Isaiah 57
NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)
NASB — New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Verse 1
The righteous perish,
and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil.
and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil.
The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart;
And devout men are taken away, while no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from evil,
And devout men are taken away, while no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from evil,
Verse 2
Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death.
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death.
Verse 3
“But you—come here, you children of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
Verse 4
Who are you mocking?
At whom do you sneer
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,
the offspring of liars?
At whom do you sneer
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,
the offspring of liars?
“Against whom do you jest?
Against whom do you open wide your mouth
And stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of rebellion,
Offspring of deceit,
Against whom do you open wide your mouth
And stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of rebellion,
Offspring of deceit,
Verse 5
You burn with lust among the oaks
and under every spreading tree;
you sacrifice your children in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.
and under every spreading tree;
you sacrifice your children in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.
Verse 6
The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings
and offered grain offerings.
In view of all this, should I relent?
indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings
and offered grain offerings.
In view of all this, should I relent?
Verse 7
You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;
there you went up to offer your sacrifices.
there you went up to offer your sacrifices.
“Upon a high and lofty mountain
You have made your bed.
You also went up there to offer sacrifice.
You have made your bed.
You also went up there to offer sacrifice.
Verse 8
Behind your doors and your doorposts
you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,
and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.
you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,
and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.
Verse 9
You went to Molek[a] with olive oil
and increased your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadors[b] far away;
you descended to the very realm of the dead!
and increased your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadors[b] far away;
you descended to the very realm of the dead!
“You have journeyed to the king with oil
And increased your perfumes;
You have sent your envoys a great distance
And made them go down to [k]Sheol.
And increased your perfumes;
You have sent your envoys a great distance
And made them go down to [k]Sheol.
Verse 10
You wearied yourself by such going about,
but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’
You found renewal of your strength,
and so you did not faint.
but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’
You found renewal of your strength,
and so you did not faint.
“You were tired out by the length of your road,
Yet you did not say, ‘It is hopeless.’
You found [l]renewed strength,
Therefore you did not [m]faint.
Yet you did not say, ‘It is hopeless.’
You found [l]renewed strength,
Therefore you did not [m]faint.
Verse 11
“Whom have you so dreaded and feared
that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered me
nor taken this to heart?
Is it not because I have long been silent
that you do not fear me?
that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered me
nor taken this to heart?
Is it not because I have long been silent
that you do not fear me?
“Of whom were you worried and fearful
When you lied, and did not remember Me
[n]Nor give Me a thought?
Was I not silent even for a long time
So you do not fear Me?
When you lied, and did not remember Me
[n]Nor give Me a thought?
Was I not silent even for a long time
So you do not fear Me?
Verse 12
I will expose your righteousness and your works,
and they will not benefit you.
and they will not benefit you.
“I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
But they will not profit you.
But they will not profit you.
Verse 13
When you cry out for help,
let your collection of idols save you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a mere breath will blow them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me
will inherit the land
and possess my holy mountain.”
let your collection of idols save you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a mere breath will blow them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me
will inherit the land
and possess my holy mountain.”
Comfort for the Contrite
“When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will carry all of them up,
And a breath will take them away.
But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land
And will possess My holy mountain.”
But the wind will carry all of them up,
And a breath will take them away.
But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land
And will possess My holy mountain.”
Verse 14
And it will be said:
“Build up, build up, prepare the road!
Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”
And it will be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
Verse 15
For this is what the high and exalted One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
For thus says the high and exalted One
Who [o]lives forever, whose name is Holy,
“I dwell on a high and holy place,
And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.
Who [o]lives forever, whose name is Holy,
“I dwell on a high and holy place,
And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.
Verse 16
I will not accuse them forever,
nor will I always be angry,
for then they would faint away because of me—
the very people I have created.
nor will I always be angry,
for then they would faint away because of me—
the very people I have created.
“For I will not contend forever,
Nor will I always be angry;
For the spirit would grow faint before Me,
And the breath of those whom I have made.
Nor will I always be angry;
For the spirit would grow faint before Me,
And the breath of those whom I have made.
Verse 17
I was enraged by their sinful greed;
I punished them, and hid my face in anger,
yet they kept on in their willful ways.
I punished them, and hid my face in anger,
yet they kept on in their willful ways.
“Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him;
I hid My face and was angry,
And he went on turning away, in the way of his heart.
I hid My face and was angry,
And he went on turning away, in the way of his heart.
Verse 18
I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,
I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,
“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners,
I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners,
Verse 19
creating praise on their lips.
Peace, peace, to those far and near,”
says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
Peace, peace, to those far and near,”
says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
Creating the [p]praise of the lips.
Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,”
Says the Lord, “and I will heal him.”
Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,”
Says the Lord, “and I will heal him.”
Verse 20
But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud.
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud.
But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
For it cannot be quiet,
And its waters toss up refuse and mud.
For it cannot be quiet,
And its waters toss up refuse and mud.
Verse 21
“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”