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Chapter 66

True and False Worship

Thus says the Lord:
    The heavens are my throne
    and the earth is my footstool.
What house could you build for me?
    What is to be my resting place?
All these things were made by me,
    and so all these things are mine,
    says the Lord.
The one for whom I have regard
    is humble and contrite in spirit
    and trembles at my word.
Whoever slaughters an ox
    is like one who kills a man;
whoever sacrifices a lamb
    is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever presents an offering of grain
    is like one who offers a swine’s blood;
whoever burns incense as a memorial
    is like one who blesses an idol.
These people have chosen their own ways,
    and they delight in their loathsome abominations.
I in turn will choose to punish them harshly
    and bring upon them what they fear
because, when I called, no one answered,
    and when I spoke, they refused to listen.
Rather, they did what was evil in my sight
    and chose what displeased me.
Hear the word of the Lord,
    you who tremble at his word.
Your brethren who hate you
    and reject you because of my name, have said,
“Let the Lord be glorified
    so that we may witness your joy”;
    however, they themselves will be put to shame.
Listen! There is an uproar from the city,
    a voice from the temple.
Such is the sound of the Lord
    bringing retribution to his enemies.

Mother Zion

Before she entered into labor,
    she gave birth.
Before she experienced the birth pains,
    she delivered a son.
Who ever heard of such a thing?
    Who has ever seen anything like this?
Can a country be born in a single day?
    Can a nation be delivered in a single moment?
Yet Zion was scarcely in labor
    when she brought forth her children.
Shall I open the womb and not deliver?
    says the Lord.
Shall I close the womb at the moment of delivery?
    says your God.
10 Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
    all you who love her.
Be joyful as you rejoice with her,
    all you who mourned over her,
11 so that you may suck fully and be satisfied
    from her consoling breast,
as you drink deeply with delight
    at her abundant bosom.
12 For thus says the Lord:
    I will make prosperity flow over her like a river,
and the wealth of the nations
    like a turbulent overflowing stream.
You will be nursed and carried in her arms
    and fondled in her lap.
13 As a mother comforts her child,
    so will I comfort you;
    in Jerusalem you will find your comfort.
14 When you behold this, your heart will rejoice,
    and your bodies will flourish like grass in spring.
The Lord will make his power known to his servants
    but reveal his wrath to his enemies.
15 Behold the Lord as he comes in fire,
    his chariots like the whirlwind,
to enact retribution with his furious anger
    and his rebukes with fiery flames.
16 For the Lord will execute his judgment
    on all mankind with fire and sword,
    and many will be those slain by the Lord.

17 Those who sanctify and purify themselves to enter the groves and follow the one in the center, consuming the flesh of pigs, vermin, and rats—they will all perish together, says the Lord, along with their deeds and their thoughts.[a]

18 Glory among the Nations. I am coming to gather every nation and every language. They will come forth to behold my glory. 19 I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of their survivors to the nations: to Tarshish,[b] Put and Lud, Mosoch, Tubal, and Javan, to the distant coasts and islands that have never heard of me or seen my glory.

They will proclaim my glory among the nations, 20 and from all the nations they will bring all your kindred as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots, in carts and on mules and camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites themselves bring their grain offerings in clean vessels to the house of the Lord. 21 Some of these I will appoint as priests and Levites, says the Lord.

Eternal Reward and Punishment

22 As the new heavens and the new earth
    that I am making
will endure before me, says the Lord,
    so will your descendants and your name endure.
23 From new moon to new moon
    and from one Sabbath to another,
all mankind will come to worship before me,
    says the Lord.
24 And as they go out,
    they will see the corpses
    of those who rebelled against me.
For their worm will never die,
    nor will their fire be quenched,
    and they will be abhorrent to all humanity.[c]

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 66:17 A condemnation of pagan mystery cults.
  2. Isaiah 66:19 Tarshish: a large island in the western Mediterranean or simply a faraway place.
  3. Isaiah 66:24 A reference to the Valley of Ben-hinnom (Gehenna) outside the walls of ancient Jerusalem. In Mk 9:48, the images of the worm and the fire are used to signify an eternal punishment.

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?
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)
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)
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)

Hear the word of the Lord,
    you who tremble at his word:(P)
“Your own people who hate(Q) you,
    and exclude you because of my name, have said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified,
    that we may see your joy!’
    Yet they will be put to shame.(R)
Hear that uproar from the city,
    hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound(S) of the Lord
    repaying(T) his enemies all they deserve.

“Before she goes into labor,(U)
    she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
    she delivers a son.(V)
Who has ever heard of such things?
    Who has ever seen(W) things like this?
Can a country be born in a day(X)
    or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
    than she gives birth to her children.(Y)
Do I bring to the moment of birth(Z)
    and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Do I close up the womb
    when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
10 “Rejoice(AA) with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
    all you who love(AB) her;
rejoice greatly with her,
    all you who mourn(AC) over her.
11 For you will nurse(AD) and be satisfied
    at her comforting breasts;(AE)
you will drink deeply
    and delight in her overflowing abundance.”(AF)

12 For this is what the Lord says:

“I will extend peace(AG) to her like a river,(AH)
    and the wealth(AI) of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried(AJ) on her arm
    and dandled on her knees.
13 As a mother comforts her child,(AK)
    so will I comfort(AL) you;
    and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

14 When you see this, your heart will rejoice(AM)
    and you will flourish(AN) like grass;
the hand(AO) of the Lord will be made known to his servants,(AP)
    but his fury(AQ) will be shown to his foes.
15 See, the Lord is coming with fire,(AR)
    and his chariots(AS) are like a whirlwind;(AT)
he will bring down his anger with fury,
    and his rebuke(AU) with flames of fire.
16 For with fire(AV) and with his sword(AW)
    the Lord will execute judgment(AX) on all people,
    and many will be those slain(AY) by the Lord.

17 “Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens,(AZ) following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs,(BA) rats(BB) and other unclean things—they will meet their end(BC) together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.

18 “And I, because of what they have planned and done,(BD) am about to come[a] and gather the people of all nations(BE) and languages, and they will come and see my glory.(BF)

19 “I will set a sign(BG) among them, and I will send some of those who survive(BH) to the nations—to Tarshish,(BI) to the Libyans[b] and Lydians(BJ) (famous as archers), to Tubal(BK) and Greece,(BL) and to the distant islands(BM) that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory.(BN) They will proclaim my glory among the nations. 20 And they will bring(BO) all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain(BP) in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,”(BQ) says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels.(BR) 21 And I will select some of them also to be priests(BS) and Levites,” says the Lord.

22 “As the new heavens and the new earth(BT) that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure.(BU) 23 From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath(BV) to another, all mankind will come and bow down(BW) before me,” says the Lord. 24 “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies(BX) of those who rebelled(BY) against me; the worms(BZ) that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched,(CA) and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 66:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
  2. Isaiah 66:19 Some Septuagint manuscripts Put (Libyans); Hebrew Pul

Futuro glorioso de Sión

66 Así dice el Señor:
«El cielo es Mi trono y la tierra el estrado de Mis pies(A).
¿Dónde, pues, está la casa que podrían edificarme?
¿Dónde está el lugar de Mi reposo(B)?
-»Todo esto lo hizo Mi mano(C),
Y así todas estas cosas llegaron a ser», declara el Señor.
«Pero a este miraré:
Al que es humilde y contrito de espíritu(D), y que tiembla ante Mi palabra(E).
¶»El que mata un buey es como el que mata a un hombre,
El que sacrifica un cordero como el que desnuca un perro,
El que presenta ofrenda de cereal como el que ofrece sangre de cerdo(F),
El que quema[a] incienso como el que bendice a un ídolo(G).
Como ellos han escogido sus propios caminos(H),
Y su alma se deleita en sus abominaciones(I),
También Yo escogeré sus castigos[b](J),
Y traeré sobre ellos lo que temen(K).
Porque llamé, pero nadie respondió,
Hablé, pero no escucharon(L).
Más bien hicieron lo malo ante Mis ojos,
Y escogieron lo que no me complacía(M)».
Oigan la palabra del Señor, ustedes que tiemblan ante Su palabra(N):
«Sus hermanos que los aborrecen, que los excluyen por causa de Mi nombre(O),
Han dicho: “Sea el Señor glorificado, para que veamos la alegría de ustedes(P)”.
Pero ellos serán avergonzados(Q).
-»Voz de estruendo viene de la ciudad, una voz sale del templo:
La voz del Señor que da el pago[c] a Sus enemigos(R).
¶»Antes que estuviera de parto, ella dio a luz(S);
Antes que le vinieran los dolores, dio a luz un niño(T).
-»¿Quién ha oído cosa semejante? ¿Quién ha visto tales cosas(U)?
¿Es dado a luz un país en un solo día?
¿Nace una nación toda de una vez?
Pues Sión apenas estuvo de parto, dio a luz a sus hijos.
-»Yo que hago que se abra la matriz, ¿no haré nacer(V)?», dice el Señor.
«Yo que hago nacer, ¿cerraré la matriz?», dice tu Dios.
10 Alégrense con Jerusalén y regocíjense(W) por ella, todos los que la aman(X);
Rebosen de júbilo con ella(Y), todos los que por ella hacen duelo,
11 Para que mamen y se sacien del pecho de sus consolaciones,
Para que chupen y se deleiten de su seno abundante[d](Z).
12 Porque así dice el Señor: «Yo extiendo hacia ella paz como un río(AA),
Y la gloria de las naciones como torrente desbordado(AB).
Y ustedes mamarán, serán llevados sobre la cadera[e] y acariciados sobre las rodillas(AC).
13 -»Como a uno a quien consuela su madre, así los consolaré Yo;
En Jerusalén serán consolados(AD)».
14 Cuando lo vean(AE), se llenará de gozo su corazón(AF),
Y sus huesos florecerán como hierba tierna(AG).
La mano del Señor se dará a conocer a Sus siervos,
Y Su indignación a Sus enemigos(AH).
15 Porque el Señor vendrá en fuego
Y Sus carros como torbellino(AI),
Para descargar Su ira con furor
Y Su reprensión con llamas de fuego(AJ).
16 Porque el Señor juzgará con fuego(AK)
Y con Su espada a toda carne[f](AL),
Y serán muchos los muertos por el Señor.
17 «Los que se santifican y se purifican para ir a los huertos(AM),
Tras uno que está en el centro,
Que comen carne de cerdo, cosas detestables y ratones(AN),
A una perecerán(AO)», declara el Señor.

18 «Pero Yo conozco[g] sus obras y sus pensamientos(AP). Llegará el tiempo de juntar a todas las naciones y lenguas, y vendrán y verán Mi gloria(AQ). 19 Y pondré señal entre ellos y enviaré a sus sobrevivientes a las naciones(AR): a Tarsis(AS), a Fut[h], a Lud(AT), a Mesec, a Ros[i], a Tubal y a Javán[j](AU), a las costas remotas(AV) que no han oído de Mi fama ni han visto Mi gloria. Y ellos anunciarán Mi gloria entre las naciones(AW).

20 »Entonces traerán a todos sus hermanos de todas las naciones como ofrenda al Señor, en caballos, en carros, en literas(AX), en mulos y en camellos, a Mi santo monte, Jerusalén(AY)», dice el Señor, «tal como los israelitas traen su ofrenda de grano en vasijas limpias a la casa del Señor(AZ). 21 Y también tomaré algunos de ellos para sacerdotes(BA) y para levitas», dice el Señor.

22 ¶«Porque como los cielos nuevos y la tierra nueva(BB)
Que Yo hago permanecerán delante de Mí», declara el Señor,
«Así permanecerán su descendencia[k](BC) y su nombre(BD).
23 -»Y sucederá que de luna nueva en luna nueva
Y de día de reposo en día de reposo(BE),
Todo mortal[l] vendrá a postrarse delante de Mí», dice el Señor(BF).
24 «Y cuando salgan, verán
Los cadáveres de los hombres(BG)
Que se rebelaron[m] contra Mí(BH);
Porque su gusano no morirá(BI),
Ni su fuego se apagará(BJ),
Y serán el horror[n] de toda la humanidad[o](BK)».

Footnotes

  1. 66:3 Lit. ofrece memorial de.
  2. 66:4 Lit. maltratos.
  3. 66:6 Lit. la recompensa.
  4. 66:11 O del seno de su gloria.
  5. 66:12 Lit. al costado.
  6. 66:16 O todo ser humano.
  7. 66:18 Así en algunos mss. de la versión gr. (sept.); el texto heb. omite: conozco.
  8. 66:19 En heb. Pul.
  9. 66:19 Así en algunos mss. de la versión gr. (sept.); en heb. a Lud, a los que disparan el arco.
  10. 66:19 I.e. Grecia.
  11. 66:22 Lit. simiente.
  12. 66:23 Lit. toda carne.
  13. 66:24 O transgredieron.
  14. 66:24 O el desprecio.
  15. 66:24 Lit. carne.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.

Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

12 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.

15 For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

16 For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.

18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.

19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.

21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord.

22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.

23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.