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Isaiah 66:1-4
New International Version
Isaiah 66:1-4
New International Version
Judgment and Hope
66 This is what the Lord says:
“Heaven is my throne,(A)
and the earth is my footstool.(B)
Where is the house(C) you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?
2 Has not my hand made all these things,(D)
and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.
“These are the ones I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,(E)
and who tremble at my word.(F)
3 But whoever sacrifices a bull(G)
is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
is like one who presents pig’s(H) blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense(I)
is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,(J)
and they delight in their abominations;(K)
4 so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and will bring on them what they dread.(L)
For when I called, no one answered,(M)
when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil(N) in my sight
and chose what displeases me.”(O)
Isaiah 66:1-4
King James Version
Isaiah 66:1-4
King James Version
66 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
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Isaiah 66:1-4
New King James Version
Isaiah 66:1-4
New King James Version
True Worship and False
66 Thus says the Lord:
(A)“Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,”
Says the Lord.
(B)“But on this one will I look:
(C)On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.
3 “He(D) who kills a bull is as if he slays a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he (E)breaks a dog’s neck;
He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood;
He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol.
Just as they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,
4 So will I choose their delusions,
And bring their fears on them;
(F)Because, when I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.”
Isaiah 66:1-4
English Standard Version
Isaiah 66:1-4
English Standard Version
The Humble and Contrite in Spirit
66 (A)Thus says the Lord:
(B)“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
and what is the place of my rest?
2 (C)All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord.
(D)But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word.
3 (E)“He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man;
he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck;
he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers (F)pig's blood;
he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.
(G)These have chosen their own ways,
and their soul delights in their abominations;
4 (H)I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and bring (I)their fears upon them,
(J)because when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, they did not listen;
(K)but they did what was evil in my eyes
and chose that in which I did not delight.”
Isaiah 66:1-4
New American Standard Bible
Isaiah 66:1-4
New American Standard Bible
Heaven Is God’s Throne
66 This is what the Lord says:
“(A)Heaven is My throne and the earth is the footstool for My feet.
Where then is a (B)house you could build for Me?
And where is a place that [a]I may rest?
2 For (C)My hand made all these things,
So all these things came into being,” declares the Lord.
“But I will look to this one,
At one who is humble and (D)contrite in spirit, and who (E)trembles at My word.
Hypocrisy Rebuked
3 “But the one who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a person;
The one who sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
One who offers a grain offering is like one who offers (F)pig’s blood;
One who [b](G)burns incense is like one who blesses an idol.
As they have chosen their (H)own ways,
And their souls delight in their (I)abominations,
4 So I will (J)choose their [c]punishments
And (K)bring on them what they dread.
Because I called, but (L)no one answered;
I spoke, but they did not listen.
Instead, they did (M)evil in My sight
And chose that in which I did not delight.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 66:1 Lit is My resting place?
- Isaiah 66:3 Lit offers a memorial of incense
- Isaiah 66:4 Lit ill treatments
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.