Isaiah 1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.(A)
The Wickedness of Judah
2 Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth,
for the Lord has spoken:
I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.(B)
3 The ox knows its owner
and the donkey its master’s crib,
but Israel does not know;
my people do not understand.(C)
4 Woe, sinful nation,
people laden with iniquity,
offspring who do evil,
children who act corruptly,
who have forsaken the Lord,
who have despised the Holy One of Israel,
[[who are utterly estranged!]][a](D)
5 Why do you seek further beatings?
Why do you continue to rebel?
The whole head is injured,
and the whole heart faint.(E)
6 From the sole of the foot to the head,
there is no soundness in it,
only bruises and sores
and bleeding wounds;
they have not been drained or bound up
or softened with oil.(F)
7 Your country lies desolate;
your cities are burned with fire;
in your very presence
aliens devour your land;
it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.(G)
8 And daughter Zion is left
like a booth in a vineyard,
like a shelter in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
9 If the Lord of hosts
had not left us a few survivors,
we would have been like Sodom
and become like Gomorrah.(H)
10 Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the teaching of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!(I)
11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls
or of lambs or of goats.(J)
12 When you come to appear before me,[b]
who asked this from your hand?
Trample my courts no more!(K)
13 Bringing offerings is futile;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and calling of convocation—
I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.(L)
14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.(M)
15 When you stretch out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.(N)
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove your evil deeds
from before my eyes;
cease to do evil;(O)
17 learn to do good;
seek justice;
rescue the oppressed;
defend the orphan;
plead for the widow.(P)
18 Come now, let us argue it out,
says the Lord:
If your sins are like scarlet,
will they become like snow?
If they are red like crimson,
will they become like wool?(Q)
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land,(R)
20 but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be devoured by the sword,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.(S)
The Degenerate City
21 How the faithful city
has become a prostitute!
She that was full of justice,
righteousness lodged in her—
but now murderers!(T)
22 Your silver has become dross;
your wine is mixed with water.(U)
23 Your princes are rebels
and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
and runs after gifts.
They do not defend the orphan,
and the widow’s cause does not come before them.(V)
24 Therefore says the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:
Surely I will pour out my wrath on my enemies
and avenge myself on my foes!(W)
25 I will turn my hand against you;
I will smelt away your dross as with lye
and remove all your alloy.(X)
26 And I will restore your judges as at the first
and your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,
the faithful city.(Y)
27 Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
28 But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together,
and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.(Z)
29 For you shall be ashamed of the oaks
in which you delighted,
and you shall blush for the gardens
that you have chosen.(AA)
30 For you shall be like an oak
whose leaf withers
and like a garden without water.
31 The strong shall become like tinder
and their work like a spark;
they and their work shall burn together,
with no one to quench them.(AB)
Isaiah 1
English Standard Version
1 The (A)vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem (B)in the days of (C)Uzziah, (D)Jotham, (E)Ahaz, and (F)Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
The Wickedness of Judah
2 (G)Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O (H)earth;
for the Lord has spoken:
“Children[a] (I)have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox (J)knows its owner,
and the donkey its master's crib,
but Israel does (K)not know,
my people do not understand.”
4 Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
(L)offspring of evildoers,
children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the Lord,
they have (M)despised (N)the Holy One of Israel,
they are utterly (O)estranged.
5 Why will you still be (P)struck down?
Why will you (Q)continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
6 (R)From the sole of the foot even to the head,
there is no soundness in it,
but bruises and sores
and raw wounds;
they are (S)not pressed out or bound up
or softened with oil.
7 (T)Your country lies desolate;
your cities are burned with fire;
in your very presence
foreigners devour your land;
it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.
8 And (U)the daughter of Zion is left
like a (V)booth in a vineyard,
like a lodge in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
9 (W)If the Lord of hosts
had not left us (X)a few survivors,
we should have been like (Y)Sodom,
and become like (Z)Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of (AA)(AB)Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching[b] of our God,
you people of (AC)Gomorrah!
11 (AD)“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.
12 “When you come to (AE)appear before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?
13 Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
(AF)New moon and Sabbath and the (AG)calling of convocations—
I cannot endure (AH)iniquity and (AI)solemn assembly.
14 Your (AJ)new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you (AK)spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
(AL)even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
(AM)your hands are full of blood.
16 (AN)Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
(AO)cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good;
(AP)seek justice,
correct oppression;
(AQ)bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause.
18 “Come now, (AR)let us reason[c] together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as (AS)white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
19 (AT)If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
20 but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
(AU)for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
The Unfaithful City
21 How the faithful city
(AV)has become a whore,[d]
(AW)she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
but now murderers.
22 (AX)Your silver has become dross,
your best wine mixed with water.
23 Your princes are rebels
and companions of thieves.
Everyone (AY)loves a bribe
and runs after gifts.
(AZ)They do not bring justice to the fatherless,
and the widow's cause does not come to them.
24 Therefore the (BA)Lord declares,
the Lord of hosts,
the (BB)Mighty One of Israel:
“Ah, I will get relief from my enemies
(BC)and avenge myself on my foes.
25 (BD)I will turn my hand against you
and will smelt away your (BE)dross as with lye
and remove all your alloy.
26 And I will restore your judges (BF)as at the first,
and your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward (BG)you shall be called the city of righteousness,
the faithful city.”
27 (BH)Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
28 (BI)But rebels and sinners shall be broken together,
and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
29 (BJ)For they[e] shall be ashamed of (BK)the oaks
that you desired;
and you shall blush for (BL)the gardens
that you have chosen.
30 For you shall be (BM)like an oak
whose leaf withers,
and like a garden without water.
31 And the strong shall become (BN)tinder,
and his work a spark,
and both of them shall burn together,
with (BO)none to quench them.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:2 Or Sons; also verse 4
- Isaiah 1:10 Or law
- Isaiah 1:18 Or dispute
- Isaiah 1:21 Or become unchaste
- Isaiah 1:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts you
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
