Isaiah 57
57
Israel's Futile Idolatry
1The righteous perish,
and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
while no one understands.
For the righteous are taken away from calamity,
2and they enter into peace;
those who walk uprightly
will rest on their couches.
3But as for you, come here,
you children of a sorceress,
you offspring of an adulterer and a whore.#57.3 Heb an adulterer and she plays the whore
4Whom are you mocking?
Against whom do you open your mouth wide
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
the offspring of deceit—
5you that burn with lust among the oaks,
under every green tree;
you that slaughter your children in the valleys,
under the clefts of the rocks?
6Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion;
they, they, are your lot;
to them you have poured out a drink offering,
you have brought a grain offering.
Shall I be appeased for these things?
7Upon a high and lofty mountain
you have set your bed,
and there you went up to offer sacrifice.
8Behind the door and the doorpost
you have set up your symbol;
for, in deserting me,#57.8 Meaning of Heb uncertain you have uncovered your bed,
you have gone up to it,
you have made it wide;
and you have made a bargain for yourself with them,
you have loved their bed,
you have gazed on their nakedness.#57.8 Or their phallus; Heb the hand
9You journeyed to Molech#57.9 Or the king with oil,
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your envoys far away,
and sent down even to Sheol.
10You grew weary from your many wanderings,
but you did not say, “It is useless.”
You found your desire rekindled,
and so you did not weaken.
11Whom did you dread and fear
so that you lied,
and did not remember me
or give me a thought?
Have I not kept silent and closed my eyes,#57.11 Gk Vg: Heb silent even for a long time
and so you do not fear me?
12I will concede your righteousness and your works,
but they will not help you.
13When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
The wind will carry them off,
a breath will take them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me shall possess the land
and inherit my holy mountain.
A Promise of Help and Healing
14It shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove every obstruction from my people's way.”
15For thus says the high and lofty one
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16For I will not continually accuse,
nor will I always be angry;
for then the spirits would grow faint before me,
even the souls that I have made.
17Because of their wicked covetousness I was angry;
I struck them, I hid and was angry;
but they kept turning back to their own ways.
18I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
I will lead them and repay them with comfort,
creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips.#57.18 Meaning of Heb uncertain
19Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord;
and I will heal them.
20But the wicked are like the tossing sea
that cannot keep still;
its waters toss up mire and mud.
21There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.
Currently Selected:
Isaiah 57: NRSV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 57
57
1The righteous perish,
and no one lays it to heart.
Merciful men are taken away,
and no one considers that the righteous is taken away from the evil.
2He enters into peace.
They rest in their beds,
each one who walks in his uprightness.
3“But draw near here, you sons of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes.
4Whom do you mock?
Against whom do you make a wide mouth
and stick out your tongue?
Aren’t you children of disobedience
and offspring of falsehood,
5you who inflame yourselves among the oaks,
under every green tree;
who kill the children in the valleys,
under the clefts of the rocks?
6Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion.
They, they are your lot.
You have even poured a drink offering to them.
You have offered an offering.
Shall I be appeased for these things?
7On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed.
You also went up there to offer sacrifice.
8You have set up your memorial behind the doors and the posts,
for you have exposed yourself to someone besides me,
and have gone up.
You have enlarged your bed
and made you a covenant with them.
You loved what you saw on their bed.
9You went to the king with oil,
increased your perfumes,
sent your ambassadors far off,
and degraded yourself even to Sheol.#57:9 Sheol is the place of the dead.
10You were wearied with the length of your ways;
yet you didn’t say, ‘It is in vain.’
You found a reviving of your strength;
therefore you weren’t faint.
11“Whom have you dreaded and feared,
so that you lie,
and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart?
Haven’t I held my peace for a long time,
and you don’t fear me?
12I will declare your righteousness;
and as for your works, they will not benefit you.
13When you cry,
let those whom you have gathered deliver you,
but the wind will take them.
A breath will carry them all away,
but he who takes refuge in me will possess the land,
and will inherit my holy mountain.”
14He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way!
Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”
15For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity,
whose name is Holy, says:
“I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16For I will not contend forever, neither will I always be angry;
for the spirit would faint before me,
and the souls whom I have made.
17I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness and struck him.
I hid myself and was angry;
and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
18I have seen his ways, and will heal him.
I will lead him also,
and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.
19I create the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,”
says Yahweh; “and I will heal them.”
20But the wicked are like the troubled sea;
for it can’t rest and its waters cast up mire and mud.
21“There is no peace”, says my God,
“for the wicked.”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
PUBLIC DOMAIN (not copyrighted)