Isaiah 57-58

New International Version

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

³ “But you—come here, you children of a sorceress,^(F)
    you offspring of adulterers^(G) and prostitutes!^(H)
4 Who are you mocking?
    At whom do you sneer
    and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,^(I)
    the offspring of liars?
⁵ You burn with lust among the oaks^(J)
    and under every spreading tree;^(K)
you sacrifice your children^(L) in the ravines
    and under the overhanging crags.
⁶ The idols^(M) among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
    indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings^(N)
    and offered grain offerings.
    In view of all this, should I relent?^(O)
7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;^(P)
    there you went up to offer your sacrifices.^(Q)
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,^(R)
    and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.^(S)
9 You went to Molek^[a](T) with olive oil
    and increased your perfumes.^(U)
You sent your ambassadors^[b](V) far away;
    you descended to the very realm of the dead!^(W)
10 You wearied^(X) yourself by such going about,
    but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’^(Y)
You found renewal of your strength,^(Z)
    and so you did not faint.

¹¹ “Whom have you so dreaded and feared^(AA)
    that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered^(AB) me
    nor taken this to heart?^(AC)
Is it not because I have long been silent^(AD)
    that you do not fear me?
¹² I will expose your righteousness and your works,^(AE)
    and they will not benefit you.
¹³ When you cry out^(AF) for help,
    let your collection of idols save^(AG) you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
    a mere breath will blow^(AH) them away.
But whoever takes refuge^(AI) in me
    will inherit the land^(AJ)
    and possess my holy mountain.”^(AK)

“Build up, build up, prepare the road!^(AL)
    Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”^(AM)
15 For this is what the high and exalted^(AN) One says—
    he who lives forever,^(AO) whose name is holy:
“I live in a high^(AP) and holy place,
    but also with the one who is contrite^(AQ) and lowly in spirit,^(AR)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.^(AS)
16 I will not accuse^(AT) them forever,
    nor will I always be angry,^(AU)
for then they would faint away because of me—
    the very people^(AV) I have created.
¹⁷ I was enraged by their sinful greed;^(AW)
    I punished them, and hid^(AX) my face in anger,
    yet they kept on in their willful ways.^(AY)
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal^(AZ) them;
    I will guide^(BA) them and restore comfort^(BB) to Israel’s mourners,
¹⁹     creating praise on their lips.^(BC)
Peace, peace,^(BD) to those far and near,”^(BE)
    says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
²⁰ But the wicked^(BF) are like the tossing sea,^(BG)
    which cannot rest,
    whose waves cast up mire^(BH) and mud.
²¹ “There is no peace,”^(BI) says my God, “for the wicked.”^(BJ)

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

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting^(CB) I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice^(CC)
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed^(CD) free
    and break every yoke?^(CE)
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry^(CF)
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter^(CG)—
when you see the naked, to clothe^(CH) them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?^(CI)
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,^(CJ)
    and your healing^(CK) will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[c](CL) will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.^(CM)
9 Then you will call,^(CN) and the Lord will answer;^(CO)
    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^(CP) and malicious talk,^(CQ)
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,^(CR)
then your light^(CS) will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.^(CT)
11 The Lord will guide^(CU) you always;
    he will satisfy your needs^(CV) in a sun-scorched land^(CW)
    and will strengthen^(CX) your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,^(CY)
    like a spring^(CZ) whose waters never fail.
¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins^(DA)
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;^(DB)
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,^(DC)
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

¹³ “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath^(DD)
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight^(DE)
    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,^(DF)
14 then you will find your joy^(DG) in the Lord,
    and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights^(DH) of the land
    and to feast on the inheritance^(DI) of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.^(DJ)