Isaiah

The book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 1, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 1 New English Translation

Heading

   1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah.

Obedience, not Sacrifice

   2 Listen, O heavens, pay attention, O earth! For the LORD speaks: "I raised children, I brought them up, but they have rebelled against me!
   3 An ox recognizes its owner, a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; but Israel does not recognize me, my people do not understand."
   4 The sinful nation is as good as dead, the people weighed down by evil deeds. They are offspring who do wrong, children who do wicked things. They have abandoned the LORD, and rejected the Holy One of Israel. They are alienated from him.
   5 Why do you insist on being battered? Why do you continue to rebel? Your head has a massive wound, your whole body is weak.
   6 From the soles of your feet to your head, there is no spot that is unharmed. There are only bruises, cuts, and open wounds. They have not been cleansed or bandaged, nor have they been treated with olive oil.
   7 Your land is devastated, your cities burned with fire. Right before your eyes your crops are being destroyed by foreign invaders. They leave behind devastation and destruction.
   8 Daughter Zion is left isolated, like a hut in a vineyard, or a shelter in a cucumber field; she is a besieged city.
   9 If the LORD who commands armies had not left us a few survivors, we would have quickly become like Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah.
   10 Listen to the LORD's word, you leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to our God's rebuke, people of Gomorrah!
   11 "Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?" says the LORD. "I am stuffed with burnt sacrifices of rams and the fat from steers. The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I do not want.
   12 When you enter my presence, do you actually think I want this - animals trampling on my courtyards?
   13 Do not bring any more meaningless offerings; I consider your incense detestable! You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!
   14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies; they are a burden that I am tired of carrying.
   15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way; when you offer your many prayers, I do not listen, because your hands are covered with blood.
   16 Wash! Cleanse yourselves! Remove your sinful deeds from my sight. Stop sinning!
   17 Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!
   18 Come, let's consider your options," says the LORD. "Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.
   19 If you have a willing attitude and obey, then you will again eat the good crops of the land.
   20 But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." Know for certain that the LORD has spoken.

Purifying Judgment

   21 How tragic that the once-faithful city has become a prostitute! She was once a center of justice, fairness resided in her, but now only murderers.
   22 Your silver has become scum, your beer is diluted with water.
   23 Your officials are rebels, they associate with thieves. All of them love bribery, and look for payoffs. They do not take up the cause of the orphan, or defend the rights of the widow.
   24 Therefore, the sovereign LORD who commands armies, the powerful ruler of Israel, says this: "Ah, I will seek vengeance against my adversaries, I will take revenge against my enemies.
   25 I will attack you; I will purify your metal with flux. I will remove all your slag.
   26 I will reestablish honest judges as in former times, wise advisers as in earlier days. Then you will be called, 'The Just City, Faithful Town.'"
   27 Zion will be freed by justice, and her returnees by righteousness.
   28 All rebellious sinners will be shattered, those who abandon the LORD will perish.
   29 Indeed, they will be ashamed of the sacred trees you find so desirable; you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchards where you choose to worship.
   30 For you will be like a tree whose leaves wither, like an orchard that is unwatered.
   31 The powerful will be like a thread of yarn, their deeds like a spark; both will burn together, and no one will put out the fire.

King James Version

   1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
   2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
   3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
   4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
   5 ¶ Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
   6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
   7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
   8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
   9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
   10 ¶ Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
   11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
   12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
   13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
   14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
   15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
   16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
   17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
   18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
   19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
   20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
   21 ¶ How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
   22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:
   23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
   24 Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
   25 ¶ And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
   26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
   27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
   28 ¶ And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
   29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
   30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
   31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.