上帝施恩典

55 耶和華說:「口渴的人啊,來喝水吧!
沒有錢的人啊,
來買東西吃吧!
買酒買奶都不用付錢。
你們為什麼花錢買不能充饑的食物?
為什麼拿辛苦賺來的錢買不能令人飽足的東西?
要留心聽我的話,
就可以吃美物,
享受豐盛的佳餚。
你們要到我這裡來,
側耳聽我的話,就必得到生命。
我要跟你們立永久的約,
將應許給大衛的可靠恩福賜給你們。
我使他統管萬民,
向萬民做見證。
看啊,你必召集不認識的國民,
不認識你的國民必來投奔你,
因為以色列的聖者——你的上帝耶和華賜給你榮耀。」

要趁著還可以找到耶和華的時候尋找祂,
趁祂還在附近的時候求告祂。
願邪惡的人停止作惡,
不義的人除掉惡念。
願他們歸向耶和華,
祂必憐憫他們;
願他們歸向我們的上帝,
祂必仁慈地赦免他們。
耶和華說:「我的意念並非你們的意念,
我的道路並非你們的道路。
正如天高過地,
我的道路也高過你們的道路,
我的意念也高過你們的意念。
10 雨雪從天降下,並不返回,
而是要滋潤大地,
使地上的植物發芽生長,
叫播種的有種子,
吃飯的有食糧。
11 同樣,我口中所出的話也不會徒然返回,
而是要成就我的旨意,
實現我的計劃。
12 你們必歡歡喜喜地出來,
平平安安地蒙引導,
大山小山都要在你們面前歌唱,
田野的樹木也都拍掌。
13 曾經的荊棘之地必長出松樹,
曾經的蒺藜之地必長出番石榴。
這便是永遠長存的記號,
以宣揚耶和華的名。」

外族人蒙拯救

56 耶和華說:

「你們當堅持正義,
秉行公義,
因為我的救恩快要來臨,
我的公義快要彰顯。
謹守而不褻瀆安息日、
不做惡事的人有福了!」

皈依耶和華的外族人啊,
不要以為耶和華會把你和祂的子民分開,
太監也不要覺得自己只是一棵枯樹。
因為耶和華說:
「如果太監遵守我的安息日、
做我喜悅的事、
持守我的約,
我必在我的殿中、
牆內賜給他們紀念碑和名號,
使他們勝過有兒女的人。
我必賜給他們永遠不會被除去的名號。
至於那些皈依耶和華、
事奉祂、愛祂的名、
做祂的僕人、
謹守而不褻瀆安息日、
持守祂的約的外族人,
我必領他們到我的聖山,
到向我禱告的殿內,
使他們歡欣。
他們獻上的燔祭和其他祭物必蒙悅納,
因為我的殿必被稱為萬民禱告的殿。」
招聚以色列流亡者的主耶和華說:
「除了這些被招聚回來的人以外,
我還要招聚其他人。」

以色列昏庸的首領

田野和林中的走獸啊,
來吞吃吧!
10 以色列的守望者瞎眼無知,
是不會叫的啞巴狗,
只喜歡躺下睡覺做夢。
11 這些人就像貪吃的狗,
不知飽足,
又像什麼都不懂的牧人,
人人各行其是,
追求自己的利益。
12 他們說:「來吧,我去拿酒,
讓我們喝個痛快!
明天會跟今天一樣,
甚至更豐盛。」

'以 賽 亞 書 55-56' not found for the version: Chinese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version.

Invitation to the Thirsty

55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,(A)
    come to the waters;(B)
and you who have no money,
    come, buy(C) and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk(D)
    without money and without cost.(E)
Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?(F)
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,(G)
    and you will delight in the richest(H) of fare.
Give ear and come to me;
    listen,(I) that you may live.(J)
I will make an everlasting covenant(K) with you,
    my faithful love(L) promised to David.(M)
See, I have made him a witness(N) to the peoples,
    a ruler and commander(O) of the peoples.
Surely you will summon nations(P) you know not,
    and nations you do not know will come running to you,(Q)
because of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One(R) of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.”(S)

Seek(T) the Lord while he may be found;(U)
    call(V) on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake(W) their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.(X)
Let them turn(Y) to the Lord, and he will have mercy(Z) on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.(AA)

“For my thoughts(AB) are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”(AC)
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,(AD)
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.(AE)
10 As the rain(AF) and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,(AG)
    so that it yields seed(AH) for the sower and bread for the eater,(AI)
11 so is my word(AJ) that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,(AK)
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose(AL) for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy(AM)
    and be led forth in peace;(AN)
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song(AO) before you,
and all the trees(AP) of the field
    will clap their hands.(AQ)
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
    and instead of briers(AR) the myrtle(AS) will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,(AT)
    for an everlasting sign,
    that will endure forever.”

Salvation for Others

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice(AU)
    and do what is right,(AV)
for my salvation(AW) is close at hand
    and my righteousness(AX) will soon be revealed.
Blessed(AY) is the one who does this—
    the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath(AZ) without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

Let no foreigner(BA) who is bound to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”(BB)
And let no eunuch(BC) complain,
    “I am only a dry tree.”

For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs(BD) who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant(BE)
to them I will give within my temple and its walls(BF)
    a memorial(BG) and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name(BH)
    that will endure forever.(BI)
And foreigners(BJ) who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister(BK) to him,
to love the name(BL) of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath(BM) without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain(BN)
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices(BO)
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.(BP)(BQ)
The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather(BR) still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

Come, all you beasts of the field,(BS)
    come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
10 Israel’s watchmen(BT) are blind,
    they all lack knowledge;(BU)
they are all mute dogs,
    they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
    they love to sleep.(BV)
11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
    they never have enough.
They are shepherds(BW) who lack understanding;(BX)
    they all turn to their own way,(BY)
    they seek their own gain.(BZ)
12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!(CA)
    Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
    or even far better.”(CB)