Isaiah 65:1–12

THE LORD’S RESPONSE

65 “I was sought by those who did not ask;

I was found by those who did not seek me.

I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’

to a nation that did not call onB my name.b

2 I spread out my hands all day long

to a rebellious peoplec

who walk in the path that is not good,

following their own thoughts.

3 These people continually anger me

to my face,

sacrificing in gardens,d

burning incense on bricks,

4 sitting among the graves,

spending nights in secret places,

eating the meat of pigs,e

and putting polluted broth in their bowls.C

5 They say, ‘Keep to yourself,

don’t come near me, for I am too holy for you!’

These practices are smoke in my nostrils,

a fire that burns all day long.

6 Look, it is written in front of me:

I will not keep silent,f but I will repay;g

I will repay them fullyD

7 for your iniquities and the iniquitiesh

of yourE ancestors together,”

says the Lord.

“Because they burned incense on the mountains

and reproached me on the hills,i

I will reward them fullyF

for their former deeds.”

8 The Lord says this:

“As the new wine is found in a bunch of grapes,

and one says, ‘Don’t destroy it,

for there’s some goodG in it,’

so I will act because of my servants

and not destroy them all.

9 I will produce descendants from Jacob,j

and heirs to my mountains from Judah;

my chosenk ones will possess it,

and my servants will dwell there.l

10 Sharon will be a pasture for flocks,m

and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,n

for my people who have sought me.o

11 But you who abandon the Lord,

who forget my holy mountain,

who prepare a table for Fortune

and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny,A

12 I will destine you for the sword,

and all of you will kneel down to be slaughtered,

because I called and you did not answer,

I spoke and you did not hear;

you did what was evil in my sight

and chose what I did not delight in.”p