Isaiah 66
66
Where God may be found
1The LORD says:
Heaven is my throne,
and earth is my footstool.
So where could you build a house for me,
and where could my resting place be?
2My hand made all these things
and brought them into being, says the LORD.
But here is where I will look:
to the humble and contrite in spirit,
who tremble at my word.
3The one who slaughters an ox kills a person;
the one who sacrifices a sheep breaks a dog’s neck;
the one who makes a grain offering offers swine’s blood;
the one who burns incense blesses an idol.
All these have chosen their own ways,
and prefer their detestable things.
4So I too will choose to punish them,
to bring horrors upon them,
since I called and no one answered.
I spoke and no one heard,
but they did evil in my eyes.
What I didn’t want, they chose.
5Listen to the LORD’s word,
you who tremble at his word:
Your family members, those who hate and exclude you because of my name,
have said, “Let the LORD be glorified;
let’s see your joy.”
But they will be ashamed.
6The sound of an uproar from the city! A sound from the temple!
The sound of the LORD repaying his enemies what they have earned.
Mother Zion
7Before she was in labor, she gave birth.
Before her pangs came upon her, she delivered a boy.
8Whoever heard of such a thing?
Whoever saw such things as these?
Can a land come to birth in one day?
Can a nation be born all at once?
Yet as soon as birth pangs came,
Zion bore her children.
9Will I open the womb and not bring to birth? says the LORD.
Will I, who create life, close the womb? says your God.
10Celebrate with Jerusalem; be happy with her,
all you who love her!
Rejoice with her in joy,
all you who mourn over her,
11so that you may nurse and be satisfied
from her comforting breasts,
that you may drink and be refreshed
from her full breasts.
12The LORD says:
Look, I’m extending prosperity to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like an overflowing stream.
You will nurse and be carried on the hip
and bounced upon the knee.
13As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you;
in Jerusalem you will be comforted.
14When you see this, your heart will rejoice;
your entire being will flourish like grass.
The LORD’s power will be known among his servants,
but his fury among his enemies.
15The LORD will come with fire,
God’s chariots like a windstorm,
to repay in hot anger,
to rebuke with fiery flames.
16With fire and with sword the LORD will judge all humanity;
many will be slain by the LORD.
17Those who became holy and purify themselves, following their leader into the gardens,#66.17 Heb uncertain who eat pork, detestable animals, and mice, will meet their end together, says the LORD.
Worshippers gathered from the nations
18Because of their actions and thoughts, I’m coming to gather all nations and cultures. They will come to see my glory. 19I will put a sign on them, by sending out some of the survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Libya, and Lydia, and to the archers of Cilicia and Greece—distant coastlands that haven’t heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will declare my glory among the nations. 20They will bring your family members from all nations as an offering to the LORD—on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels—to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, like Israelites bringing an offering in purified containers to the LORD’s house. 21I will select some of them as priests and Levites, says the LORD.
22As the new heavens and the new earth that I’m making will endure before me, says the LORD,
so your descendants and your name will endure.
23From month to month and from Sabbath to Sabbath,
all humanity will come to worship me, says the LORD.
24They will go out and see the corpses
of the people who rebelled against me,
where their worm never dies, where their fire is never extinguished.
They will be a horror to everyone.
Currently Selected:
Isaiah 66: CEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 66
66
The LORD Judges the Nations
1 #
Mt 5.34, 35; 23.22 #
Acts 7.49–50
The LORD says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house, then, could you build for me, what kind of place for me to live in? 2I myself created the whole universe! I am pleased with those who are humble and repentant, who fear me and obey me.
3“The people do as they please. It's all the same to them whether they kill a bull as a sacrifice or sacrifice a human being; whether they sacrifice a lamb or break a dog's neck; whether they present a grain offering or offer pigs' blood; whether they offer incense or pray to an idol. They take pleasure in disgusting ways of worship. 4So I will bring disaster upon them — the very things they are afraid of — because no one answered when I called or listened when I spoke. They chose to disobey me and do evil.”
5Listen to what the LORD says, you that fear him and obey him: “Because you are faithful to me, some of your own people hate you and will have nothing to do with you. They mock you and say, ‘Let the LORD show his greatness and save you, so that we may see you rejoice.’ But they themselves will be disgraced! 6Listen! That loud noise in the city, that sound in the Temple, is the sound of the LORD punishing his enemies!
7 #
Rev 12.5
“My holy city is like a woman who suddenly gives birth to a child, without ever going into labour. 8Has anyone ever seen or heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a day? Zion will not have to suffer long, before the nation is born. 9Do not think that I will bring my people to the point of birth and not let them be born.” The LORD has spoken.
10Rejoice with Jerusalem; be glad for her,
all you that love this city!
Rejoice with her now,
all you that have mourned for her!
11You will enjoy her prosperity,
like a child at its mother's breast.
12The LORD says, “I will bring you lasting prosperity; the wealth of the nations will flow to you like a river that never goes dry. You will be like a child that is nursed by its mother, carried in her arms, and treated with love. 13I will comfort you in Jerusalem, as a mother comforts her child. 14When you see this happen, you will be glad; it will make you strong and healthy. Then you will know that I, the LORD, help those who obey me, and I show my anger against my enemies.”
15The LORD will come with fire. He will ride on the wings of a storm to punish those he is angry with. 16By fire and sword he will punish all the people of the world whom he finds guilty — and many will be put to death.
17The LORD says, “The end is near for those who purify themselves for pagan worship, who go in procession to sacred gardens,#66.17 sacred gardens: See 1.29. and who eat pork and mice and other disgusting foods. 18I know#66.18 Some ancient translations I know; Hebrew I. their thoughts and their deeds. I am coming#66.18 Some ancient translations I am coming; Hebrew He is coming. to gather the people of all the nations. When they come together, they will see what my power can do 19and will know that I am the one who punishes them.
“But I will spare some of them and send them to the nations and the distant lands that have not heard of my fame or seen my greatness and power: to Spain, Libya,#66.19 One ancient translation Libya; Hebrew Pul. and Lydia, with its skilled archers, and to Tubal and Greece. Among these nations they will proclaim my greatness. 20They will bring back all your fellow-Israelites from the nations as a gift to me. They will bring them to my sacred hill#66.20 sacred hill: See 2.3. in Jerusalem on horses, mules, and camels, and in chariots and wagons, just as Israelites bring grain offerings to the Temple in ritually clean containers. 21I will make some of them priests and Levites.
22 #
Is 65.17; 2 Pet 3.13; Rev 21.1 “Just as the new earth and the new heavens will endure by my power, so your descendants and your name will endure. 23On every New Moon Festival and every Sabbath, people of every nation will come to worship me here in Jerusalem,” says the LORD. 24#Mk 9.48“As they leave, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me. The worms that eat them will never die, and the fire that burns them will never be put out. The sight of them will be disgusting to the whole human race.”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.