Isaiah 59:1–8

Sin and Redemption

59Indeed, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, ^w

and His ear is not too deaf to hear.

²But your iniquities ^xhave built barriers

between you and your God,

and your sins have made Him hide His face from you ^y

so that He does not listen. ^z

³For your hands are defiled with blood

and your fingers, with iniquity;

your lips have spoken lies,

and your tongues mutter injustice.

⁴No one makes claims justly;

no one pleads honestly.

They trust in empty and worthless words;

they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity. ^a

⁵They hatch viper’s eggs

and weave spider’s webs.

Whoever eats their eggs will die;

crack one open, and a viper is hatched.

⁶Their webs cannot become clothing,

and they cannot cover themselves with their works.

Their works are sinful works,

and violent acts are in their hands.

⁷Their feet run after evil, ^b

and they rush to shed innocent blood. ^c

Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ^d

ruin and wretchedness are in their paths.

⁸They have not known the path of peace, ^e

and there is no justice in their ways.

They have made their roads crooked;

no one who walks on them will know peace. ^f