Isaiah 65:1–9

A Rebellious People

¹“I permitted Myself to be sought by ^athose who did not ask for Me;

I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me.

I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’

To a nation which ^bdid not call on My name.

²“^aI have spread out My hands all day long to a ^brebellious people,

Who walk in the way which is not good, ¹following their own ^cthoughts,

³A people who continually ^aprovoke Me to My face,

Offering sacrifices in ^bgardens and ^cburning incense on bricks;

⁴Who sit among graves and spend the night in secret places;

Who ^aeat swine’s flesh,

And the broth of unclean meat is in their pots.

⁵“Who say, ‘^aKeep to yourself, do not come near me,

For I am holier than you!’

These are smoke in My ¹nostrils,

A fire that burns all the day.

⁶“Behold, it is written before Me,

I will ^anot keep silent, but ^bI will repay;

I will even repay into their bosom,

⁷Both ¹their own ^ainiquities and the iniquities of their fathers together,” says the Lord.

“Because they have ^bburned incense on the mountains

And ^cscorned Me on the hills,

Therefore I will ^dmeasure their former work into their bosom.”

⁸Thus says the Lord,

“As the new wine is found in the cluster,

And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is ¹benefit in it,’

So I will act on behalf of My servants

In order ^anot to destroy ²all of them.

⁹“I will bring forth ^aoffspring from Jacob,

And an ^bheir of My mountains from Judah;

Even ^cMy chosen ones shall inherit it,

And ^dMy servants will dwell there.