Isaiah 56:3–8

^56:3No foreigner who becomes a follower of⁶ the Lord should say,

‘The Lord will certainly⁷ exclude me from his people.’

The eunuch should not say,

‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’ ”

^56:4For this is what the Lord says:

“For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths

and choose what pleases me

and are faithful to⁸ my covenant,

^56:5I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument⁹

that will be better than sons and daughters.

I will set up a permanent monument¹⁰ for them that will remain.

^56:6As for foreigners who become followers of¹¹ the Lord and serve him,

who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants—

all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,

and who are faithful to¹² my covenant—

^56:7I will bring them to my holy mountain;

I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me.¹³

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar,

for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.”¹⁴

^56:8The sovereign Lord says this,

the one who gathers the dispersed of Israel:

“I will still gather them up.”¹⁵