Isaiah 65:1-16

New International Version

Judgment and Salvation

65 “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;
    I was found by those who did not seek me.^(A)
To a nation^(B) that did not call on my name,^(C)
    I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’
²All day long I have held out my hands
    to an obstinate people,^(D)
who walk in ways not good,
    pursuing their own imaginations^(E)—
³a people who continually provoke me
    to my very face,^(F)
offering sacrifices in gardens^(G)
    and burning incense^(H) on altars of brick;
⁴who sit among the graves^(I)
    and spend their nights keeping secret vigil;
who eat the flesh of pigs,^(J)
    and whose pots hold broth of impure meat;
⁵who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me,
    for I am too sacred^(K) for you!’
Such people are smoke^(L) in my nostrils,
    a fire that keeps burning all day.

⁶“See, it stands written before me:
    I will not keep silent^(M) but will pay back^(N) in full;
    I will pay it back into their laps^(O)—
⁷both your sins^(P) and the sins of your ancestors,”^(Q)
    says the Lord.
“Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains
    and defied me on the hills,^(R)
I will measure into their laps
    the full payment^(S) for their former deeds.”

⁸This is what the Lord says:

“As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes^(T)
    and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it,
    there is still a blessing in it,’
so will I do in behalf of my servants;^(U)
    I will not destroy them all.
⁹I will bring forth descendants^(V) from Jacob,
    and from Judah those who will possess^(W) my mountains;
my chosen^(X) people will inherit them,
    and there will my servants live.^(Y)
¹⁰Sharon^(Z) will become a pasture for flocks,^(AA)
    and the Valley of Achor^(AB) a resting place for herds,
    for my people who seek^(AC) me.

¹¹“But as for you who forsake^(AD) the Lord
    and forget my holy mountain,^(AE)
who spread a table for Fortune
    and fill bowls of mixed wine^(AF) for Destiny,
¹²I will destine you for the sword,^(AG)
    and all of you will fall in the slaughter;^(AH)
for I called but you did not answer,^(AI)
    I spoke but you did not listen.^(AJ)
You did evil in my sight
    and chose what displeases me.”^(AK)

¹³Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“My servants will eat,^(AL)
    but you will go hungry;^(AM)
my servants will drink,^(AN)
    but you will go thirsty;^(AO)
my servants will rejoice,^(AP)
    but you will be put to shame.^(AQ)
¹⁴My servants will sing^(AR)
    out of the joy of their hearts,
but you will cry out^(AS)
    from anguish of heart
    and wail in brokenness of spirit.
¹⁵You will leave your name
    for my chosen ones to use in their curses;^(AT)
the Sovereign Lord will put you to death,
    but to his servants he will give another name.^(AU)
¹⁶Whoever invokes a blessing^(AV) in the land
    will do so by the one true God;^(AW)
whoever takes an oath in the land
    will swear^(AX) by the one true God.
For the past troubles^(AY) will be forgotten
    and hidden from my eyes.