Isaiah 56
56
Chapter 56
God promises to bless all the nations
1This is what the Lord says:
‘Always be fair and do what is right.
Soon I will come to rescue you.
I will do what is right for my people.
2God will bless the people who do what is right.
They must be careful to obey my laws.
They must respect the rules for the Sabbath day
and keep it special.
They must refuse to do anything that is evil.
3When a foreigner decides to serve the Lord, he should not say, “The Lord will keep me separate from his own people.” A eunuch should not say, “I am no better than a dead tree.” ’
4The Lord says this:
‘I will bless eunuchs who obey my laws.
They must respect the rules for Sabbath days.
They must choose to do what pleases me.
They must always obey my covenant with my people.
5If they do that, I will give them a special place in my temple.
It will cause people to remember them.
Their name will continue in a better way
than through sons and daughters.
People will always honour their name.
Nobody will cut it off. #56:5 ‘cut it off’. A eunuch could not have children, because someone had cut off his testicles.
6I will also bless foreigners who decide to serve me.
They must be faithful to me as my servants.
They must respect the rules for the Sabbath day and keep it special.
They must always obey my covenant.
7Then I will bring them to my holy mountain. #56:7 ‘my holy mountain’ means Mount Zion in Jerusalem, where Solomon built God's temple.
I will make them happy in my house, where people pray to me.
I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices,
when they offer them to me on my altar.
People will call my temple,
“A house where people from all nations may pray.” ’ #56:7 See Matthew 21:13.
8The Almighty Lord is the one who brings together all the Israelite people who are in exile. He says, ‘I will continue to bring more people to join with them.’
God warns Israel's leaders
9‘Come here, you wild animals!
Come, you wild animals that live in the forest!
Come and eat my people! #56:9 God is speaking to Israel's enemies as if they are wild animals. He is telling them to come and punish his people.
10Israel's guards are blind!
They do not see what is happening.
They are all like dogs that cannot make a noise.
They cannot warn people about danger.
They love to lie on the ground
and they dream while they sleep.
11They are like dogs who are always hungry.
They eat a lot but they never have enough.
They are like shepherds
who do not understand what to do.
They do whatever they want to do,
so that it will help them get what they want.
12They say to each other,
“Come! We must go and find more wine to drink!
We can drink as much beer as we want!
Tomorrow we can do it all again!
It might be even better than today!” ’
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Isaiah 56
56
Blessings for All Nations
1This is what the Lord says:
“Be just and fair to all.
Do what is right and good,
for I am coming soon to rescue you
and to display my righteousness among you.
2Blessed are all those
who are careful to do this.
Blessed are those who honor my Sabbath days of rest
and keep themselves from doing wrong.
3“Don’t let foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord say,
‘The Lord will never let me be part of his people.’
And don’t let the eunuchs say,
‘I’m a dried-up tree with no children and no future.’
4For this is what the Lord says:
I will bless those eunuchs
who keep my Sabbath days holy
and who choose to do what pleases me
and commit their lives to me.
5I will give them—within the walls of my house—
a memorial and a name
far greater than sons and daughters could give.
For the name I give them is an everlasting one.
It will never disappear!
6“I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord,
who serve him and love his name,
who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest,
and who hold fast to my covenant.
7I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem
and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer.
I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices,
because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.
8For the Sovereign Lord,
who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says:
I will bring others, too,
besides my people Israel.”
Sinful Leaders Condemned
9Come, wild animals of the field!
Come, wild animals of the forest!
Come and devour my people!
10For the leaders of my people—
the Lord’s watchmen, his shepherds—
are blind and ignorant.
They are like silent watchdogs
that give no warning when danger comes.
They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming.
11Like greedy dogs, they are never satisfied.
They are ignorant shepherds,
all following their own path
and intent on personal gain.
12“Come,” they say, “let’s get some wine and have a party.
Let’s all get drunk.
Then tomorrow we’ll do it again
and have an even bigger party!”
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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