Isaiah 33:13–24

¹³“You nations far away, listen to what I have done!

My people who are near, recognize how powerful I am!

¹⁴The sinners in Zion are terrified.

They tremble with fear.

They say, ‘Who of us can live through the Lord’s destroying fire?

Who of us can live through the fire that burns forever?’

¹⁵A person must do what is right.

He must be honest and tell the truth.

He must not get rich by cheating others.

His hands must not receive money from those who want special favors.

He must not let his ears listen to plans to commit murder.

He must close his eyes to even thinking about doing what is evil.

¹⁶A person like that will be kept safe.

It will be as if he were living on high mountains.

It will be as if he were living in a mountain fort.

He will have all of the food he needs.

And he will never run out of water.”

¹⁷People of Judah, you will see the king in all of his glory and majesty.

You will view his kingdom spreading far and wide.

¹⁸You will think about what used to terrify you.

You will say to yourself,

“Where is that chief officer of Assyria?

Where is the one who forced us to send gifts to his king?

Where is the officer in charge of the towers

that were used when we were attacked?”

¹⁹You won’t see those proud people anymore.

They spoke a strange language.

None of us could understand it.

²⁰Just look at Zion! It’s the city

where we celebrate our regular feasts.

Turn your eyes toward Jerusalem.

It will be a peaceful place to live in.

It will be like a tent that will never be moved.

Its stakes will never be pulled up.

None of its ropes will be broken.

²¹There the Lord will be our Mighty One.

It will be like a place of wide rivers and streams.

No boat with oars will travel on them.

No mighty ship will sail on them.

²²That’s because the Lord is our judge.

The Lord gives us our law.

The Lord is our king.

He will save us.

²³The ropes on your ship hang loose.

The mast isn’t very secure.

The sail isn’t spread out.

But the Lord will strike the Assyrians down.

Then a large amount of goods will be taken from them and divided up.

Even people who are disabled will carry off what was taken.

²⁴No one living in Zion will ever say again, “I’m sick.”

And the sins of those who live there will be forgiven.