Isaiah 1 (New American Standard)

Rebellion of God's People

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning ¹Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the ^areigns of ²Uzziah, ³Jotham, ⁴Ahaz and ⁵Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 ⁶Listen, O heavens, and hear, O ⁷earth ; For the LORD speaks, "⁸Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have ⁹revolted against Me. 3 "An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, But Israel ¹⁰does not know, My people ¹¹do not understand." 4 Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, ^b12Offspring of evildoers, Sons who ¹³act corruptly ! They have ¹⁴abandoned the LORD, They have ¹⁵despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away ^cfrom Him. 5 Where will you be stricken again, As you ¹⁶continue in your rebellion ? The whole head is ¹⁷sick And the whole heart is faint. 6 ¹⁸From the sole of the foot even to the head There is ¹⁹nothing sound in it, Only bruises, welts and raw wounds, ²⁰Not pressed out or bandaged, Nor softened with oil. 7 Your ²¹land is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire, Your fields -strangers are devouring them in your presence ; It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers. 8 The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, Like a watchman's hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. 9 ²²Unless the LORD of hosts Had left us a few ²³survivors, We would be like ²⁴Sodom, We would be like Gomorrah.

God Has Had Enough

10 Hear ²⁵the word of the LORD, You rulers of ²⁶Sodom ; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah. 11 "²⁷What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I ^dhave had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle ; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. 12 "When you come ²⁸to appear before Me, Who requires ^eof you this trampling of My courts ? 13 "Bring your worthless offerings no longer, ²⁹Incense is an abomination to Me. ³⁰New moon and sabbath, the ³¹calling of assemblies - I cannot ³²endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. 14 "I hate your new moon festivals and your ³³appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am ³⁴weary of bearing them. 15 "So when you ³⁵spread out your hands in prayer, ³⁶I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you ³⁷multiply prayers, I will not listen. ³⁸Your hands are ^fcovered with blood. 16 "³⁹Wash yourselves, ⁴⁰make yourselves clean ; ⁴¹Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight . ⁴²Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good ; ⁴³Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, ^g44Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

``Let Us Reason"

18 "Come now, and ⁴⁵let us reason together," Says the LORD, "⁴⁶Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow ; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. 19 "⁴⁷If you consent and obey, You will ⁴⁸eat the best of the land ; 20 "But if you refuse and rebel, You will be ⁴⁹devoured by the sword." Truly, ⁵⁰the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Zion Corrupted, to Be Redeemed

21 How the faithful city has become a ⁵¹harlot, She who was full of justice ! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, Your drink diluted with water. 23 Your ⁵²rulers are rebels And companions of thieves ; Everyone ⁵³loves a bribe And chases after rewards. They ⁵⁴do not ^hdefend the ⁱorphan, Nor does the widow's plea come before them. 24 Therefore the Lord ^jGOD of hosts, The ⁵⁵Mighty One of Israel, declares, "Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries And ⁵⁶avenge Myself on My foes. 25 "I will also turn My hand against you, And will ⁵⁷smelt away your dross as with lye And will remove all your alloy. 26 "Then I will restore your ⁵⁸judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning ; After that you will be called the ⁵⁹city of righteousness, A faithful city." 27 Zion will be ⁶⁰redeemed with justice And her ^krepentant ones with righteousness. 28 But ^ltransgressors and sinners will be ⁶¹crushed together, And those who forsake the LORD will come to an end. 29 Surely ^myou will be ashamed of the ⁿ⁶²oaks which you have desired, And you will be embarrassed at the ⁶³gardens which you have chosen. 30 For you will be like an ^ooak whose ⁶⁴leaf fades away Or as a garden that has no water. 31 The strong man will become tinder, His work also a spark. Thus they shall both ⁶⁵burn together And there will be ⁶⁶none to quench them.