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 saith Jehovah: Heaven is my throne, And the earth my footstool; Where is the house that ye can build 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; By it do all these things exist, saith Jehovah. But to this man will I look, Even to him who is humble and 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 slayeth an ox killeth a man; He that sacrificeth a lamb beheadeth a dog; He that maketh an oblation offereth swine's blood; He that burneth incense blesseth an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, And in their abominations their souls 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.
I also will choose their calamities; What they dread I will bring upon them; Because I called, and no one answered, I spake, and they did not hear; But they did what is evil in my sight, And chose that in which I have no delight.
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 Jehovah, Ye that tremble at his word! “Your brethren that hate you, And thrust you out for my name's sake, have said, “May Jehovah be glorified, that we may see your joy!” But they shall be confounded.
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.
A voice of tumult from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of Jehovah, rendering recompense to his enemies!
7 She gave birth before she went into labor, she delivered a boy before the pains came.
Before she was in travail, she brought forth, Before her pangs came, she was delivered of a son.
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 such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Is a country brought forth in a day? Is a nation born at once? For as soon as Zion was in travail, she 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 Jehovah; Shall I, who beget, restrain the birth? 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 exult for her, all ye that love her! Be very joyful 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.
That ye may suck, and be satisfied, from the breast of her consolations, That ye may suck and be delighted with the fulness 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 saith Jehovah: Behold, I will bring prosperity to her like a river, And the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; Ye shall suck at the breast, Ye shall be carried on the arm, And on the 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.
Ye shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like a green plant, And the hand of Jehovah shall be manifested to his servants, And be moved with indignation against 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, Jehovah cometh with fire, Like a whirlwind are his chariots, To breathe forth his anger in a glowing heat, And his rebuke in 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 with fire will Jehovah contend, And with his sword, with all flesh, And many shall be the slain of Jehovah.
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 who sanctify and purify themselves in the groves, Following one in the midst, Who eat swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse. They shall all perish together, saith Jehovah.
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.
For I know their works, and their thoughts; The time cometh to gather all nations and tongues together; They shall come, and behold 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 give a sign among them, And of those that escape I will send to the nations, To Tarshish, Phul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, To the distant coasts, who never heard my name, And who never saw my glory; And they shall declare 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 From all the nations, an offering to Jehovah, Upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules and dromedaries, To my holy mountain, Jerusalem, saith Jehovah, As the sons of Israel bring their gifts In pure vessels to the house of Jehovah.
21 I will choose some of them as priests and Levites, says the Lord.
And of them will I also take For priests and for Levites, saith Jehovah.
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 make, Endure before me, saith Jehovah, So shall your race and your name endure.
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 be, from new moon to new moon, And from sabbath to sabbath, That all flesh shall come and worship before me, saith Jehovah.
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.
Then shall they go forth and see The dead bodies of the men that rebelled against me! For their worm shall not die, And their fire shall not be quenched, And they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.
