Isaiah — Chapter 57

1The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous are taken away from the presence of evil.

2Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest, lying down in death.

3“But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!

4Whom are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit,

5who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

6Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these?

7On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices.

8Behind the door and doorpost you have set up your memorial. Forsaking Me, you uncovered your bed; you climbed up and opened it wide. And you have made a pact with those whose bed you have loved; you have gazed upon their nakedness.

9You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself.

10You are wearied by your many journeys, but you did not say, “There is no hope!” You found renewal of your strength; therefore you did not grow weak.

11Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and failed to remember Me or take this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear Me?

12I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not profit you.

13When you cry out, let your companies of idols deliver you! Yet the wind will carry off all of them, a breath will take them away. But he who seeks refuge in Me will inherit the land and possess My holy mountain.”

14And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”

15For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

16For I will not accuse you forever, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me—the breath of life I have made.

17I was enraged by his sinful greed, so I struck him and hid My face in anger; yet he kept turning back to the desires of his heart.

18I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,

19bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”

20But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.

21“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

1The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

2He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

3But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

4Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

5Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

6Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?

7Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

8Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.

9And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.

10Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.

11And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?

12I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.

13When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;

14And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

16For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

17For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

18I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

19I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

20But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

21There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

1The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil [to come].

2He entereth into peace; they rest in their beds, each one that walketh in his uprightness.

3But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.

4Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

5ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

6Among the smooth [stones] of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things?

7Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

8And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial: for thou hast uncovered [thyself] to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them: thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.

9And thou wentest to the king with oil, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol.

10Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not, It is in vain: thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not faint.

11And of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear, that thou liest, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of long time, and thou fearest me not?

12I will declare thy righteousness; and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee.

13When thou criest, let them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he that taketh refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.

14And he will say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.

15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that 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 for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that I have made.

17For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid [my face] and was wroth; 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 unto him and to his mourners.

19I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.

20But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.

21There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

1The godly perish, but no one cares. Honest people disappear, when no one minds that the godly disappear because of evil.

2Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace; they rest on their beds.

3“But approach, you sons of omen readers, you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes!

4At whom are you laughing? At whom are you opening your mouth and sticking out your tongue? You are the children of rebels, the offspring of liars,

5you who inflame your lusts among the oaks and under every green tree, who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs.

6Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love; they, they are the object of your devotion. You pour out liquid offerings to them, you make an offering. Because of these things how can I relent from judgment?

7On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed; you go up there to offer sacrifices.

8Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols. Indeed, you depart from me and go up and invite them into bed with you. You purchase favors from them; you love their bed, and gaze longingly on their naked bodies.

9You take olive oil as tribute to your king, along with many perfumes. You send your messengers to a distant place; you go all the way to Sheol.

10Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired, but you do not say, ‘I give up.’ You get renewed energy, so you don’t collapse.

11Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? Because I have been silent for so long, you are not afraid of me.

12I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, but they will not help you.

13When you cry out for help, let your idols help you! The wind blows them all away, a breeze carries them away. But the one who looks to me for help will inherit the land and will have access to my holy mountain.”

14He says, “Build it! Build it! Clear a way! Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”

15For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: “I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged.

16For I will not be hostile forever or perpetually angry, for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, the life-giving breath I created.

17I was angry because of their sinful greed; I attacked them and angrily rejected them, yet they remained disobedient and stubborn.

18I have seen their behavior, but I will heal them. I will lead them, and I will provide comfort to them and those who mourn with them.

19I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,” says the Lord, “and I will heal them.

20But the wicked are like a surging sea that is unable to be quiet; its waves toss up mud and sand.

21There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

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, and increased your perfumes, and sent your ambassadors far off, and degraded yourself even to Sheol.

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 thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “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 be always 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.”