Isaiah 66

1 Thus saith the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool: what is this house that you will build to me? and what is this place of my rest?

This is what the Lord says: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is where I place my feet. So where will this house be that you're going to build for me? Where will I lie down to rest?

2 My hand made all these things, and all these things were made, saith the Lord. But to whom shall I have respect, but to him that is poor and little, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my words?

I made everything; that's how it all came into existence, says the Lord. Those I look favorably on are humble and repentant, and they tremble when I speak.

3 He that sacrificeth an ox, is as if he slew a man: he that killeth a sheep in sacrifice, as if he should brain a dog: he that offereth an oblation, as if he should offer swine’s blood; he that remembereth incense, as if he should bless an idol. All these things have they chosen in their ways, and their soul is delighted in their abominations.

When someone sacrifices a bull it's like human sacrifice, and when someone sacrifices a lamb, it's like breaking the neck of a dog. When they present a grain offering it's like presenting pig's blood, and when they burn incense it's like worshiping an idol. Since they have chosen to act like this and to love such disgusting things,

4 Wherefore I also will choose their mockeries, and will bring upon them the things they feared: because I called, and there was none that would answer; I have spoken, and they heard not; and they have done evil in my eyes, and have chosen the things that displease me.

I will also choose to punish them severely and to terrify them, because I called out to them but no one answered; I spoke to them, but no one listened. Instead they did what's evil in my sight, choosing to do what I hate.

5 Hear the word of the Lord, you that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hate you, and cast you out for my name’s sake, have said: Let the Lord be glorified, and we shall see in your joy: but they shall be confounded.

Listen to what the Lord has to say, those of you who tremble when he speaks. This is what some of your people who hate you and throw you out have said, “Let the Lord be glorified, so we can see how happy you are!” but it's them who are going to be humiliated.

6 A voice of the people from the city, a voice from the temple, the voice of the Lord that rendereth recompense to his enemies.

Hear all the shouting from the city! Hear all the noise from the Temple! It's the sound of the Lord giving his enemies back what they deserve.

7 Before she was in labour, she brought forth; before her time came to be delivered, she brought forth a man child.

She gave birth before she went into labor, she delivered a boy before the pains came.

8 Who hath ever heard such a thing? and who hath seen the like to this? shall the earth bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be brought forth at once, because Sion hath been in labour, and hath brought forth her children?

Who has ever heard of anything like this? Who has seen this kind of thing before? Can a country be delivered in a day, can a nation be born in a moment? Yet as soon as Zion went into labor, she gave birth to her children.

9 Shall not I that make others to bring forth children, myself bring forth, saith the Lord? shall I, that give generation to others, be barren, saith the Lord thy God?

Would I bring a baby to the point of birth and then not deliver it? the Lord asks. Would I who deliver the baby stop it from being born? the Lord asks again.

10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her.

Celebrate with Jerusalem and be happy for her, everyone who loves her; celebrate with her and sing for joy, everyone who mourns over her.

11 That you may suck, and be filled with the breasts of her consolations: that you may milk out, and flow with delights, from the abundance of her glory.

Like a baby you can nurse at her breasts that bring comfort, drinking deeply and being satisfied by all she has to give.

12 For thus saith the Lord: Behold I will bring upon her as it were a river of peace, and as an overflowing torrent the glory of the Gentiles, which you shall suck; you shall be carried at the breasts, and upon the knees they shall caress you.

This is what the Lord says: Watch! I'm going to give her peace and prosperity like a flowing river, the wealth of nations like an overflowing stream. You will nurse and be carried on her hip and played with on her knees.

13 As one whom the mother caresseth, so will I comfort you, and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

Like a mother comforting her child, I will comfort you. You will be comforted in Jerusalem.

14 You shall see and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb, and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and he shall be angry with his enemies.

When you see this happening, you'll be happy deep inside, and you'll prosper like growing grass. The Lord's power will be recognized as blessing his servants and cursing his enemies.

15 For behold the Lord will come with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind, to render his wrath in indignation, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

Look! The Lord is coming surrounded by fire, his chariots whirling like the wind, to express his anger with fury, to give his reprimand in flames of fire.

16 For the Lord shall judge by fire, and by his sword unto all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

The Lord will execute judgment on everyone by fire and by his sword. There will be many killed by the Lord.

17 They that were sanctified, and thought themselves clean in the gardens behind the gate within, they that did eat swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse: they shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.

Those who dedicate themselves and make themselves pure in order to enter the sacred gardens, to worship the idol placed in the center, and to eat pork and vermin and rats and other disgusting things—they will all die together, says the Lord.

18 But I know their works, and their thoughts: I come that I may gather them together with all nations and tongues: and they shall come and shall see my glory.

I know what they're doing and what they're thinking. I will soon come to gather all nations and peoples of different languages. They will come and see my glory.

19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send of them that shall be saved, to the Gentiles into the sea, into Africa, and Lydia them that draw the bow: into Italy, and Greece, to the islands afar off, to them that have not heard of me, and have not seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory to the Gentiles:

I will give them a sign, and I will send some who survive to the nations. They will go to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (who are famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant lands that haven't heard about me or seen my glory. They will announce my glory among the nations.

20 And they shall bring all your brethren out of all nations for a gift to the Lord, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and in coaches, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as if the children of Israel should bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.

They will bring back all your people from every nations to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord. They will come on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels, says the Lord. They will bring them in the same way the Israelites bring their grain offerings to the Lord's Temple using vessels that are ceremonially clean.

21 And I will take of them to be priests, and Levites, saith the Lord.

I will choose some of them as priests and Levites, says the Lord.

22 For as the new heavens, and the new earth, which I will make to stand before me, saith the Lord: so shall your seed stand, and your name.

As the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, will last forever, so your descendants and your reputation will also last forever, says the Lord.

23 And there shall be month after month, and sabbath after sabbath: and all flesh shall come to adore before my face, saith the Lord.

Everyone will come and worship me, from one New Moon to the next, and from one Sabbath to the next, says the Lord.

24 And they shall go out, and see the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched: and they shall be a loathsome sight to all flesh.

They will go out and see the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me. The worms that eat them won't die, the fire that burns them won't go out, and everyone who sees them will be horrified.