Isaiah 56
1 Thus says the LORD, "Keep justice, and do righteousness; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.
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.
2 Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast; who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."
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.
3 Neither let the foreigner, who has joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, "The LORD will surely separate me from his people"; neither let the eunuch say, "Look, I am a dry tree."
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.”
4 For thus says the LORD, "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and hold fast my covenant:
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,
5 to them I will give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
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.
6 Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant;
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—
7 even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples."
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.
8 The LORD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, "Yet will I gather others to him, besides his own who are gathered."
This is what the Lord God says, who brought back the scattered people of Israel: I will bring back still others to join you.
9 All you animals of the field, come to devour, all you animals in the forest.
Come, wild animals, wild animals of the countryside and forests, come and eat my people!
10 His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they can't bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.
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.
11 Yes, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds who can't understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.
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.
12 "Come," say they, "I will get wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, great beyond measure."
“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!”
