Isaiah 1:2–20

Israel Refuses to Obey the Lord

²Listen to me, heavens! Pay attention to me, earth!

The Lord has said,

“I raised children. I brought them up.

But they have refused to obey me.

³The ox knows its master.

The donkey knows where its owner feeds it.

But Israel does not know me.

My people do not understand me.”

⁴They are a sinful nation.

They are loaded down with guilt.

They are people who do nothing but evil.

They are children who are always sinning.

They have deserted the Lord.

They have turned against the Holy One of Israel.

They have turned their backs on him.

⁵Israel, why do you want to be beaten all the time?

Why do you always refuse to obey the Lord?

Your head is covered with wounds.

Your whole heart is weak.

⁶There isn’t a healthy spot on your body

from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head.

There are only wounds, cuts

and open sores.

They haven’t been cleaned up or bandaged

or treated with olive oil.

⁷Your country has been deserted.

Your cities have been burned down.

The food from your fields is being eaten up by outsiders.

They are doing it right in front of you.

Your land has been completely destroyed.

It looks as if strangers have taken it over.

⁸The city of Zion is left like a hut

where someone stands guard in a vineyard.

It is left like an empty cabin in a melon field.

It’s like a city that is being attacked.

⁹The Lord who rules over all

has let some people live through that time of trouble.

If he hadn’t, we would have become like Sodom.

We would have been like Gomorrah.

¹⁰Rulers of Sodom,

hear the Lord’s message.

People of Gomorrah,

listen to the law of our God.

¹¹“Do you think I need any more of your sacrifices?”

asks the Lord.

“I have more than enough of your burnt offerings.

I have more than enough of rams

and the fat of your fattest animals.

I do not find any pleasure

in the blood of your bulls, lambs and goats.

¹²Who asked you to bring all of those animals

when you come to worship me?

Who asked you and your animals

to walk all over my courtyards?

¹³Stop bringing offerings that do not mean anything to me!

I hate your incense.

I can’t stand your evil gatherings.

I can’t stand the way you celebrate your New Moon Feasts,

Sabbath days and special services.

¹⁴I hate your New Moon Feasts

and your other appointed feasts.

They have become a heavy load to me.

I am tired of carrying it.

¹⁵You might spread out your hands toward me when you pray.

But I will not look at you.

You might even offer many prayers.

But I will not listen to them.

Your hands are covered with the blood of the people you have murdered.

¹⁶So wash your hands. Make yourselves clean.

Get your evil actions out of my sight!

Stop doing what is wrong!

¹⁷Learn to do what is right!

Treat people fairly.

Give hope to those who are beaten down.

Cheer them up.

Stand up in court for children whose fathers have died.

And do the same thing for widows.

¹⁸“Come. Let us talk some more about this matter,”

says the Lord.

“Even though your sins are bright red,

they will be as white as snow.

Even though they are deep red,

they will be white like wool.

¹⁹But you have to be willing to change and obey me.

If you are, you will eat the best food that grows on the land.

²⁰You must follow me. You must obey me.

If you do not, you will be killed with swords.”

The Lord has spoken.