Isaiah 57

1 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.

The righteous perish, but no one considers it, and the people of covenant faithfulness are gathered away, but no one understands that the righteous is gathered away from the evil.

2 Let peace arrive. Let he who has walked in his righteousness find rest on his bed.

He enters into peace; they rest in their beds, those who walk in their uprightness.

3 But come here, you sons of the prophetess, you offspring of an adulterous man and a fornicating woman.

But come here, you sons of the sorceress, children of the adulterer and the woman who has prostituted herself.

4 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,

Whom are you merrily mocking? Against whom are you opening the mouth and sticking out the tongue? Are you not children of rebellion, children of deceit?

5 who are being consoled by idols under every leafy tree, immolating little children at the torrents, under the high rocks?

You heat yourselves up sleeping together under the oaks, under every green tree, you who kill your children in the dry riverbeds, under the rocky overhangs.

6 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?

Among the smooth things of the river valley are the things that have been assigned to you. They are the object of your devotion. You pour out your drink offering to them and raise up a grain offering. In these things should I take pleasure?

7 Upon a high and lofty mountain, you have placed your bed, and you have ascended to that place to immolate victims.

You prepared your bed on a high mountain; you also went up there to offer sacrifices.

8 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.

Behind the door and the doorposts you set up your symbols; you deserted me, made yourselves naked, and went up; you made your bed wide. You made a covenant with them; you loved their beds; you saw their private parts.

9 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)

You went to Molech with oil; you multiplied perfumes. You send your ambassadors far away; you went down to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

10 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.

You were tired from your long journey, but you never said, “It is hopeless.” You found life in your hand; therefore you did not weaken.

11 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.

“Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear so much that has caused you to act so deceitfully, so much that you would not remember me or think about me? Because I was silent for so long, you are no longer afraid of me.

12 I will announce your justice, and your works will not benefit you.

I will proclaim all your righteous acts and tell all that you have done, but they will not help you.

13 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.

When you cry out, let your collection of idols rescue you. Instead the wind will carry them all away, a breath will carry them all away. Yet he who takes refuge in me will inherit the land and will take possession of my holy mountain.

14 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!”

He will say, 'Build, build! Clear a way! Remove all the stumbling blocks from the path of my people!'”

15 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.

For this is what the high and elevated One says, who lives eternally, whose name is holy, “I live in the exalted and holy place, with him also that is of a crushed and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble ones, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

16 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.

For I will not accuse forever, nor will I be angry forever, for then man's spirit would faint before me, the lives that I have made.

17 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.

Because of the sin of his violent gain, I was angry, and I punished him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went backward in the way of his heart.

18 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.

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him. I will lead him and comfort and console those who mourn for him,

19 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.

and I create the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to those who are far off and to those who are near—says Yahweh—I will heal them.

20 But the impious are like the raging sea, which is not able to be quieted, and its waves stir up dirt and mud.

But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, and its waters churn up mire and mud.

21 There is no peace for the impious, says the Lord God.

There is no peace for the wicked one—says God.”