10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

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10 Hear the word of Yahweh, rulers of Sodom!
    Listen to the teaching of our God, people of Gomorrah!
11 What is the abundance of your sacrifices to me? says Yahweh.
    I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
        and the fat of fattened animals
    and I do not delight in the blood of bulls
        and ram-lambs and goats.
12 When you come to appear before me,
    who asked for this from your hand:
    you trampling my courts?
13 You must not continue[a] to bring offerings[b] of futility,
    incense—it is an abomination to me;
new moon and Sabbath, the calling of a convocation—
    I cannot endure iniquity with solemn assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates;
    they have become to me like a burden,
    I am not able to bear them.
15 And when you stretch out your hands,
    I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,[c]
    I will not be listening.
Your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash! Make yourselves clean!
    Remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes!
Cease to do evil! 17 Learn to do good!
    Seek justice! Rescue the oppressed!
    Defend the orphan! Plead for the widow!
18 “Come now, and let us argue,” says Yahweh.
    “Even though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white like snow;
    even though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
19 If you are willing and you are obedient,
    you shall eat the good of the land.
20 But if you refuse and you rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword.

For the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 1:13 Literally “increase” or “add to”
  2. Isaiah 1:13 Hebrew “offering”
  3. Isaiah 1:15 Hebrew “prayer”