Isaiah 65:17-66:10

New International Version

New Heavens and a New Earth

¹⁷“See, I will create
    new heavens and a new earth.^(A)
The former things will not be remembered,^(B)
    nor will they come to mind.
¹⁸But be glad and rejoice^(C) forever
    in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem^(D) to be a delight
    and its people a joy.
¹⁹I will rejoice^(E) over Jerusalem
    and take delight^(F) in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying^(G)
    will be heard in it no more.

²⁰“Never again will there be in it
    an infant^(H) who lives but a few days,
    or an old man who does not live out his years;^(I)
the one who dies at a hundred
    will be thought a mere child;
the one who fails to reach^[a] a hundred
    will be considered accursed.
²¹They will build houses^(J) and dwell in them;
    they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.^(K)
²²No longer will they build houses and others live in them,^(L)
    or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,^(M)
    so will be the days^(N) of my people;
my chosen^(O) ones will long enjoy
    the work of their hands.
²³They will not labor in vain,^(P)
    nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;^(Q)
for they will be a people blessed^(R) by the Lord,
    they and their descendants^(S) with them.
²⁴Before they call^(T) I will answer;^(U)
    while they are still speaking^(V) I will hear.
²⁵The wolf and the lamb^(W) will feed together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox,^(X)
    and dust will be the serpent’s^(Y) food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain,”^(Z)
says the Lord.

Judgment and Hope

66 This is what the Lord says:

“Heaven is my throne,^(AA)
    and the earth is my footstool.^(AB)
Where is the house^(AC) you will build for me?
    Where will my resting place be?
²Has not my hand made all these things,^(AD)
    and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favor:
    those who are humble and contrite in spirit,^(AE)
    and who tremble at my word.^(AF)
³But whoever sacrifices a bull^(AG)
    is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
    is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
    is like one who presents pig’s^(AH) blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense^(AI)
    is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,^(AJ)
    and they delight in their abominations;^(AK)
⁴so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
    and will bring on them what they dread.^(AL)
For when I called, no one answered,^(AM)
    when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil^(AN) in my sight
    and chose what displeases me.”^(AO)

⁵Hear the word of the Lord,
    you who tremble at his word:^(AP)
“Your own people who hate^(AQ) you,
    and exclude you because of my name, have said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified,
    that we may see your joy!’
    Yet they will be put to shame.^(AR)
⁶Hear that uproar from the city,
    hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound^(AS) of the Lord
    repaying^(AT) his enemies all they deserve.

⁷“Before she goes into labor,^(AU)
    she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
    she delivers a son.^(AV)
⁸Who has ever heard of such things?
    Who has ever seen^(AW) things like this?
Can a country be born in a day^(AX)
    or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
    than she gives birth to her children.^(AY)
⁹Do I bring to the moment of birth^(AZ)
    and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Do I close up the womb
    when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
¹⁰“Rejoice^(BA) with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
    all you who love^(BB) her;
rejoice greatly with her,
    all you who mourn^(BC) over her.