Isaiah 8:11–14

For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people:

“Do not call conspiracy

everything this people calls a conspiracy;

do not fear what they fear,

and do not dread it.

The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,

he is the one you are to fear,

he is the one you are to dread.

He will be a holy place;

for both Israel and Judah he will be

a stone that causes people to stumble

and a rock that makes them fall.

And for the people of Jerusalem he will be

a trap and a snare.

For this is what the Lord said to me with great power, to keep me from going the way of this people:

Do not call everything a conspiracy

that these people say is a conspiracy.

Do not fear what they fear;

do not be terrified.

You are to regard only the Lord of Armies as holy.

Only he should be feared;

only he should be held in awe.

He will be a sanctuary;

but for the two houses of Israel,

he will be a stone to stumble over

and a rock to trip over,

and a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said,

“Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do,

and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.

Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.

He is the one you should fear.

He is the one who should make you tremble.

He will keep you safe.

But to Israel and Judah

he will be a stone that makes people stumble,

a rock that makes them fall.

And for the people of Jerusalem

he will be a trap and a snare.

For Yahweh said this to me while his hand weighed heavily on me,

and he warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

“You must not call conspiracy everything that this people calls conspiracy,

and you must not share its fear, and you must not be in dread.

You shall regard Yahweh of hosts as holy,

and he is your fear, and he is your dread.

And he will become like a sanctuary and a stumbling-stone,

and like a stumbling-rock for the two houses of Israel,

like a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand,

And instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

Say ye not, A confederacy,

To all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy;

Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself;

And let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

And he shall be for a sanctuary;

But for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel,

For a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.