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 Jehovah: Keep ye justice, and practise righteousness; For the coming of my salvation is near, And my deliverance is soon to be revealed.
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.
Happy the man that doeth this, And the son of man that holdeth it fast; That keepeth the sabbath, and profaneth it not, And restraineth his hand from doing evil.
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 stranger that joineth himself to Jehovah say, Jehovah hath wholly separated me from his people. And let not the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry 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 Jehovah concerning the eunuchs: They that keep my sabbaths, And take pleasure in doing my will, And hold fast my covenant,
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.
To them will I give in my house, and within my walls, a portion and a name, Better than of sons and daughters; An everlasting name will I give them, That shall never fade away.
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—
The strangers, also, that join themselves to Jehovah, to serve him, To love the name of Jehovah, and to be his servants. Every one that keepeth the sabbath, and profaneth it not, And holdeth fast my covenant,
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 will I bring to my holy mountain, And I will make them rejoice in my house of prayer; Their burnt-offerings and sacrifices shall be accepted on mine altar; For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.
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.
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, That gathereth the outcasts of Israel; Yet will I gather others to him, Besides those that are already gathered.
9 Come, wild animals, wild animals of the countryside and forests, come and eat my people!
Come, all ye beasts of the field, Yea, all ye beasts of the forest, to devour!
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.
His watchmen are all blind; they know nothing; They are all dumb dogs, that cannot bark, Dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber;
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.
Yet are they greedy dogs that cannot be satisfied; The shepherds themselves will not attend; They all turn aside to their own way, Every one of them to their own gain.
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 on, let me bring wine, And let us fill ourselves with strong drink, And to-morrow shall be as to-day, And even much more abundant.”
