Isaiah 56
GOD’S WORD Translation
Salvation for All People
56 This is what the Lord says:
Preserve justice, and do what is right.
My salvation is about to come.
My righteousness is about to be revealed.
2 Blessed is the one who does these things
and the person who holds on to them.
Blessed is the one who keeps the day of rest—a holy day, from becoming unholy
and his hands from doing anything wrong.
3 Foreigners who have joined the Lord should not say, “The Lord will separate us from his people.” Castrated men should not say, “We’re only dead trees!” 4 This is what the Lord says: ⌞I will remember⌟ the castrated men who keep my days of rest as holy days, choose what pleases me, and faithfully observe the conditions of my promise.[a] 5 Inside my house and within my walls, I will give them something better than sons and daughters. I will give them a monument and a name. I will give them a permanent name that will not be forgotten. 6 And ⌞I will remember⌟ the foreigners who have joined the Lord to worship him, to love the Lord’s name, and to be his servants. All of them will keep the day of rest—a holy day, from becoming unholy and will faithfully observe the conditions of my promise. 7 Then I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them happy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, because my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.
8 The Almighty Lord, who gathers the scattered people of Israel, declares, “I will gather still others besides those I have already gathered.”
The Sins of Israel Bring the Lord’s Anger
9 All you animals in the field,
all you animals in the forest,
come and eat.
10 ⌞Israel’s⌟ watchmen are blind.
None of them know anything.
All of them are like dogs that are unable to bark.
They lie around dreaming; they love to sleep.
11 These dogs have huge appetites.
They are never full.
They are the shepherds,
but they don’t understand.
All of them have turned to go their own ways.
Each one seeks his own gain.
12 ⌞Each one cries,⌟
“Let me get some wine,
and we’ll fill ourselves with liquor.
And tomorrow will be like today, only better.”
Footnotes
- 56:4 Or “covenant.”
Isaiah 56
New King James Version
Salvation for the Gentiles
56 Thus says the Lord:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
(A)For My salvation is about to come,
And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who lays hold on it;
(B)Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Do not let (C)the son of the foreigner
Who has joined himself to the Lord
Speak, saying,
“The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”;
Nor let the (D)eunuch say,
“Here I am, a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the Lord:
“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold fast My covenant,
5 Even to them I will give in (E)My house
And within My walls a place (F)and a name
Better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give [a]them an everlasting name
That shall not be cut off.
6 “Also the sons of the foreigner
Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him,
And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants—
Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant—
7 Even them I will (G)bring to My holy mountain,
And make them joyful in My (H)house of prayer.
(I)Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
Will be (J)accepted on My altar;
For (K)My house shall be called a house of prayer (L)for all nations.”
8 The Lord God, (M)who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says,
(N)“Yet I will gather to him
Others besides those who are gathered to him.”
Israel’s Irresponsible Leaders
9 (O)All you beasts of the field, come to devour,
All you beasts in the forest.
10 His watchmen are (P)blind,
They are all ignorant;
(Q)They are all dumb dogs,
They cannot bark;
[b]Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
11 Yes, they are (R)greedy[c] dogs
Which (S)never[d] have enough.
And they are shepherds
Who cannot understand;
They all look to their own way,
Every one for his own gain,
From his own territory.
12 “Come,” one says, “I will bring wine,
And we will fill ourselves with intoxicating (T)drink;
(U)Tomorrow will be (V)as today,
And much more abundant.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 56:5 Lit. him
- Isaiah 56:10 Or Dreaming
- Isaiah 56:11 Lit. strong of soul
- Isaiah 56:11 Lit. do not know satisfaction
Isaiah 56
Lexham English Bible
Salvation for All Who Obey
56 Thus says Yahweh:
“Observe justice
and do righteousness,
for my salvation is close to coming,
and my justice to being revealed.
2 Happy is the man who does this,
and the son of humankind who keeps hold of it,
who keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane[a] it,
and who keeps his hand from doing any[b] evil.”
3 And do not let the foreigner[c] who joins himself to Yahweh say, “Surely Yahweh will separate me from his people.”
And do not let the eunuch say, “Look! I am a dry tree!”
4 For thus says Yahweh, “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
and choose that in which I delight,
and who keep hold of my covenant.
5 And I will give them a monument and a name in my house and within my walls,
better than sons and daughters;
I will give him an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.
6 And the foreigners[d] who join themselves to Yahweh to serve him
and to love the name of Yahweh, to become his servants,
every one who keeps the Sabbath, so as not to profane[e] it,
and those who keep hold of my covenant,
7 I will bring them to my holy mountain;[f]
I will make them merry in my house of prayer.
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted[g] on my altar,
for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples,”
8 declares[h] the Lord Yahweh, who gathers[i] the scattered ones of Israel (still I will gather to[j] him, to his gathered ones).
Wicked Leaders
9 All wild animals in the field, come,
to devour,[k] all wild animals in the forest!
10 His watchmen are blind,
none of them know.
They are all dumb dogs;
they are unable to bark,
panting, lying down,
loving to slumber.
11 And the dogs have a greedy appetite;[l]
they are never satisfied.[m]
And they are the shepherds!
They do not have[n] understanding.
They all turn to their own way,
each one for his own gain, every one of them.[o]
12 “Come, let me take wine,
and let us carouse with intoxicating drink,
and tomorrow will be like today,
very great indeed.”[p]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 56:2 Literally “from profaning”
- Isaiah 56:2 Or “all”
- Isaiah 56:3 Literally “son of the foreign country”
- Isaiah 56:6 Literally “sons of the foreign country”
- Isaiah 56:6 Literally “from profaning”
- Isaiah 56:7 Literally “the mountain of my holiness”
- Isaiah 56:7 Literally “for acceptance”
- Isaiah 56:8 Literally “declaration of”
- Isaiah 56:8 Or “gathering”
- Isaiah 56:8 Or “upon”
- Isaiah 56:9 Or “eat”
- Isaiah 56:11 Literally “are strong of soul”
- Isaiah 56:11 Literally “do not know satiation”
- Isaiah 56:11 Or “know”
- Isaiah 56:11 Literally “from his end “
- Isaiah 56:12 Literally “excessively”
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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