Isaiah 57
Contemporary English Version
God's Faithful People Suffer
57 God's faithful people
are dragged off and killed,
and no one even cares.
Evil sweeps them away,
2 but in death they find peace
for obeying God.[a]
The Lord Condemns Idolatry
3 You people are unfaithful!
You go to fortunetellers,
and you worship idols.
Now pay close attention!
4 Who are you making fun of?
Who are you sneering at?
Look how your sins
have made fools of you.
5 All you think about is sex
under those green trees
where idols are worshiped.
You sacrifice your children
on altars built in valleys
under rocky slopes.
6 You have chosen to worship
idols made of stone;[b]
you have given them offerings
of wine and grain.
Should I be pleased?
7 You have spread out your beds
on the tops of high mountains,
where you sacrifice to idols.
8 Even in your homes
you have placed pagan symbols
all around your huge beds.
Yes, you have rejected me,
sold yourselves to your lovers,
and gone to bed with them.[c]
9 You smear on olive oil
and all kinds of perfume
to worship the god Molech.[d]
You even seek advice
from spirits of the dead.
10 Though you tired yourself out
by running after idols,
you refused to stop.
Your desires were so strong
that they kept you going.
11 Did you forget about me
and become unfaithful
because you were more afraid
of someone else?
Have I been silent so long[e]
that you no longer fear me?
12 You think you're so good,
but I'll point out the truth.
13 Ask your idols to save you
when you are in trouble.
Be careful though—
it takes only a faint breath
to blow them over.
But if you come to me
for protection,
this land and my holy mountain
will always belong to you.
The Lord Helps the Helpless
14 The Lord says,
“Clear the road!
Get it ready for my people.”
15 (A) Our holy God lives forever
in the highest heavens,
and this is what he says:
Though I live high above
in the holy place,
I am here to help those
who are humble
and depend only on me.
16 My people, I won't stay angry
and keep on accusing you.
After all, I am your Creator.
I don't want you to give up
in complete despair.
17 Your greed made me furious.
That's why I punished you
and refused to be found,
while you kept returning
to your old sinful ways.
18 I know what you are like!
But I will heal you, lead you,
and give you comfort,
until those who are mourning
19 (B) start singing my praises.[f]
No matter where you are,
I, the Lord, will heal you[g]
and give you peace.
20 The wicked are a restless sea
tossing up mud.
21 (C) But I, the Lord, have promised
that none who are evil
will live in peace.
Footnotes
- 57.1,2 Evil … God: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 57.6 You have … stone: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 57.8 them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 8.
- 57.9 the god Molech: Or “the king.” In Hebrew “Molech” and “king” sound alike.
- 57.11 so long: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 57.18,19 until … praises: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 57.19 heal you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Isaiah 57
Legacy Standard Bible
Evil Leaders Rebuked
57 The righteous man perishes, and no man (A)puts it upon his heart;
And men of lovingkindness are gathered away, while no one understands.
For the righteous man is gathered away from (B)evil,
2 He enters into peace;
They rest in their [a]beds,
Each one who (C)walked in his upright way.
3 “But draw near, you sons of a (D)soothsayer,
(E)Seed of an adulterer and [b]a (F)prostitute.
4 Against whom do you jest?
Against whom do you open wide your mouth
And stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of (G)transgression,
Seed of lying,
5 Who inflame yourselves among the [c](H)oaks,
(I)Under every green tree,
Who (J)slaughter the children in the [d]ravines,
Under the clefts of the cliffs?
6 Among the [e](K)smooth stones of the [f]ravine
Is your portion, [g]they are your lot;
Even to them you have (L)poured out a drink offering;
You have made a grain offering.
Shall I [h](M)relent concerning these things?
7 Upon a mountain (N)lofty and lifted up
You have (O)made your bed.
You also went up there to offer sacrifice.
8 Behind the door and the doorpost
You have set up your memorial;
Indeed, far removed from Me, you have (P)uncovered yourself,
And have gone up and made your bed wide,
And you have cut a covenant for yourself with them;
You have loved their [i]bed;
You have looked on their [j]manhood.
9 You have journeyed to the king with oil
And increased your perfumes;
You have (Q)sent your envoys a great distance
And made them go down to Sheol.
10 You were tired out by the length of your road,
Yet you did not say, ‘(R)It is hopeless.’
You found [k]renewed strength;
Therefore you did not [l]faint.
11 “Of (S)whom were you anxious and fearful
When you lied and did (T)not remember Me,
Nor even (U)put Me upon your heart?
Was I not silent even for a long time
So you do not fear Me?
12 I will (V)declare your righteousness and your (W)deeds,
But they will not profit you.
13 When you cry out, (X)let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will lift all of them up,
And a breath will take them away.
But he who (Y)takes refuge in Me will (Z)inherit the land
And will (AA)possess My holy mountain.”
Yahweh Revives the Spirit of the Lowly
14 And it will be said,
“(AB)Build up, build up, prepare the way,
[m]Remove every stumbling block out of the way of My people.”
15 For thus says the One (AC)high and lifted up
Who (AD)dwells forever, whose name is Holy,
“I (AE)dwell on a high and holy place,
And also with the (AF)crushed and lowly of spirit
In order to (AG)revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the crushed.
16 For I will (AH)not contend forever,
(AI)Nor will I always be angry;
For the spirit would grow faint before Me,
And the (AJ)breath of those whom I have made.
17 Because of the iniquity of his (AK)greedy gain I was angry and struck him;
I hid My face and was angry,
And he went on (AL)turning away, in the way of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will (AM)heal him;
I will (AN)lead him and (AO)pay him and his mourners in full with comfort,
19 Creating the [n](AP)praise of the lips.
(AQ)Peace, peace to him who is (AR)far and to him who is near,”
Says Yahweh, “and I will heal him.”
20 But the (AS)wicked are like the tossing sea,
For it cannot be quiet,
And its waters toss up refuse and mud.
21 “(AT)There is no peace,” says (AU)my God, “for the wicked.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 57:2 Graves
- Isaiah 57:3 As in ancient versions; Heb she prostitutes herself
- Isaiah 57:5 Or terebinths
- Isaiah 57:5 Or wadis
- Isaiah 57:6 Symbols of fertility gods
- Isaiah 57:6 Or wadi
- Isaiah 57:6 Lit they, they
- Isaiah 57:6 Or regret, be comforted; cf. 40:1
- Isaiah 57:8 Or lying down
- Isaiah 57:8 Lit hand
- Isaiah 57:10 Lit the life of your hand
- Isaiah 57:10 Or become sick
- Isaiah 57:14 Lit Make high, cf. 57:15; 6:1
- Isaiah 57:19 Lit fruit of the lips
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