Isaiah 65:1–9

The Lord’s Response

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

I was found by those who did not seek Me.

I said: Here I am, here I am,

to a nation that was not called by ^bMy name. ^c

²I spread out My hands all day long

to a rebellious people ^d

who walk in the wrong path,

following their own thoughts.

³These people continually provoke Me

to My face,

sacrificing in gardens, ^e

burning incense on bricks,

⁴sitting among the graves,

spending nights in secret places,

eating the meat of pigs, ^f

and putting polluted broth in their bowls. ^g

⁵They 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.

⁶It is written before Me:

I will not keep silent, ^hbut I will repay; ⁱ

I will repay them fully ^j

⁷for your iniquities and the iniquities ^k

of your ^lfathers together,”

says the Lord.

“Because they burned incense on the mountains

and reproached Me on the hills, ^m

I will reward them fully ⁿ

for their former deeds.”

⁸The 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 good ^oin it,’

so I will act because of My servants

and not destroy them all.

⁹I will produce descendants from Jacob, ^p

and heirs to My mountains from Judah;

My chosen ^qones will possess it,

and My servants will dwell there. ^r