Isaiah 66
1 Thus saith the Lord, The heauen is my throne, and the earth is my footestoole: where is that house that ye will builde vnto me? and where is that place of my rest?
Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What is this house that you would build for me? And what is this place of my rest?
2 For all these things hath mine hand made, and all these things haue bene, sayth the Lord: and to him will I looke, euen to him, that is poore, and of a contrite spirite and trembleth at my wordes.
My hand has made all these things, and all these things have been made, says the Lord. But upon whom will I look with favor, except upon a poor little one, who is contrite in spirit, and who trembles at my words?
3 He that killeth a bullocke, is as if he slewe a man: he that sacrificeth a sheepe, as if he cut off a dogges necke: he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swines blood: he that remembreth incense, as if he blessed an idole: yea, they haue chosen their owne wayes, and their soule deliteth in their abominations.
Whoever immolates an ox, it is as if he slaughters a man. Whoever sacrifices a sheep, it is as if he is smashing the head of a dog. Whoever offers an oblation, it is as if he is offering swine’s blood. Whoever makes remembrance with incense, it is as if he is blessing an idol. All these things, they have chosen according to their own ways, and their soul has taken delight in their own abominations.
4 Therefore will I chuse out their delusions, and I will bring their feare vpon them, because I called, and none woulde answere: I spake and they woulde not heare: but they did euill in my sight, and chose the things which I would not.
Therefore, I also will choose their illusions, and I will lead over them the things that they feared. For I called, and there was no one who would respond. I have spoken, and they have not listened. And they have done evil in my eyes; and what I did not will, they have chosen.
5 Heare the worde of the Lord, all ye that tremble at his worde, Your brethren that hated you, and cast you out for my Names sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appeare to your ioy, and they shall be ashamed.
Listen to the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word. Your brothers, who hate you and who cast you out because of my name, have said: “Let the Lord be glorified, and we will see by your rejoicing.” But they themselves will be confounded.
6 A voyce soundeth from the citie, euen a voyce from the Temple, the voyce of the Lord, that recompenseth his enemies fully.
A voice of the people from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord repaying retribution to his enemies!
7 Before she trauailed, she brought foorth: and before her paine came, she was deliuered of a man childe.
Before she was in labor, she gave birth. Before her time arrived for delivery, she gave birth to a male child.
8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seene such things? shall ye earth be brought forth in one day? or shall a nation be borne at once? for assoone as Zion trauailed, she brought foorth her children.
Who has ever heard of such a thing? And who has seen anything like this? Will the earth give birth in one day? Or will a nation be born all at once? For Zion has been in labor, and she has given birth to her sons.
9 Shall I cause to trauaile, and not bring forth? shall I cause to bring forth, and shall be baren, saith thy God?
Will I, who causes others to give birth, not also give birth myself, says the Lord? Will I, who bestows generation upon others, be barren myself, says the Lord your God?
10 Reioyce ye with Ierusalem, and be gladde with her, all ye that loue her: reioyce for ioy with her, all ye that mourne for her,
Rejoice with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all you who love her! Rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her!
11 That ye may sucke and be satisfied with the brestes of her consolation: that ye may milke out and be delited with ye brightnes of her glorie.
So may you nurse and be filled, from the breasts of her consolations. So may you receive milk and overflow with delights, from every portion of her glory.
12 For thus saith the Lord, Beholde, I will extend peace ouer her like a flood, and the glorie of the Gentiles like a flowing streame: then shall ye sucke, ye shall be borne vpon her sides, and be ioyfull vpon her knees.
For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will turn a river of peace toward her, with an inundating torrent: the glory of the Gentiles, from which you will nurse. You will be carried at the breasts, and they will caress you upon the knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you, and ye shall be comforted in Ierusalem.
In the manner of one whom a mother caresses, so will I console you. And you will be consoled in Jerusalem.
14 And when ye see this, your hearts shall reioyce, and your bones shall flourish like an herbe: and the hand of the Lord shall be knowen among his seruants, and his indignation against his enemies.
You will see, and your heart will be glad, and your bones will flourish like a plant, and the hand of the Lord will be known to his servants, and he will be angry with his enemies.
15 For beholde, the Lord will come with fire, and his charets like a whirlewinde, that he may recompence his anger with wrath, and his indignation with the flame of fire.
For behold, the Lord will arrive with fire, and his four-horse chariots will be like a whirlwind: to render his wrath with indignation, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For the Lord will iudge with fire, and with his sworde all flesh, and the slaine of the Lord shall be many.
For the Lord will divide with fire, and with his sword among all flesh, and those slain by the Lord will be many.
17 They that sanctifie themselues, and purifie themselues in the gardens behinde one tree in the middes eating swines flesh, and such abomination, euen the mouse, shall be consumed together, sayeth the Lord.
Those who were sanctified, who thought themselves to be clean in the gardens behind the inner gate, who were eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse: they will be consumed all at once, says the Lord.
18 For I will visite their workes, and their imaginations: for it shall come that I will gather all nations, and tongues, and they shall come, and see my glorie.
But I know their works and their thoughts. I am arriving, so that I may gather them together with all nations and languages. And they will approach, and they will see my glory.
19 And I will set a signe among them, and will send those that escape of them, vnto the nations of Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, and to them that drawe the bowe, to Tubal and Tauan, yles afarre off, that haue not heard my fame, neither haue seene my glorie, and they shall declare my glorie among the Gentiles.
And I will set a sign among them. And I will send some of those who will have been saved to the Gentiles in the sea, to Africa, and to those who draw the bow in Lydia, to Italy and Greece, to islands far away, to those who have not heard of me, and to those who have not seen my glory. And they will announce my glory to the Gentiles.
20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering vnto the Lord out of all nations, vpon horses, and in charets, and in horse litters, and vpon mules, and swift beastes, to Ierusalem mine holy Mountaine, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel, offer in a cleane vessell in the House of the Lord.
And they will lead all of your brothers from all of the Gentiles as a gift to the Lord, on horses, and in four-horse chariots, and on stretchers, and on mules, and in coaches, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, in the same manner that the sons of Israel would carry an offering in a pure vessel into the house of the Lord.
21 And I will take of them for Priestes, and for Leuites, saith the Lord.
And I will take from them to be priests and Levites, says the Lord.
22 For as the newe heauens, and the newe earth which I will make, shall remaine before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seede and your name continue.
For in like manner as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will cause to stand before me, says the Lord, so will your offspring and your name stand.
23 And from moneth to moneth, and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.
And there will be month after month, and Sabbath after Sabbath. And all flesh will approach, so as to adore before my face, says the Lord.
24 And they shall goe forth, and looke vpon the carkases of the men that haue transgressed against me: for their worme shall not dye, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shalbe an abhorring vnto all flesh.
And they will go out, and they will view the carcasses of the men who have transgressed against me. Their worm will not die, and their fire will not be extinguished. And they will be a sight to all flesh even unto revulsion.
