Isaiah 66

1 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?

Thus hath said the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is there a house that ye can build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

2 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.

For all these things hath my hand made, that all these things came into being, saith the Lord; but upon such a one will I look, upon the poor, and him who is of a contrite spirit, and who trembleth at my word.

3 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,

He that slaughtereth the ox, slayeth a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, breaketh the neck of a dog; he that offereth a meat-offering, [offereth] swine's blood; he that burneth incense, blesseth an idol: yea, they have made choice of their own ways, and in their abominations doth their soul delight.

4 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.

So will I also make choice of their misfortune, and what they dread will I bring upon them; because I called, and none did answer; I spoke, and they did not hear; and they did what is evil in my eyes, and that in which I delighted not did they choose.

5 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.

Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for the sake of my name, said, “Let the Lord be glorified;” but he will appear to your joy, and they shall be made ashamed.

6 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.

[There is] a voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, the voice of the Lord who rendereth recompense to his enemies.

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

Before she had travailed she brought forth; before yet her pain was come, she was delivered of a man-child.

8 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.

Who hath heard the like? who hath seen such things? shall a land be made to travail in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? that Zion hath travailed, also brought forth her children?

9 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.

Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord; or shall I who cause to bring forth, now prevent it? saith thy God.

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

Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be delighted over her, all ye that love her; be highly glad with her, all ye that mourn for her.

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

In order that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breast of her consolations; in order that ye may sip, and find pleasure from the abundance of her glory.

12 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.

For thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will extend to her peace like a river, and like a rapid stream the glory of nations, that ye may suck: upon the arm shall ye be borne, and upon knees shall ye be dandled.

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

As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and in Jerusalem shall ye be comforted.

14 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.

And ye shall see this, and your heart shall be glad, and your bones shall flourish like the grass; and then will be known the hand of the Lord on his servants, and he will be indignant toward his enemies.

15 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.

For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and his chariots will be like the storm-wind, to send forth his anger with fury, and his threatening with flames of fire.

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

For by fire will the Lord judge, and by his sword against all flesh: and many shall be the slain of the Lord.

17 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.

They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves for the gardens, behind one tree in the midst, they who eat the flesh of the swine, and the abomination, and the mouse, together shall they perish, saith the Lord.

18 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.

And I, because of their works and their thoughts, will let it come to pass to gather all the nations and tongues; and they shall come, and shall see my glory.

19 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.

And I will display a sign on them, and I will send from them those that escape unto the nations, Tharshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, Thubal, and Javan, the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, and have not seen my glory; and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations.

20 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.

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

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

And of them also will I take for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord.

22 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.

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall have permanence before me, saith the Lord, so shall exist permanently your seed and your name.

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

And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to the other new moon, and from one sabbath to the other sabbath, shall all flesh come to prostrate themselves before me, saith the Lord.

24 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.

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, nor shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorrence unto all flesh.