Healing and Peace

14 He said,
“Build it up, build it up, prepare the way,
remove every obstacle from my people’s way.”(A)
15 For the High and Exalted One,
who lives forever, whose name is holy,(B) says this:
“I live in a high and holy place,
and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit,(C)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and revive the heart of the oppressed.(D)
16 For I will not accuse you forever,
and I will not always be angry;(E)
for then the spirit would grow weak before me,
even the breath, which I have made.
17 Because of his sinful greed I was angry,(F)
so I struck him; I was angry and hid;
but he went on turning back to the desires of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort
to him and his mourners,(G)
19 creating words of praise.”[a](H)
The Lord says,
“Peace, peace to the one who is far or near,(I)
and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,(J)
for it cannot be still,
and its water churns up mire and muck.
21 There is no peace for the wicked,”
says my God.(K)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 57:19 Lit creating fruit of the lips

Peace for the remorseful

14 It will be said: “Survey, survey; build a road!
    Remove barriers from my people’s road!”
15 The one who is high and lifted up,
    who lives forever, whose name is holy, says:
I live on high, in holiness,
    and also with the crushed[a] and the lowly,
    reviving the spirit of the lowly,
    reviving the heart of those who have been crushed.[b]
16 I won’t always accuse,
    nor will I be enraged forever.
    It is my own doing that their spirit is exhausted—
    I gave them breath!
17 I was enraged about their illegal profits;
    I struck them; in rage I withdrew from them.
Yet they went on wandering wherever they wanted.
18     I have seen their ways, but I will heal them.
    I will guide them,
        and reward them with comfort.
And for those who mourn,
19     I will create reason for praise:[c]
    utter prosperity to those far and near,
    and I will heal them, says the Lord.
20 But the wicked are like the churning sea that can’t keep still.
    They churn up from their waters muck and mud.
21     There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 57:15 Or contrite
  2. Isaiah 57:15 Or contrite
  3. Isaiah 57:19 Heb uncertain