Isaiah 1:2-20
New American Standard Bible
2 (A)Listen, heavens, and hear, (B)earth;
For the Lord has spoken:
“(C)Sons I have raised and brought up,
But they have (D)revolted against Me.
3 An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master’s manger,
But Israel (E)does not know,
My people (F)do not understand.”
4 Oh, sinful nation,
People weighed down with guilt,
[a](G)Offspring of evildoers,
Sons who (H)act corruptly!
They have (I)abandoned the Lord,
They have (J)despised the Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away [b]from Him.
5 Where will you be stricken again,
As you (K)continue in your rebellion?
The entire head is (L)sick
And the entire heart is faint.
6 (M)From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is (N)nothing healthy in it,
Only bruises, slashes, and raw wounds;
(O)Not pressed out nor bandaged,
Nor softened with oil.
7 Your (P)land is desolate,
Your cities are burned with fire;
As for your fields, strangers are devouring them in front of you;
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 city under watch.
9 (Q)If the Lord of armies
Had not left us a few (R)survivors,
We would be like (S)Sodom,
We would be like Gomorrah.
God Has Had Enough
10 Hear (T)the word of the Lord,
You rulers of (U)Sodom;
Listen to the instruction of our God,
You people of Gomorrah!
11 “(V)What are your many sacrifices to Me?”
Says the Lord.
“I [c]have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fattened cattle;
And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.
12 When you come (W)to appear before Me,
Who requires [d]of you this trampling of My courtyards?
13 Do not go on bringing your worthless offerings,
(X)Incense is an abomination to Me.
(Y)New moon and Sabbath, the (Z)proclamation of an assembly—
I cannot (AA)endure wrongdoing and the festive assembly.
14 [e]I hate your new moon festivals and your (AB)appointed feasts,
They have become a burden to Me;
I am (AC)tired of bearing them.
15 So when you (AD)spread out your hands in prayer,
(AE)I will hide My eyes from you;
Yes, even though you (AF)offer many prayers,
I will not be listening.
(AG)Your hands are [f]covered with blood.
16 “(AH)Wash yourselves, (AI)make yourselves clean;
(AJ)Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
(AK)Stop doing evil,
17 Learn to do good;
(AL)Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor,
(AM)Obtain justice for the orphan,
Plead for the widow’s case.
Invitation to Debate
18 “Come now, and (AN)let us [g]debate your case,”
Says the Lord,
“(AO)Though your sins are as scarlet,
They shall become as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be like wool.
19 (AP)If you are willing and obedient,
You will (AQ)eat the best of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You will be (AR)devoured by the sword.”
For (AS)the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:4 Lit Seed
- Isaiah 1:4 Lit backward
- Isaiah 1:11 Or am sated with
- Isaiah 1:12 Lit of your hand
- Isaiah 1:14 Lit My soul hates
- Isaiah 1:15 Lit full of
- Isaiah 1:18 Or argue
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.