Isaiah 56
Christian Standard Bible
A House of Prayer for All
56 This is what the Lord says:
Preserve justice and do what is right,(A)
for my salvation is coming soon,
and my righteousness will be revealed.(B)
2 Happy is the person who does this,
the son of man who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it,
and keeps his hand from doing any evil.(C)
3 No foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord
should say,
“The Lord will exclude me from his people,”(D)
and the eunuch should not say,
“Look, I am a dried-up tree.”(E)
4 For the Lord says this:
“For the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
and choose what pleases me,
and hold firmly to my covenant,
5 I will give them, in my house and within my walls,
a memorial and a name
better than sons and daughters.
I will give each of them an everlasting name
that will never be cut off.(F)
6 As for the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord
to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
and to become his servants—
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
and who hold firmly to my covenant—
7 I will bring them to my holy mountain(G)
and let them rejoice in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,(H)
for my house will be called a house of prayer
for all nations.”(I)
8 This is the declaration of the Lord God,
who gathers the dispersed of Israel:
“I will gather to them still others
besides those already gathered.”(J)
Unrighteous Leaders Condemned
9 All you animals of the field and forest,
come and eat!
10 Israel’s[a] watchmen(K) are blind, all of them,
they know nothing;
all of them are mute dogs,
they cannot bark;
they dream, lie down,
and love to sleep.
11 These dogs have fierce appetites;
they never have enough.
And they are shepherds
who have no discernment;
all of them turn to their own way,
every last one for his own profit.(L)
12 “Come, let me get some wine,
let’s guzzle some beer;
and tomorrow will be like today,
only far better!” (M)
Footnotes
- 56:10 Or His, or Its
Isaiah 56
New American Standard Bible
Rewards for Obedience to God
56 This is what the Lord says:
“(A)Guard justice and do righteousness,
For My (B)salvation is about to come
And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 (C)Blessed is a man who does this,
And a son of man who (D)takes hold of it;
Who (E)keeps from profaning the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Let not the (F)foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
“The Lord will certainly separate me from His people.”
Nor let the (G)eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
4 For this is what the Lord says:
“To the eunuchs who (H)keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And (I)hold firmly to My covenant,
5 To them I will give in My (J)house and within My (K)walls a memorial,
And a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give [a]them an everlasting (L)name which (M)will not be eliminated.
6 “Also the (N)foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
To attend to His service and to love the name of the Lord,
To be His servants, every one who (O)keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane it,
And holds firmly to My covenant;
7 Even (P)those I will bring to My (Q)holy mountain,
And (R)make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on (S)My altar;
For (T)My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”
8 The Lord [b]God, who (U)gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,
“I will yet gather (V)others to [c]them, to those already gathered.”
9 All you [d](W)wild animals,
All you animals in the forest,
Come to eat.
10 His (X)watchmen are (Y)blind,
All of them know nothing.
All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,
Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;
11 And the dogs are [e](Z)greedy, they [f]are never satisfied.
And they are shepherds who have (AA)no understanding;
They have all (AB)turned to their own way,
Each one to his unjust gain, [g]without exception.
12 “Come,” they say, “[h]let’s get (AC)wine, and let’s drink heavily of intoxicating drink;
And (AD)tomorrow will be like today, only more so.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 56:5 As in DSS; MT him
- Isaiah 56:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Isaiah 56:8 Lit him
- Isaiah 56:9 Lit animals of the field
- Isaiah 56:11 Lit strong of soul/appetite
- Isaiah 56:11 Lit do not know satisfaction
- Isaiah 56:11 Lit from his end
- Isaiah 56:12 As in DSS and some ancient versions; MT I will
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