Isaiah 1

1The vision^a concerning Judah and Jerusalem^b that Isaiah son of Amoz saw^c during the reigns of Uzziah,^d Jotham,^e Ahaz^f and Hezekiah,^g kings of Judah.

A Rebellious Nation

²Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!^h

For the Lord has spoken:ⁱ

“I reared children^j and brought them up,

but they have rebelled^k against me.

³The ox knows^l its master,

the donkey its owner’s manger,^m

but Israel does not know,ⁿ

my people do not understand.^o”

⁴Woe to the sinful nation,

a people whose guilt is great,^p

a brood of evildoers,^q

children given to corruption!^r

They have forsaken^s the Lord;

they have spurned the Holy One^t of Israel

and turned their backs^u on him.

⁵Why should you be beaten^v anymore?

Why do you persist^w in rebellion?^x

Your whole head is injured,

your whole heart^y afflicted.^z

⁶From the sole of your foot to the top of your head^a

there is no soundness^b—

only wounds and welts^c

and open sores,

not cleansed or bandaged^d

or soothed with olive oil.^e

⁷Your country is desolate,^f

your cities burned with fire;^g

your fields are being stripped by foreigners^h

right before you,

laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.ⁱ

⁸Daughter Zion^j is left^k

like a shelter in a vineyard,

like a hut^l in a cucumber field,

like a city under siege.

⁹Unless the Lord Almighty

had left us some survivors,^m

we would have become like Sodom,

we would have been like Gomorrah.ⁿ

¹⁰Hear the word of the Lord,^o

you rulers of Sodom;^p

listen to the instruction^q of our God,

you people of Gomorrah!^r

¹¹“The multitude of your sacrifices—

what are they to me?” says the Lord.

“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,

of rams and the fat of fattened animals;^s

I have no pleasure^t

in the blood of bulls^u and lambs and goats.^v

¹²When you come to appear before me,

who has asked this of you,^w

this trampling of my courts?

¹³Stop bringing meaningless offerings!^x

Your incense^y is detestable^z to me.

New Moons,^a Sabbaths and convocations^b—

I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.

¹⁴Your New Moon^c feasts and your appointed festivals^d

I hate with all my being.^e

They have become a burden to me;^f

I am weary^g of bearing them.

¹⁵When you spread out your hands^h in prayer,

I hideⁱ my eyes from you;

even when you offer many prayers,

I am not listening.^j

Your hands^k are full of blood!^l

¹⁶Wash^m and make yourselves clean.

Take your evil deeds out of my sight;ⁿ

stop doing wrong.^o

¹⁷Learn to do right;^p seek justice.^q

Defend the oppressed.^ar

Take up the cause of the fatherless;^s

plead the case of the widow.^t

¹⁸“Come now, let us settle the matter,”^u

says the Lord.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;^v

though they are red as crimson,

they shall be like wool.^w

¹⁹If you are willing and obedient,^x

you will eat the good things of the land;^y

²⁰but if you resist and rebel,^z

you will be devoured by the sword.”^a

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.^b

²¹See how the faithful city

has become a prostitute!^c

She once was full of justice;

righteousness^d used to dwell in her—

but now murderers!^e

²²Your silver has become dross,^f

your choice wine is diluted with water.

²³Your rulers are rebels,^g

partners with thieves;^h

they all love bribesⁱ

and chase after gifts.

They do not defend the cause of the fatherless;

the widow’s case does not come before them.^j

²⁴Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty,

the Mighty One^k of Israel, declares:

“Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes

and avenge^l myself on my enemies.^m

²⁵I will turn my hand against you;^bn

I will thoroughly purge^o away your dross^p

and remove all your impurities.^q

²⁶I will restore your leaders as in days of old,^r

your rulers as at the beginning.

Afterward you will be called^s

the City of Righteousness,^t

the Faithful City.^u”

²⁷Zion will be delivered with justice,

her penitent^v ones with righteousness.^w

²⁸But rebels and sinners^x will both be broken,

and those who forsake^y the Lord will perish.^z

²⁹“You will be ashamed^a because of the sacred oaks^b

in which you have delighted;

you will be disgraced because of the gardens^c

that you have chosen.

³⁰You will be like an oak with fading leaves,^d

like a garden without water.

³¹The mighty man will become tinder

and his work a spark;

both will burn together,

with no one to quench the fire.^e”