Isaiah 1:21-26
New American Standard Bible
Zion Corrupted; Will Be Redeemed
21 How the faithful city has become a (A)prostitute,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once dwelt in her,
But now murderers.
22 Your silver has become [a]waste matter,
Your drink diluted with water.
23 Your (B)rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone (C)loves a bribe
And chases after gifts.
They (D)do not obtain justice for the [b]orphan,
Nor does the widow’s case come before them.
24 Therefore the Lord [c]God of armies,
The (E)Mighty One of Israel, declares,
“Ah, I will have satisfaction against My adversaries,
And (F)avenge Myself on My enemies.
25 I will also turn My hand against you,
And (G)smelt away your impurities as with lye;
And I will remove all your slag.
26 Then I will restore your (H)judges as at first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the (I)city of righteousness,
A faithful city.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:22 Lit dross
- Isaiah 1:23 Or fatherless
- Isaiah 1:24 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
Isaiah 1:21-26
New Living Translation
Unfaithful Jerusalem
21 See how Jerusalem, once so faithful,
has become a prostitute.
Once the home of justice and righteousness,
she is now filled with murderers.
22 Once like pure silver,
you have become like worthless slag.
Once so pure,
you are now like watered-down wine.
23 Your leaders are rebels,
the companions of thieves.
All of them love bribes
and demand payoffs,
but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans
or fight for the rights of widows.
24 Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
the Mighty One of Israel, says,
“I will take revenge on my enemies
and pay back my foes!
25 I will raise my fist against you.
I will melt you down and skim off your slag.
I will remove all your impurities.
26 Then I will give you good judges again
and wise counselors like you used to have.
Then Jerusalem will again be called the Home of Justice
and the Faithful City.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.