Isaiah 65
1 I let myself be consulted by people who weren't even asking me questions; I let myself be found by people who weren't even looking for me. To a nation that wasn't even calling for me, I said, “I'm here, I'm here!”
I am sought out of them that inquired not [for me], I am found of them that sought me not; I have said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
2 I spread out my hands all day long, pleading with a stubborn people who follow bad ways, doing whatever they choose.
I have stretched out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, who walk in a way not good, after their own thoughts;
3 These people are always making me angry, because they present sacrifices to idols in their sacred gardens, and offer incense on pagan altars made of brick.
the people that provoke me to anger continually to my face, sacrificing in gardens and burning incense upon the bricks;
4 They spend the night among the graves and in caves, eating pork and cooking other unclean meats.
who sit down among the graves, and lodge in the secret places; who eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things [is in] their vessels;
5 They tell others, “Keep your distance! Don't come close to me as I'm too holy to be touched by you!” These people are like smoke in my nostrils, a stink burning all day long!
who say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
6 Look—it's all written down right in front of me! I'm not going to keep quiet. I'm going to pay them back by throwing their punishment into their laps.
Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
7 I'm going to pay you back for both your own sins and the sins of your forefathers, says the Lord, because they burned incense on the mountains and ridiculed me on the hills. I'm going to measure into their laps full payment for what they've done.
your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith Jehovah, who have burned incense upon the mountains, and outraged me upon the hills; and I will measure their former work into their bosom.
8 This is what the Lord says: It's like when there's a bit of juice left in a bunch of grapes and people say, “Don't get rid of it all; there's still some good in it,” I'll do the same for my servants—I won't destroy them all.
Thus saith Jehovah: As the new wine is found in the cluster, and it is said, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it; so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy [them] all.
9 I will make sure Jacob has descendants, and people from Judah who can take ownership of my mountain. My chosen ones, my servants, will own the land and live there.
And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah a possessor of my mountains; and mine elect shall possess it, and my servants shall dwell there.
10 Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to rest, for my people who follow me.
And the Sharon shall be a fold for flocks, and the valley of Achor a couching-place of the herds, for my people that have sought me.
11 But those of you who desert the Lord and forget about my holy mountain, who prepare feasts for the god of good luck, who fill jugs of mixed wine for the god of destiny,
But ye who forsake Jehovah, who forget my holy mountain, who prepare a table for Gad, and fill up mixed wine unto Meni:
12 I will make sure your destiny is to be killed by the sword. All of you will bow down to be slaughtered, because I called out to you but you didn't answer; I spoke to you, but you didn't listen. Instead you did what's evil in my sight, choosing to do what I hate.
I will even assign you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down in the slaughter; because I called, and ye did not answer, I spoke, and ye did not hear; but ye did what was evil in mine eyes, and chose that wherein I delight not.
13 So this is what the Lord says, My servants will eat, but you will go hungry. My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty. My servants will celebrate, but you will feel ashamed.
Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, my servants shall eat, and ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, and ye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, and ye shall be ashamed;
14 Listen! My servants will shout because they're so happy inside, but you will cry out in deepest pain, howling because your spirit is broken.
behold, my servants shall sing aloud for gladness of heart, and ye shall cry out for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
15 Your name will only be used as a curse by my chosen ones, for the Lord God will kill you and give his servants another name.
And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto mine elect; for the Lord Jehovah will slay thee, and will call his servants by another name:
16 Whoever asks a blessing or takes an oath in the land will do so by the one true God, for I have forgotten the troubles of the past—I don't look on them anymore.
so that he who blesseth himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the land shall swear by the God of truth: because the former troubles shall be forgotten, and because they shall be hidden from mine eyes.
17 Look! I'm going to create new heavens and a new earth. The former things won't be remembered—they won't cross anyone's mind!
For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18 Be glad, and be happy forever and ever in what I'm going to create, for I will make Jerusalem a delightful place, and its people a real joy.
But be glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create. For behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19 I will be so happy over Jerusalem; I will celebrate among my people. The sound of weeping and cries for help won't ever be heard there again.
And I will rejoice over Jerusalem, and will joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
20 No babies will die after just a few days, and no adults will die without having lived a long life. Those who reach a hundred will be thought of as just a child, and anyone who doesn't reach a hundred will be seen as being under a curse.
There shall be no more thenceforth an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not completed his days; for the youth shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They will build houses and live in them; they will eat the fruit of the vineyards they themselves planted.
And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof:
22 No longer will they build houses for others to live in; no longer will they plant for others to eat. For my people will live as long as trees do; my chosen ones will live long enough to enjoy all they've worked for.
they shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They won't work for nothing, and they won't have children destined for disaster. For they are people living under the blessing of the Lord, and their children will be too.
They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for terror; for they are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them.
24 I will reply even before they ask me. While they are still speaking, I will answer them!
And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb will eat together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. The snakes will eat dust. Nothing will cause any harm or damage anywhere on my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord in the same way that water fills the sea.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith Jehovah.
