Isaiah 57:10-21

English Standard Version

¹⁰You were wearied with the length of your way,
^(A)but you did not say, “It is hopeless”;
you found new life for your strength,
and so you were not faint.^[a]

¹¹^(B)Whom did you dread and fear,
    ^(C)so that you lied,
and did not remember me,
    did not lay it to heart?
^(D)Have I not held my peace, even for a long time,
    and you do not fear me?
¹²I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
    but they will not profit you.
¹³^(E)When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
    The wind will carry them all off,
    a breath will take them away.
^(F)But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land
    and shall inherit ^(G)my holy mountain.

Comfort for the Contrite

¹⁴And it shall be said,
^(H)“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
    remove every obstruction from my people's way.”
¹⁵For thus says ^(I)the One who is high and lifted up,
    who inhabits eternity, whose name is ^(J)Holy:
^(K)“I dwell in the high and holy place,
    and also ^(L)with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
^(M)to revive the spirit of the lowly,
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.
¹⁶^(N)For I will not contend forever,
    nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would grow faint before me,
    and the breath of life that I made.
¹⁷Because of the iniquity of his ^(O)unjust gain I was angry,
    I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,
    but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.
¹⁸I have seen his ways, ^(P)but I will heal him;
    I will lead him ^(Q)and restore comfort to him and his mourners,
¹⁹    ^(R)creating ^(S)the fruit of the lips.
^(T)Peace, peace, ^(U)to the far and to the near,” says the Lord,
    ^(V)“and I will heal him.
²⁰^(W)But the wicked are like the tossing sea;
    for it cannot be quiet,
    and its waters toss up mire and dirt.
²¹^(X)There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”