrite^(GG) and lowly in spirit,^(GH)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.^(GI)
¹⁶I will not accuse^(GJ) them forever,
    nor will I always be angry,^(GK)
for then they would faint away because of me—
    the very people^(GL) I have created.
¹⁷I was enraged by their sinful greed;^(GM)
    I punished them, and hid^(GN) my face in anger,
    yet they kept on in their willful ways.^(GO)
¹⁸I have seen their ways, but I will heal^(GP) them;
    I will guide^(GQ) them and restore comfort^(GR) to Israel’s mourners,
¹⁹    creating praise on their lips.^(GS)
Peace, peace,^(GT) to those far and near,”^(GU)
    says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
²⁰But the wicked^(GV) are like the tossing sea,^(GW)
    which cannot rest,
    whose waves cast up mire^(GX) and mud.
²¹“There is no peace,”^(GY) says my God, “for the wicked.”^(GZ)

True Fasting

58 “Shout it aloud,^(HA) do not hold back.
    Raise your voice like a trumpet.^(HB)
Declare to my people their rebellion^(HC)
    and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.^(HD)
²For day after day they seek^(HE) me out;
    they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
    and has not forsaken^(HF) the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
    and seem eager for God to come near^(HG) them.
³‘Why have we fasted,’^(HH) they say,
    ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled^(HI) ourselves,
    and you have not noticed?’^(HJ)

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please^(HK)
    and exploit all your workers.
⁴Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,^(HL)
    and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
    and expect your voice to be heard^(HM) on high.
⁵Is this the kind of fast^(HN) I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble^(HO) themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed^(HP)
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?^(HQ)
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶“Is not this the kind of fasting^(HR) I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice^(HS)
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed^(HT) free
    and break every yoke?^(HU)
⁷Is it not to share your food with the hungry^(HV)
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter^(HW)—
when you see the naked, to clothe^(HX) them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?^(HY)
⁸Then your light will break forth like the dawn,^(HZ)
    and your healing^(IA) will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[d]^(IB) will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.^(IC)
⁹Then you will call,^(ID) and the Lord will answer;^(IE)
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger^(IF) and malicious talk,^(IG)
¹⁰and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,^(IH)
then your light^(II) will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.^(IJ)
¹¹The Lord will guide^(IK) you always;
    he will satisfy your needs^(IL) in a sun-scorched land^(IM)
    and will strengthen^(IN) your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,^(IO)
    like a spring^(IP) whose waters never fail.
¹²Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins^(IQ)
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;^(IR)
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,^(IS)
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

¹³“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath^(IT)
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight^(IU)
    and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
    and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,^(IV)
¹⁴then you will find your joy^(IW) in the Lord,
    and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights^(IX) of the land
    and to feast on the inheritance^(IY) of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.^(IZ)