Isaiah 1

Isaiah chapter 1

These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning
Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years
When Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were kings of Judah

A Message for Rebellious Judah
Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the Lord says
"The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me
Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master'
S care. But Israel doesn't know its master; my people don'
T recognize my care for them. Oh, what a sinful nation they
Are, loaded down with the burden of guilt! They are evil people
Corrupt children who have rejected the Lord; they have
Despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him."

Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel forever?

Your head is injured, and your heart is sick. You are battered
From head to foot, covered with bruises, welts and infected
Wounds, without any soothing ointments or bandages. Your country
Lies in ruins, and your towns are burned. Foreigners plunder
Your fields before your eyes and destroy everything they see

Beautiful Jerusalem stands abandoned, like a watchman'
S shelter in a vineyard, like a lean-to in a cucumber field
After the harvest, like a helpless city under siege. If the
Lord of Heaven's Armies had not spared a few of us, we would
Have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah

Listen to the Lord, you leaders of Sodom!
Listen to the law of our God, people of Gomorrah!

"What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?" says the Lord. "

I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened

Cattle; I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and

Goats. When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through

My courts with all your ceremony? Stop bringing me your meaningless

Gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me. As for your

Celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days

For fasting, they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your

Pious meetings. I hate your new-moon celebrations and your annual

Festivals. They are a burden to me; I cannot stand them. When you

Lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer

Many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with
The blood of innocent victims. Wash yourselves and be clean. Get
Your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good
Seek justice, help the oppressed, defend the cause of orphans
Fight for the rights of widows." "Come now, let's settle this,"
Says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them
As white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make
Them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have
Plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will
Be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken."

Unfaithful Jerusalem

See how Jerusalem, once so faithful, has become a prostitute!
Once the home of justice and righteousness, she is now filled
With murderers. Once like pure silver, you have become like
Worthless slag. Once so pure, you are now like watered-down
Wine. 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

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. I will raise my fist against you. I will melt you down and skim
Off your slag; I will remove all your impurities. 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. Zion will be restored by justice. Those who repent
Will be revived by righteousness. But rebels and sinners will be
Completely destroyed, and those who desert the Lord will be consumed

You will be ashamed of your idol worship in groves of sacred oaks
You will blush because you worshiped in gardens dedicated
To idols. You will be like a great tree with withered leaves
Like a garden without water. The strongest among you will
Disappear like straw. Their evil deeds will be the spark
That sets it on fire. They and their evil works will burn
Up together, and no one will be able to put out the fire."