Isaiah 56
1 This is what the Lord says: Follow the law, and do what is right, for my salvation will soon arrive, and my goodness will be revealed.
Thus saith the Lord, Keepe iudgement and doe iustice: for my saluation is at hand to come, and my righteousnes to be reueiled.
2 Blessed is everyone who does this—those who keep to it, who observe the Sabbath without violating it, and who don't do anything wrong.
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the sonne of man which layeth holde on it: hee that keepeth the Sabbath and polluteth it not, and keepeth his hand from doing any euill.
3 Don't allow foreigners who have dedicated themselves to the Lord say, “The Lord will definitely exclude me from his people.” And don't allow eunuchs to say, “Look at me—I'm as worthless as a dried-up tree because I'm childless.”
And let not the sonne of the stranger, which is ioyned to the Lord, speake and say, The Lord hath surely separate me from his people: neither let the Eunuch say, Beholde, I am a drye tree.
4 For this is what the Lord says: To the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths, who choose to do what pleases me, and to keep my agreement,
For thus saith the Lord vnto the Eunuches, that keepe my Sabbaths, and chuse the thing that pleaseth me, and take holde of my couenant,
5 I will give them, in my house and within my walls, a place to remember them and a reputation better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting reputation that will never fade.
Euen vnto them wil I giue in mine House and within my walles, a place and a name better then of the sonnes and of the daughters: I will giue them an euerlasting name, that shall not be put out.
6 About the foreigners who have dedicated themselves to the Lord, who worship him, who love the Lord, and who are his servants, everyone who observes the Sabbath without violating it and who keep to my agreement—
Also the strangers that cleaue vnto the Lord, to serue him, and to loue the Name of the Lord, and to be his seruants: euery one that keepeth the Sabbath, and polluteth it not and imbraceth my couenant,
7 I will bring these foreigners to my holy mountain and make them happy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.
Them wil I bring also to mine holy mountaine, and make them ioyfull in mine House of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted vpon mine altar: for mine House shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
8 This is what the Lord God says, who brought back the scattered people of Israel: I will bring back still others to join you.
The Lord God sayth, which gathereth the scattered of Israel, Yet wil I gather to them those that are to be gathered to them.
9 Come, wild animals, wild animals of the countryside and forests, come and eat my people!
All ye beastes of the fielde, come to deuoure, euen all ye beastes of the forest.
10 For all the watchmen are blind. None of them know what's going on. They're all silent—they can't bark. They spend their time lying down, dreaming, loving to sleep.
Their watchmen are all blinde: they haue no knowledge: they are all dumme dogs: they can not barke: they lie and sleepe and delite in sleeping.
11 They're greedy dogs that are never satisfied. They're sheepdogs who don't know their job. All of them go their own way, each of them looking out for themselves.
And these griedy dogs can neuer haue ynough: and these shepheards cannot vnderstand: for they all looke to their owne way, euery one for his aduantage, and for his owne purpose.
12 “Come on,” they say, “I'll get some wine and let's get drunk! We'll do this today, and tomorrow we'll drink so much more!”
Come, I wil bring wine, and we wil fill our selues with strong drinke, and to morowe shalbe as this day, and much more abundant.
