Isaiah 65
New International Version
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.’
2 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)—
3 a people who continually provoke me
to my very face,(F)
offering sacrifices in gardens(G)
and burning incense(H) on altars of brick;
4 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;
5 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.
6 “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)—
7 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.”
8 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.
9 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
- Isaiah 65:20 Or the sinner who reaches
Isaiah 65
Contemporary English Version
The Lord Will Punish the Guilty
65 (A) I, the Lord, was ready
to answer even those
who were not asking
and to be found by those
who were not searching.
To a nation that refused
to worship me,[a]
I said, “Here I am!”
2 (B) All day long I have reached out
to stubborn and sinful people
going their own way.
3 They keep making me angry
by sneering at me,
while offering sacrifices
to idols in gardens
and burning incense
to them on bricks.
4 They spend their nights
hiding in burial caves;
they eat the meat of pigs,[b]
cooked in sauces
made of stuff unfit to eat.
5 And then they say to others,
“Don't come near us!
We're dedicated to God.”
Such people are like smoke,
irritating my nose all day.
6 I have written this down;
I won't keep silent.
I'll pay them back
just as their sins deserve.
7 I, the Lord, will make them pay
for their sins and for those
of their ancestors—
they have disgraced me
by burning incense
on mountains.
8 Here is what the Lord says:
A cluster of grapes
that produces wine
is worth keeping!
So, because of my servants,
I won't destroy everyone.
9 I have chosen the people
of Israel and Judah,
and I will bless them
with many descendants.
They will settle here
in this land of mountains,
and it will be theirs.
10 (C) My people will worship me.
Then the coastlands of Sharon
and the land as far
as Achor Valley[c]
will turn into pastureland
where cattle and sheep
will feed and rest.
11 What will I, the Lord, do
if any of you reject me
and my holy mountain?
What will happen to you
for offering food and wine
to the gods you call
“Good Luck” and “Fate”?
12 Your luck will end!
I will see to it that you
are slaughtered with swords.
You refused to answer
when I called out;
you paid no attention
to my instructions.
Instead, you did what I hated,
knowing it was wrong.
13 I, the Lord God, will give
food and drink to my servants,
and they will celebrate.
But all of you sinners
will go hungry and thirsty,
overcome with disgrace.
14 My servants will laugh and sing,
but you will be sad
and cry out in pain.
15 I, the Lord God, promise
to see that you are killed
and that my chosen servants use
your names as curse words.
But I will give new names[d]
to my servants.[e]
16 I am God! I can be trusted.
Your past troubles are gone;
I no longer think of them.
When you pray for someone
to receive a blessing,
or when you make a promise,
you must do it in my name.
I alone am the God
who can be trusted.
The Lord's New Creation
17 (D) I am creating new heavens
and a new earth;
everything of the past
will be forgotten.
18 Celebrate and be glad forever!
I am creating a Jerusalem,
full of happy people.
19 (E) I will celebrate with Jerusalem
and all its people;
there will be no more crying
or sorrow in that city.
20 No child will die in infancy;
everyone will live
a very long life.
Anyone a hundred years old
will be considered young,
and to die younger than that
will be considered a curse.
21 My people will live
in the houses they build;
they will enjoy grapes
from their own vineyards.
22 No one will take away
their homes or vineyards.
My chosen people will live
to be as old as trees,
and they will enjoy
what they have earned.
23 Their work won't be wasted,
and their children won't die
of dreadful diseases.[f]
I will bless their children
and their grandchildren.
24 I will answer their prayers
before they finish praying.
25 (F) Wolves and lambs
will graze together;
lions and oxen
will feed on straw.
Snakes will eat only dirt!
They won't bite or harm anyone
on my holy mountain.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Footnotes
- 65.1 refused … me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 65.4 burial … pigs: Coming in contact with the dead or eating the meat of pigs made a person unacceptable to God.
- 65.10 coastlands of Sharon … Achor Valley: Sharon is the coastal plain on the west, and Achor Valley is in the east near Jericho. These two places stand for the whole country.
- 65.15 new names: The giving of a new name suggests the beginning of a new life.
- 65.15 But I … servants: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 65.23 their children … diseases: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Isaiah 65
King James Version
65 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.
8 Thus saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all.
9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.
10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.
11 But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.
12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:
14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.
24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
Isaiah 65
American Standard Version
65 I [a]am inquired of by them that asked not for me; I [b]am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation [c]that was not called by my name. 2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, that walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; 3 a people that provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens, and burning incense upon bricks; 4 that [d]sit among the graves, and lodge in the [e]secret places; that eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5 that say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. 6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, yea, I will recompense into their bosom, 7 your own iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith Jehovah, that have burned incense upon the mountains, and [f]blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I [g]first measure their work into their bosom.
8 Thus saith Jehovah, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sake, that I may not destroy them all. 9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains; and my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. 10 And Sharon shall be a [h]fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me. 11 But ye that forsake Jehovah, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for [i]Fortune, and that fill up mingled wine unto [j]Destiny; 12 I will destine you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter; because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but ye did that which was evil in mine eyes, and chose that wherein I delighted not.
13 Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be put to shame; 14 behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall wail for [k]vexation of spirit. 15 And ye shall leave your name for [l]a curse unto my chosen; and the Lord Jehovah will slay thee; and he will call his servants by another name: 16 so that he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of [m]truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of [n]truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and there shall be heard in her no more the voice of weeping and the voice of crying. 20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days; for the child shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people, and my chosen shall [o]long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for [p]calamity; for they are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring [q]with them. 24 And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith Jehovah.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 65:1 Or, was inquired of
- Isaiah 65:1 Or, was found
- Isaiah 65:1 Or, as otherwise read, that hath not called upon
- Isaiah 65:4 Or, dwell
- Isaiah 65:4 Or, vaults
- Isaiah 65:7 Or, defied
- Isaiah 65:7 Or, measure their former work
- Isaiah 65:10 Or, pasture
- Isaiah 65:11 Hebrew Gad. See Gen. 30:11.
- Isaiah 65:11 Hebrew Meni.
- Isaiah 65:14 Hebrew breaking.
- Isaiah 65:15 Hebrew an oath.
- Isaiah 65:16 Hebrew Amen. See 2 Cor. 1:20; Rev. 3:14.
- Isaiah 65:16 Hebrew Amen. See 2 Cor. 1:20; Rev. 3:14.
- Isaiah 65:22 Hebrew wear out.
- Isaiah 65:23 Or, sudden terror
- Isaiah 65:23 Or, shall be with them
Isaiah 65
New American Standard Bible
A Rebellious People
65 “I permitted Myself to be sought by (A)those who did not ask for Me;
I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’
To a nation which (B)did not call on My name.
2 (C)I have spread out My hands all day long to a (D)rebellious people,
Who walk in the way which is not good, [a]following their own (E)thoughts,
3 A people who continually (F)provoke Me to My face,
Offering sacrifices in (G)gardens and (H)burning incense on bricks;
4 Who sit among graves and spend the night in secret places;
Who (I)eat pig’s flesh,
And the broth of unclean meat is in their pots.
5 Who say, ‘(J)Keep to yourself, do not come near me,
For I am holier than you!’
These are smoke in My [b]nostrils,
A fire that burns all the day.
6 Behold, it is written before Me:
I will (K)not keep silent, but (L)I will repay;
I will even repay [c]into their laps,
7 Both your own (M)wrongdoings and the wrongdoings of your fathers together,” says the Lord.
“Because they have (N)burned incense on the mountains
And (O)scorned Me on the hills,
Therefore I will (P)measure their former work [d]into their laps.”
8 This is what the Lord says:
“Just as the new wine is found in the cluster,
And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is [e]benefit in it,’
So I will act in behalf of My servants
In order (Q)not to destroy [f]all of them.
9 I will bring forth [g](R)offspring from Jacob,
And an (S)heir of My mountains from Judah;
(T)My chosen ones shall inherit it,
And (U)My servants will live there.
10 (V)Sharon will be a pasture land for flocks,
And the (W)Valley of Achor a resting place for herds,
For My people who (X)seek Me.
11 But as for you who (Y)abandon the Lord,
Who forget My (Z)holy mountain,
Who set a table for [h]Fortune,
And fill a jug of mixed wine for [i]Destiny,
12 I will destine you for the (AA)sword,
And all of you will bow down to the (AB)slaughter.
Because I called, but you (AC)did not answer;
I spoke, but you did not listen.
Instead, you did evil in My sight
And chose that in which I did not delight.”
13 Therefore, this is what the Lord [j]God says:
“Behold, My servants will (AD)eat, but you will be (AE)hungry.
Behold, My servants will (AF)drink, but you will be (AG)thirsty.
Behold, My servants will (AH)rejoice, but you will be (AI)put to shame.
14 Behold, My servants will (AJ)shout joyfully with a glad heart,
But you will (AK)cry out from a painful heart,
And you will wail from a broken spirit.
15 You will leave your name as a (AL)curse to My chosen ones,
And the Lord [k]God will put you to death.
But [l]My servants will be called by (AM)another name.
16 Because the one who [m]is blessed on the earth
Will [n]be blessed by the (AN)God of truth;
And the one who swears an oath on the earth
Will (AO)swear by the God of truth;
Because the former troubles are forgotten,
And because they are hidden from My sight!
New Heavens and a New Earth
17 “For behold, I create (AP)new heavens and a new earth;
And the (AQ)former things will not be remembered or come to [o]mind.
18 But be (AR)glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness.
19 I will also (AS)rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of (AT)weeping and the sound of crying.
20 No longer will there be [p]in it an infant who lives only a few days,
Or an old person who does (AU)not [q]live out his days;
For the youth will die at the age of a hundred,
And the [r](AV)one who does not reach the age of a hundred
Will be thought accursed.
21 They will (AW)build houses and inhabit them;
They will also (AX)plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They will not build and (AY)another inhabit,
They will not plant and another eat;
For (AZ)as the [s]lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,
And My chosen ones will (BA)fully enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They will (BB)not labor in vain,
Or give birth to children for disaster;
For they are the [t](BC)descendants of those blessed by the Lord,
And their descendants with them.
24 It will also come to pass that before they call, I will (BD)answer; while they are still speaking, I will listen. 25 The (BE)wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the (BF)lion will eat straw like the ox; and (BG)dust will be the serpent’s food. They will (BH)do no evil or harm on all My (BI)holy mountain,” says the Lord.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 65:2 Lit after
- Isaiah 65:5 Lit nose
- Isaiah 65:6 I.e., individually and fully
- Isaiah 65:7 I.e., individually and fully
- Isaiah 65:8 Lit blessing
- Isaiah 65:8 Lit the whole
- Isaiah 65:9 Lit seed
- Isaiah 65:11 Heb Gad
- Isaiah 65:11 Heb Meni
- Isaiah 65:13 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Isaiah 65:15 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Isaiah 65:15 As in LXX; MT He will call His servants
- Isaiah 65:16 Or bless(es) himself
- Isaiah 65:16 Or bless(es) himself
- Isaiah 65:17 Lit heart
- Isaiah 65:20 Lit from there
- Isaiah 65:20 Lit fill out
- Isaiah 65:20 Lit one who misses the mark
- Isaiah 65:22 Lit days
- Isaiah 65:23 Lit seed
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