Isaiah 58
Expanded Bible
How to Honor God
58 The Lord says, “Shout out loud. Don’t hold back.
·Shout out loud [L Raise/lift up your voice] like a trumpet.
Tell my people ·what they have done against their God [their transgression];
tell ·the family of Jacob about [L Jacob] their sins.
2 They ·still come looking for [seek] me ·every day [day to day]
and ·want [delight] to learn my ways.
They act just like a nation that does ·what is right [righteousness],
that ·obeys [L did not forsake/reject] the ·commands [judgments] of its God.
They ask me ·to judge them fairly [for righteous judgment].
They ·want [delight] to ·be near [draw near to] God.
3 They say, ‘·To honor you we had special days when [L Why have…?] we fasted,
but you didn’t see.
·We humbled ourselves to honor you [L Why have we afflicted our souls/selves…?],
but you didn’t notice.’”
But the Lord says, “[L Look; T Behold] You ·do what pleases [satisfy; seek pleasure for] yourselves on these fast days,
and you ·are unfair to [exploit; oppress] your workers.
4 Even when you fast, you argue and fight
and ·hit each other with your [L hit with wicked/sinful] fists.
You cannot do these things as you do now
and ·believe your prayers are [expect to be] heard ·in heaven [on high].
5 ·This kind of special day is not what [Is this the fast that…?] I ·want [have chosen].
·This is not the way I want people to be sorry for what they have done [L Do I want a day when people afflict/mortify themselves?].
I don’t want people just to bow their heads like a ·plant [reed]
·and wear rough cloth and lie in ashes to show their sadness [L stretching out on sackcloth and ashes].
Is this what you call a fast?
·Do you really think this pleases [L …a day acceptable to] the Lord?
6 “I will tell you the kind of fast I ·want [have chosen]:
·Free the people you have put in prison unfairly [L Release the chains/bonds of wickedness]
and ·undo their chains [or untie the ropes from the yoke].
Free ·those to whom you are unfair [the oppressed]
and ·stop their hard labor [L break every yoke].
7 Share your food with the hungry
and bring poor, homeless people into your own homes.
When you see someone who has no clothes, ·give him yours [clothe him],
and don’t ·refuse to help [L conceal yourself from] your ·own relatives [flesh].
8 Then your light will shine like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your ·God [L righteousness] will walk before you,
and the glory of the Lord [C his manifest presence] will ·protect you from behind [be your rear guard].
9 Then you will call out, and the Lord will answer.
You will cry out, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
“If you ·stop making trouble for others [L take away the yoke from your midst],
if you stop ·using cruel words [speaking wickedness] and pointing your finger at others,
10 if you ·feed [L offer your soul/selves to] those who are hungry
and ·take care of [satisfy] the needs of ·those who are troubled [the afflicted/oppressed],
then your light will ·shine [L rise] in the darkness,
and ·you will be bright like sunshine at [L your darkness/gloom like] noon.
11 The Lord will always lead you.
He will satisfy your ·needs [soul] in dry lands
and give strength to your bones.
You will be like a garden that is well-watered,
like a spring ·that never runs dry [whose waters never fail].
12 Your people will rebuild the ·old cities that are now in [L ancient] ruins;
you will rebuild their ancient foundations.
You will be ·known for repairing [called the repairer of] the broken walls
and ·for rebuilding [the restorer of] the roads and houses.
13 “·You must obey God’s law about [L If you turn your foot away from…; C avoiding Sabbath journeys] the Sabbath
and not do what pleases yourselves on that holy day.
·You should [L …and if you…] call the Sabbath a ·joyful day [delight]
and honor it as the Lord’s holy day.
·You should [L …and if you…] honor it by not ·doing whatever you please [L going your own way]
nor saying ·whatever you please [idle words] on that day.
14 ·Then [L …then] you will find ·joy [delight] in the Lord,
and I will ·carry you to [or cause you to ride on] the high places above the earth.
I will ·let you eat the crops of the land [L feed you with the inheritance] of your ancestor Jacob.”
The ·Lord has said these things [L mouth of the Lord has spoken].
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