Isaiah 1 (New American Standard Bible)

Isaiah 1

Rebellion of God's People

 ¹The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning ^(A)Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the reigns of ^(B)Uzziah, ^(C)Jotham, ^(D)Ahaz and ^(E)Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
    ^2(F)Listen, O heavens, and hear, O ^(G)earth;
         For the LORD speaks,
         "^(H)Sons I have reared and brought up,
         But they have ^(I)revolted against Me.
    ³"An ox knows its owner,
         And a donkey its master's manger,
         But Israel ^(J)does not know,
         My people ^(K)do not understand."
    ⁴Alas, sinful nation,
         People weighed down with iniquity,
         ^(L)Offspring of evildoers,
         Sons who ^(M)act corruptly!
         They have ^(N)abandoned the LORD,
         They have ^(O)despised the Holy One of Israel,
         They have turned away from Him.
    ⁵Where will you be stricken again,
         As you ^(P)continue in your rebellion?
         The whole head is ^(Q)sick
         And the whole heart is faint.
    ^6(R)From the sole of the foot even to the head
         There is ^(S)nothing sound in it,
         Only bruises, welts and raw wounds,
         ^(T)Not pressed out or bandaged,
         Nor softened with oil.
    ⁷Your ^(U)land is desolate,
         Your cities are burned with fire,
         Your fields--strangers are devouring them in your presence;
         It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.
    ⁸The 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(V)Unless the LORD of hosts
         Had left us a few ^(W)survivors,
         We would be like ^(X)Sodom,
         We would be like Gomorrah.

God Has Had Enough

    ¹⁰Hear ^(Y)the word of the LORD,
         You rulers of ^(Z)Sodom;
         Give ear to the instruction of our God,
         You people of Gomorrah.
    ¹¹"^(AA)What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?"
         Says the LORD.
         "I have 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 ^(AB)to appear before Me,
         Who requires of you this trampling of My courts?
    ¹³"Bring your worthless offerings no longer,
         ^(AC)Incense is an abomination to Me
         ^(AD)New moon and sabbath, the ^(AE)calling of assemblies--
         I cannot ^(AF)endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.
    ¹⁴"I hate your new moon festivals and your ^(AG)appointed feasts,
         They have become a burden to Me;
         I am ^(AH)weary of bearing them.
    ¹⁵"So when you ^(AI)spread out your hands in prayer,
         ^(AJ)I will hide My eyes from you;
         Yes, even though you ^(AK)multiply prayers,
         I will not listen
         ^(AL)Your hands are covered with blood.
    ¹⁶"^(AM)Wash yourselves, ^(AN)make yourselves clean;
         ^(AO)Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight
         ^(AP)Cease to do evil,
    ¹⁷Learn to do good;
         ^(AQ)Seek justice,
         Reprove the ruthless,
         ^(AR)Defend the orphan,
         Plead for the widow.

"Let Us Reason"

    ¹⁸"Come now, and ^(AS)let us reason together,"
         Says the LORD,
         "^(AT)Though your sins are as scarlet,
         They will be as white as snow;
         Though they are red like crimson,
         They will be like wool.
    ¹⁹"^(AU)If you consent and obey,
         You will ^(AV)eat the best of the land;
    ²⁰"But if you refuse and rebel,
         You will be ^(AW)devoured by the sword "
         Truly, ^(AX)the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Zion Corrupted, to Be Redeemed

    ²¹How the faithful city has become a ^(AY)harlot,
         She who was full of justice!
         Righteousness once lodged in her,
         But now murderers.
    ²²Your silver has become dross,
         Your drink diluted with water.
    ²³Your ^(AZ)rulers are rebels
         And companions of thieves;
         Everyone ^(BA)loves a bribe
         And chases after rewards
         They ^(BB)do not defend the orphan,
         Nor does the widow's plea come before them.
    ²⁴Therefore the Lord GOD of hosts,
         The ^(BC)Mighty One of Israel, declares,
         "Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries
         And ^(BD)avenge Myself on My foes.
    ²⁵"I will also turn My hand against you,
         And will ^(BE)smelt away your dross as with lye
         And will remove all your alloy.
    ²⁶"Then I will restore your ^(BF)judges as at the first,
         And your counselors as at the beginning;
         After that you will be called the ^(BG)city of righteousness,
         A faithful city."
    ²⁷Zion will be ^(BH)redeemed with justice
         And her repentant ones with righteousness.
    ²⁸But transgressors and sinners will be ^(BI)crushed together,
         And those who forsake the LORD will come to an end.
    ²⁹Surely you will be ashamed of the ^(BJ)oaks which you have desired,
         And you will be embarrassed at the ^(BK)gardens which you have chosen.
    ³⁰For you will be like an oak whose ^(BL)leaf fades away
         Or as a garden that has no water.
    ³¹The strong man will become tinder,
         His work also a spark.
         Thus they shall both ^(BM)burn together
         And there will be ^(BN)none to quench them.