惩罚与拯救

65 耶和华说:“我向没有求问我的人显现,
让没有寻找我的人寻见,
对没有求告我的国家说,
‘我在这里,我在这里!’
我整天伸出双手招呼一群悖逆的百姓,
他们却任意妄为,
不走正路,
不断地当面惹我发怒。
他们在园中献祭,
在砖台上烧香,
坐在坟场里,
宿在隐秘处。
他们吃猪肉,
用不洁之物做汤,
还对人说,‘站远点,
别挨近我,因为我比你圣洁!’
我被这些人气得鼻孔冒烟,
整天怒火难息。
看啊,这些都记录在我面前,
我不会再保持缄默,
我要报应他们,
按他们和他们祖先的罪报应他们。
我必按他们的所作所为报应他们,
因为他们在山上烧香,
在丘陵上亵渎我。
这是耶和华说的。”

耶和华说:“人发现一串葡萄尚可酿造新酒时,
一定会说,‘不要毁坏它,
里面还有好葡萄。’
同样,因我仆人的缘故,
我也不会把他们全部毁灭。

“我必使雅各的后裔兴起,
使犹大人兴起,
继承我的群山。
我拣选的子民必拥有那片土地,
我的仆人必在那里安居。
10 沙仑必成为牧放羊群的草场,
亚割谷必成为牛群休憩的地方,
这些地方必属于寻求我的人。
11 但至于你们这些背弃我、
忘记我的圣山、
摆宴供奉幸运之神、
调酒祭奠命运之神的人,
12 我要使你们注定被杀,
丧身刀下。
因为我呼唤你们,你们不回应;
我讲话,你们不聆听。
你们做我视为恶的事,
专行令我不悦的事。”

13 所以主耶和华说:
“看啊,我的仆人必有吃有喝,
你们却要饥渴交加;
我的仆人必欢喜,
你们却要受羞辱;
14 我的仆人必欢喜快乐,
扬声歌唱,
你们却要伤心欲绝,
嚎啕大哭。
15 我的选民必用你们的名字作咒诅,
主耶和华必杀死你们,
给祂的仆人另起名字。
16 因此,在地上求福祉的人都必向信实的上帝祈求,
在地上起誓的人都必凭信实的上帝起誓。
因为过去的苦难已经被遗忘,
从我眼前消失了。

新天新地

17 “看啊,我要创造新天新地,
过去的一切都要被遗忘,
从记忆中消失。
18 你们要因我创造的一切而永远欢喜快乐。
看啊,我要创造一个充满喜乐的耶路撒冷,
其中的居民个个欢欣。
19 我必因耶路撒冷而欢喜,
因我的子民而快乐。
城里再听不见哭泣和哀号声。
20 再没有只活几天便夭折的婴儿,
也没有寿数未尽便死的老人,
因为满了百岁便死的人不过算是青年,
不足百岁便死的人被视为受了咒诅。
21 他们要建造房屋,安然居住,
栽种葡萄园,吃园中的果子。
22 他们建的房屋再不会被别人居住,
他们种的果实再不会被别人享用。
我的子民必像树木一样长寿,
我拣选的人必长享自己亲手劳碌的成果。
23 他们不会徒劳,
他们的孩子也不会遇到灾祸,
因为他们及其子孙是蒙上帝赐福的人。
24 他们还没有求告,
我就已经应允;
他们正要祷告,
我就已经垂听。
25 豺狼和绵羊必一起吃草,
狮子必像牛一样吃草,
蛇必以尘土为食。
在我的整个圣山上,
它们都不伤人,不害物。
这是耶和华说的。”

懲罰與拯救

65 耶和華說:「我向沒有求問我的人顯現,
讓沒有尋找我的人尋見,
對沒有求告我的國家說,
『我在這裡,我在這裡!』
我整天伸出雙手招呼一群悖逆的百姓,
他們卻任意妄為,
不走正路,
不斷地當面惹我發怒。
他們在園中獻祭,
在磚臺上燒香,
坐在墳場裡,
宿在隱秘處。
他們吃豬肉,
用不潔之物做湯,
還對人說,『站遠點,
別挨近我,因為我比你聖潔!』
我被這些人氣得鼻孔冒煙,
整天怒火難息。
看啊,這些都記錄在我面前,
我不會再保持緘默,
我要報應他們,
按他們和他們祖先的罪報應他們。
我必按他們的所作所為報應他們,
因為他們在山上燒香,
在丘陵上褻瀆我。
這是耶和華說的。」

耶和華說:「人發現一串葡萄尚可釀造新酒時,
一定會說,『不要毀壞它,
裡面還有好葡萄。』
同樣,因我僕人的緣故,
我也不會把他們全部毀滅。

「我必使雅各的後裔興起,
使猶大人興起,
繼承我的群山。
我揀選的子民必擁有那片土地,
我的僕人必在那裡安居。
10 沙崙必成為牧放羊群的草場,
亞割谷必成為牛群休憩的地方,
這些地方必屬於尋求我的人。
11 但至於你們這些背棄我、
忘記我的聖山、
擺宴供奉幸運之神、
調酒祭奠命運之神的人,
12 我要使你們註定被殺,
喪身刀下。
因為我呼喚你們,你們不回應;
我講話,你們不聆聽。
你們做我視為惡的事,
專行令我不悅的事。」

13 所以主耶和華說:
「看啊,我的僕人必有吃有喝,
你們卻要饑渴交加;
我的僕人必歡喜,
你們卻要受羞辱;
14 我的僕人必歡喜快樂,
揚聲歌唱,
你們卻要傷心欲絕,
嚎啕大哭。
15 我的選民必用你們的名字作咒詛,
主耶和華必殺死你們,
給祂的僕人另起名字。
16 因此,在地上求福祉的人都必向信實的上帝祈求,
在地上起誓的人都必憑信實的上帝起誓。
因為過去的苦難已經被遺忘,
從我眼前消失了。

新天新地

17 「看啊,我要創造新天新地,
過去的一切都要被遺忘,
從記憶中消失。
18 你們要因我創造的一切而永遠歡喜快樂。
看啊,我要創造一個充滿喜樂的耶路撒冷,
其中的居民個個歡欣。
19 我必因耶路撒冷而歡喜,
因我的子民而快樂。
城裡再聽不見哭泣和哀號聲。
20 再沒有只活幾天便夭折的嬰兒,
也沒有壽數未盡便死的老人,
因為滿了百歲便死的人不過算是青年,
不足百歲便死的人被視為受了咒詛。
21 他們要建造房屋,安然居住,
栽種葡萄園,吃園中的果子。
22 他們建的房屋再不會被別人居住,
他們種的果實再不會被別人享用。
我的子民必像樹木一樣長壽,
我揀選的人必長享自己親手勞碌的成果。
23 他們不會徒勞,
他們的孩子也不會遇到災禍,
因為他們及其子孫是蒙上帝賜福的人。
24 他們還沒有求告,
我就已經應允;
他們正要禱告,
我就已經垂聽。
25 豺狼和綿羊必一起吃草,
獅子必像牛一樣吃草,
蛇必以塵土為食。
在我的整個聖山上,
牠們都不傷人,不害物。
這是耶和華說的。」

All People Will Learn About God

65 The Lord says, “I made myself known to people who were not looking for me.
    I was found by those who were not asking me for help.
I spoke to a nation that was not praying to me.
    I said, ‘Here I am. Here I am.’
All day long I stood ready to accept
    people who turned against me.
But the way they continue to live is not good.
    They do anything they want to do.
Right in front of me they continue
    to do things that make me angry.
    They offer sacrifices to their false gods in their gardens.
    They burn incense on altars of brick.
They sit among the graves.
    They spend their nights waiting to get messages from the dead.
They eat the meat of pigs.
    Their pots are full of soup made from meat that is wrong to eat.
But they tell others, ‘Stay away. Don’t come near me.
    I am too holy for you.’
These people are like smoke in my nose.
    Like a fire that burns all the time, they continue to make me angry.

“Look, it is written here before me.
    I will not be quiet. Instead, I will repay you in full.
    I will punish you for what you have done.
I will punish you for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,”
    says the Lord.
“They burned incense to false gods on the mountains.
    They shamed me on those hills.
So I will punish them as they should be punished
    for what they did.”

This is what the Lord says:
“When there is juice left in the grapes,
    people do not destroy them.
    They know there is good left in them.
I will do the same thing to my servants.
    I will not completely destroy them.
I will leave some of the children of Jacob.
    Some of the people of Judah will receive my mountain.
I will choose the people who will live there.
    My servants will live there.
10 Then the Plain of Sharon will be a field for sheep.
    The Valley of Achor will be a place for cattle to rest.
    They will be for the people who want to follow me.

11 “But you who left the Lord will be punished.
    You forgot about my holy mountain.
You worship the false god Luck.
    You hold religious feasts for the false god Fate.
12 But I decide your fate, and I will punish you with my sword.
    You will all be killed.
This is because I called you, but you refused to answer.
    I spoke to you, but you wouldn’t listen.
You did the things I said were evil.
    You chose to do things that displease me.”

13 So the Lord God said these things:
“My servants will eat.
    But you evil people will be hungry.
My servants will drink.
    But you evil people will be thirsty.
My servants will be happy.
    But you evil people will be shamed.
14 My servants will shout for joy
    because of the goodness of their hearts.
But you evil people will cry,
    because you will be sad.
    You will cry loudly because your spirits will be broken.
15 Your names will be like curses to my servants.
    And the Lord God will put you to death.
    But he will call his servants by another name.
16 People in the land who ask for blessings
    will ask for them from the faithful God.
People in the land who make a promise
    will promise in the name of the faithful God.
This is because the troubles of the past will be forgotten.
    I will make those troubles go away.

A New Time Is Coming

17 “Look, I will make new heavens and a new earth.
    And people will not remember the past.
    They will not think about those things.
18 My people will be happy forever
    because of the things I will make.
I will make a Jerusalem that is full of joy.
    And I will make her people a delight.
19 Then I will rejoice over Jerusalem.
    I will be delighted with my people.
There will never again be
    crying and sadness in that city.
20 There will never be a baby from that city
    who lives only a few days.
And there will never be an older person
    who doesn’t have a long life.
A person who lives 100 years will be called young.
    And the person who dies before he is 100 will be thought of as a sinner.
21 In that city the person who builds a house will live there.
    The person who plants vineyards will get to eat grapes.
22 No more will one person build a house and someone else live there.
    One person will not plant a garden and someone else eat its fruit.
My people will live a long time
    as trees live long.
My chosen people will live there
    and enjoy the things they make.
23 People will never again work for nothing.
    They will never again give birth to children who die young.
All my people will be blessed by the Lord.
    My people and their children will be blessed.
24 I will provide for their needs before they ask.
    I will help them while they are still asking for help.
25 Wolves and lambs will eat together in peace.
    Lions will eat hay like oxen.
A snake on the ground will not hurt anyone.
They will not hurt or destroy each other
    on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.

Judgment and Salvation

65 “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;
    I was found by those who did not seek me.(A)
To a nation(B) that did not call on my name,(C)
    I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’
All day long I have held out my hands
    to an obstinate people,(D)
who walk in ways not good,
    pursuing their own imaginations(E)
a people who continually provoke me
    to my very face,(F)
offering sacrifices in gardens(G)
    and burning incense(H) on altars of brick;
who sit among the graves(I)
    and spend their nights keeping secret vigil;
who eat the flesh of pigs,(J)
    and whose pots hold broth of impure meat;
who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me,
    for I am too sacred(K) for you!’
Such people are smoke(L) in my nostrils,
    a fire that keeps burning all day.

“See, it stands written before me:
    I will not keep silent(M) but will pay back(N) in full;
    I will pay it back into their laps(O)
both your sins(P) and the sins of your ancestors,”(Q)
    says the Lord.
“Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains
    and defied me on the hills,(R)
I will measure into their laps
    the full payment(S) for their former deeds.”

This is what the Lord says:

“As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes(T)
    and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it,
    there is still a blessing in it,’
so will I do in behalf of my servants;(U)
    I will not destroy them all.
I will bring forth descendants(V) from Jacob,
    and from Judah those who will possess(W) my mountains;
my chosen(X) people will inherit them,
    and there will my servants live.(Y)
10 Sharon(Z) will become a pasture for flocks,(AA)
    and the Valley of Achor(AB) a resting place for herds,
    for my people who seek(AC) me.

11 “But as for you who forsake(AD) the Lord
    and forget my holy mountain,(AE)
who spread a table for Fortune
    and fill bowls of mixed wine(AF) for Destiny,
12 I will destine you for the sword,(AG)
    and all of you will fall in the slaughter;(AH)
for I called but you did not answer,(AI)
    I spoke but you did not listen.(AJ)
You did evil in my sight
    and chose what displeases me.”(AK)

13 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“My servants will eat,(AL)
    but you will go hungry;(AM)
my servants will drink,(AN)
    but you will go thirsty;(AO)
my servants will rejoice,(AP)
    but you will be put to shame.(AQ)
14 My servants will sing(AR)
    out of the joy of their hearts,
but you will cry out(AS)
    from anguish of heart
    and wail in brokenness of spirit.
15 You will leave your name
    for my chosen ones to use in their curses;(AT)
the Sovereign Lord will put you to death,
    but to his servants he will give another name.(AU)
16 Whoever invokes a blessing(AV) in the land
    will do so by the one true God;(AW)
whoever takes an oath in the land
    will swear(AX) by the one true God.
For the past troubles(AY) will be forgotten
    and hidden from my eyes.

New Heavens and a New Earth

17 “See, I will create
    new heavens and a new earth.(AZ)
The former things will not be remembered,(BA)
    nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice(BB) forever
    in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem(BC) to be a delight
    and its people a joy.
19 I will rejoice(BD) over Jerusalem
    and take delight(BE) in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying(BF)
    will be heard in it no more.

20 “Never again will there be in it
    an infant(BG) who lives but a few days,
    or an old man who does not live out his years;(BH)
the one who dies at a hundred
    will be thought a mere child;
the one who fails to reach[a] a hundred
    will be considered accursed.
21 They will build houses(BI) and dwell in them;
    they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.(BJ)
22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them,(BK)
    or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,(BL)
    so will be the days(BM) of my people;
my chosen(BN) ones will long enjoy
    the work of their hands.
23 They will not labor in vain,(BO)
    nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;(BP)
for they will be a people blessed(BQ) by the Lord,
    they and their descendants(BR) with them.
24 Before they call(BS) I will answer;(BT)
    while they are still speaking(BU) I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb(BV) will feed together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox,(BW)
    and dust will be the serpent’s(BX) food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain,”(BY)
says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 65:20 Or the sinner who reaches