Isaiah 1:10-27

Common English Bible

¹⁰ Hear the Lord’s word, you leaders of Sodom.
    Listen to our God’s teaching,
        people of Gomorrah!
¹¹ What should I think about all your sacrifices?
    says the Lord.
I’m fed up with entirely burned offerings of rams
    and the fat of well-fed beasts.
    I don’t want the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats.
¹² When you come to appear before me,
    who asked this from you,
    this trampling of my temple’s courts?
¹³ Stop bringing worthless offerings.
    Your incense repulses me.
New moon, sabbath, and the calling of an assembly—
    I can’t stand wickedness with celebration!
¹⁴ I hate your new moons and your festivals.
    They’ve become a burden that I’m tired of bearing.
¹⁵ When you extend your hands,
    I’ll hide my eyes from you.
Even when you pray for a long time,
    I won’t listen.
Your hands are stained with blood.
¹⁶     Wash! Be clean!
Remove your ugly deeds from my sight.
    Put an end to such evil;
¹⁷     learn to do good.
Seek justice:
    help the oppressed;^[a]
    defend the orphan;
    plead for the widow.

²¹ This faithful town has become a prostitute!
She was full of justice;
    righteousness lived in her—
    but now murderers.
²² Your silver has become impure;
    your beer is diluted with water.
²³ Your princes are rebels,
    companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe and pursues gifts.
    They don’t defend the orphan,
    and the widow’s cause never reaches them.
²⁴ Therefore, says the Lord God of heavenly forces,
    the mighty one of Israel:
Doom! I will vent my anger against my foes;
    I will take it out on my enemies,
²⁵     and I will turn my hand against you.
I will refine your impurities as with lye,
    and remove all your cinders.
²⁶ Then I will restore your judges as in earlier times,
    and your counselors as at the beginning.
After this you will be called Righteous City, Faithful Town.