Isaiah 35

New International Version

Joy of the Redeemed

35 The desert^(A) and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.^(B)
Like the crocus,^(C) ²it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.^(D)
The glory of Lebanon^(E) will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel^(F) and Sharon;^(G)
they will see the glory^(H) of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.^(I)

³Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees^(J) that give way;
⁴say^(K) to those with fearful hearts,^(L)
    “Be strong, do not fear;^(M)
your God will come,^(N)
    he will come with vengeance;^(O)
with divine retribution
    he will come to save^(P) you.”

⁵Then will the eyes of the blind be opened^(Q)
    and the ears of the deaf^(R) unstopped.
⁶Then will the lame^(S) leap like a deer,^(T)
    and the mute tongue^(U) shout for joy.^(V)
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams^(W) in the desert.
⁷The burning sand will become a pool,
    the thirsty ground^(X) bubbling springs.^(Y)
In the haunts where jackals^(Z) once lay,
    grass and reeds^(AA) and papyrus will grow.

⁸And a highway^(AB) will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;^(AC)
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean^(AD) will not journey on it;
    wicked fools will not go about on it.
⁹No lion^(AE) will be there,
    nor any ravenous beast;^(AF)
    they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed^(AG) will walk there,
¹⁰    and those the Lord has rescued^(AH) will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;^(AI)
    everlasting joy^(AJ) will crown their heads.
Gladness^(AK) and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.^(AL)

Isaiah 65:17-25

New International Version

New Heavens and a New Earth

¹⁷“See, I will create
    new heavens and a new earth.^(A)
The former things will not be remembered,^(B)
    nor will they come to mind.
¹⁸But be glad and rejoice^(C) forever
    in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem^(D) to be a delight
    and its people a joy.
¹⁹I will rejoice^(E) over Jerusalem
    and take delight^(F) in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying^(G)
    will be heard in it no more.

²⁰“Never again will there be in it
    an infant^(H) who lives but a few days,
    or an old man who does not live out his years;^(I)
the one who dies at a hundred
    will be thought a mere child;
the one who fails to reach^[a] a hundred
    will be considered accursed.
²¹They will build houses^(J) and dwell in them;
    they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.^(K)
²²No longer will they build houses and others live in them,^(L)
    or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,^(M)
    so will be the days^(N) of my people;
my chosen^(O) ones will long enjoy
    the work of their hands.
²³They will not labor in vain,^(P)
    nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;^(Q)
for they will be a people blessed^(R) by the Lord,
    they and their descendants^(S) with them.
²⁴Before they call^(T) I will answer;^(U)
    while they are still speaking^(V) I will hear.
²⁵The wolf and the lamb^(W) will feed together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox,^(X)
    and dust will be the serpent’s^(Y) food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain,”^(Z)
says the Lord.