Isaiah 57
1 The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are swept away, while no one considers that the righteous are guided from the presence of evil.
The just man perishes, and there is no one who acknowledges it in his heart; and men of mercy are taken away, for there is no one who understands. For the just man has been taken away before the face of malice.
2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest, lying down in death.
Let peace arrive. Let he who has walked in his righteousness find rest on his bed.
3 “But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
But come here, you sons of the prophetess, you offspring of an adulterous man and a fornicating woman.
4 Whom are you mocking? At whom do you snarl and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit,
Whom are you mocking? Against whom have you opened your mouth wide and wagged your tongue? Are you not sons of wickedness, a lying offspring,
5 who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
who are being consoled by idols under every leafy tree, immolating little children at the torrents, under the high rocks?
6 Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these?
Your portion is in the currents of the torrent; this is your lot! And you yourselves have poured out libations to them; you have offered sacrifice. Should I not be angry over these things?
7 On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices.
Upon a high and lofty mountain, you have placed your bed, and you have ascended to that place to immolate victims.
8 Behind the door and doorpost you have set up your memorial. Forsaking Me, you uncovered your bed; you climbed up and opened it wide. And you have made a pact with those whose bed you have loved; you have gazed upon their nakedness.
And behind the door, and beyond the post, you have set up your memorial. For you uncovered yourself next to me, and you received an adulterer. You widened your bed, and you formed a pact with them. You loved their bed with an open hand.
9 You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself. (Sheol h7585)
And you have adorned yourself for the king with ointments, and you have increased your cosmetics. You have sent your representatives to distant places, and you have debased yourself all the way to Hell. (Sheol h7585)
10 You are wearied by your many journeys, but you did not say, “There is no hope!” You found renewal of your strength; therefore you did not grow weak.
You have been wearied by the multitude of your own ways. Yet you did not say, “I will cease.” You have found life by your own hand; because of this, you have not prayed.
11 Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and failed to remember Me or take this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear Me?
For whose sake have you been anxiously afraid, so that you would lie and not be mindful of me, nor consider me in your heart? For I am silent, and I am like someone who does not see, and so you have forgotten me.
12 I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not profit you.
I will announce your justice, and your works will not benefit you.
13 When you cry out, let your companies of idols deliver you! Yet the wind will carry off all of them, a breath will take them away. But he who seeks refuge in Me will inherit the land and possess My holy mountain.”
When you cry out, let your followers free you. But the wind will carry them all away; a breeze will take them up. But he who has faith in me will inherit the earth and will possess my holy mountain.
14 And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
And I will say: “Make way! Grant passage! Move to the side of the path! Take the obstacles out of the way of my people!”
15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
For this is said by the Most High, the Sublime One, who dwells in eternity. And his name is Holy, for he dwells in the exalted and holy place, and he acts with a restrained and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I will not accuse you forever, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me, with the breath of those I have made.
For I will not contend unceasingly, and I will not be angry to the end. For I will exhale my breath, and the Spirit will go forth from my face.
17 I was enraged by his sinful greed, so I struck him and hid My face in anger; yet he kept turning back to the desires of his heart.
Because of the iniquity of his avarice, I was angry, and I struck him down. I concealed my face from you, and I was angry. And he went astray by wandering in his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,
I saw his ways, and I healed him, and I led him back again, and I restored consolations to him and to those who mourn for him.
19 bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”
I created the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him who is far away, and peace to him who is near, said the Lord, and I healed him.
20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.
But the impious are like the raging sea, which is not able to be quieted, and its waves stir up dirt and mud.
21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
There is no peace for the impious, says the Lord God.
