The Bible

Isaiah Chapter 66

¹Yahweh says, "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what kind of house will you build to me? and what place shall be my rest? ²For all these things has my hand made, and [so] all these things came to be," says Yahweh: "but to this man I will look, even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word. ³He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog's neck; he who offers an offering, [as he who offers] pig's blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations: ⁴I will also choose their delusions,
and will bring their fears on them,
because when I called, no one answered;
when I spoke, they didn't listen,
but they did what was evil in my eyes,
and chose what I didn't delight in." ⁵Hear the word of Yahweh, you who tremble at his word: "Your brothers who hate you, who rejected you for my name's sake, have said, 'Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your joy;' but it is they who shall be disappointed. ⁶A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of Yahweh that renders recompense to his enemies. ⁷"Before she travailed, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a son. ⁸Who has heard such a thing? who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she had her children. ⁹Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to produce?" says Yahweh: "shall I who cause to produce shut [the womb]?" says your God. ¹⁰"Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her; ¹¹that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts; that you may drink deeply, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory." ¹²For Yahweh says, "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and you will nurse. You will be carried on her side, and will be dandled on her knees. ¹³As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem." ¹⁴You will see [it], and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass: and the hand of Yahweh shall be known toward his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies. ¹⁵For, behold, Yahweh will come with fire, and his chariots shall be like the whirlwind; to render his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire. ¹⁶For by fire will Yahweh execute judgment, and by his sword, on all flesh; and the slaughtered of Yahweh shall be many.

¹⁷"Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves [to go] to the gardens, behind one in the midst, eating pig's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together," says Yahweh.

¹⁸"For I [know] their works and their thoughts: [the time] comes, that I will gather all nations and languages; and they shall come, and shall see my glory.

¹⁹"I will set a sign among them, and I will send those of them who escape to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the islands far away, who have not heard my fame, nor have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations. ²⁰They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to Yahweh, on horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says Yahweh, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into the house of Yahweh. ²¹Of them also I will take for priests [and] for Levites," says Yahweh.

²²"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me," says Yahweh, "so your offspring and your name shall remain. ²³From one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship in my presence," says Yahweh. ²⁴"They shall go forth, and look on the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, nor will their fire be quenched; and they will be loathsome to all mankind."