The Bible

Isaiah Chapter 1

¹The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
²Hear, heavens,
and listen, earth; for Yahweh has spoken:
"I have nourished and brought up children
and they have rebelled against me.
³The ox knows his owner,
and the donkey his master's crib;
but Israel doesn't know.
My people don't consider."
⁴Ah sinful nation,
a people loaded with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken Yahweh.
They have despised the Holy One of Israel.
They are estranged and backward.
⁵Why should you be beaten more,
that you revolt more and more?
The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
⁶From the sole of the foot to the head there is no soundness in it,
but wounds, welts, and open sores.
They haven't been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.
⁷Your country is desolate.
Your cities are burned with fire.
Strangers devour your land in your presence
and it is desolate,
as overthrown by strangers.
⁸The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,
like a hut in a field of melons,
like a besieged city.
⁹Unless Yahweh of Armies had left to us a very small remnant,
we would have been as Sodom.
We would have been like Gomorrah. ¹⁰Hear Yahweh's word, you rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
¹¹"What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?", says Yahweh.
"I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fed animals.
I don't delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs,
or of male goats.
¹²When you come to appear before me,
who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
¹³Bring no more empty offerings.
Incense is an abomination [to me].
New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations-
I can't stand evil assemblies.
¹⁴My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts.
They are a burden to me.
I am weary of bearing them.
¹⁵When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you.
Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
¹⁶Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean.
Remove the evil of your conduct from in front of my eyes.
Stop doing evil.
¹⁷Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Judge [on behalf of] the fatherless.
Plead for the widow." ¹⁸"Come now, and let us reason together," says Yahweh:
"Though your sins are as scarlet, they'll be as white as snow.
Though they be red like crimson, they'll be like wool.
¹⁹If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good of the land;
²⁰but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword;
for Yahweh's mouth has spoken it." ²¹How the faithful city has become a prostitute!
She was full of justice.
Righteousness lodged in her,
but now, murderers.
²²Your silver has become dross,
your wine mixed with water.
²³Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves bribes and pursues rewards.
They don't judge [on behalf of] the fatherless,
neither does the cause of the widow come to them. ²⁴Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies,
the Mighty One of Israel, says:
"Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries,
and avenge myself on my enemies.
²⁵I will turn my hand on you,
thoroughly purge away your dross,
and will take away all your tin.
²⁶I will restore your judges as at the first,
and your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you'll be called 'The city of righteousness,
a faithful town.'
²⁷Zion shall be redeemed with justice,
and her converts with righteousness.
²⁸But the lawbreakers and sinners will be ruined together,
and those who forsake Yahweh will be destroyed.
²⁹For they are going to be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired,
and you'll be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen.
³⁰For you will be like an oak whose leaf fades,
and like a garden that has no water.
³¹The strong will be like tinder,
and his work like a spark.
They will both burn together,
and no one will quench them."