Isaiah 65
1 I have been inquired of by those who asked not, I have been found by those who sought Me not, I have said, 'Behold Me, behold Me,' Unto a nation not calling in My name.
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!”
2 I have spread out My hands all the day Unto an apostate people, Who are going in the way not good after their own thoughts.
I spread out my hands all day long, pleading with a stubborn people who follow bad ways, doing whatever they choose.
3 The people who are provoking Me to anger, To My face continually, Sacrificing in gardens, and making perfume on the bricks:
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.
4 Who are dwelling among sepulchres, And lodge in reserved places, Who are eating flesh of the sow, And a piece of abominable things — their vessels.
They spend the night among the graves and in caves, eating pork and cooking other unclean meats.
5 Who are saying, 'Keep to thyself, come not nigh to me, For I have declared thee unholy.' These [are] a smoke in Mine anger, A fire burning all the day.
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!
6 Lo, it is written before Me: 'I am not silent, but have recompensed; And I have recompensed into their bosom,
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.
7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, said Jehovah, Who have made perfume on the mountains, And on the heights have reproached Me, And I have measured their former work into their bosom.'
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.
8 Thus said Jehovah: As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one hath said, 'Destroy it not for a blessing [is] in it,' So I do for My servants' sake, not to destroy the whole.
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.
9 And I have brought out from Jacob a seed, And from Judah a possessor of My mount, And possess it do My chosen ones, And My servants do dwell there.
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.
10 And Sharon hath been for the habitation of a flock, And the valley of Achor for the lying down of a herd, For My people who have sought Me.
Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to rest, for my people who follow me.
11 And ye [are] those forsaking Jehovah, Who are forgetting My holy mountain, Who are setting in array for Gad a table, And who are filling for Meni a mixture.
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,
12 And I have numbered you for the sword, And all of you for slaughter bow down, Because I called, and ye have not answered, I have spoken, and ye have not hearkened, And ye do the evil thing in Mine eyes, And on that which I desired not — fixed.
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.
13 Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, My servants do eat, and ye do hunger, Lo, My servants do drink, and ye do thirst, Lo, My servants rejoice, and ye are ashamed,
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.
14 Lo, My servants sing from joy of heart, And ye cry from pain of heart, And from breaking of spirit ye do howl.
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.
15 And ye have left your name For an oath for My chosen ones, And the Lord Jehovah hath put thee to death, And to His servants He giveth another name.
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.
16 So that he who is blessing himself in the earth, Doth bless himself In the God of faithfulness, And he who is swearing in the earth, Doth swear by the God of faithfulness, Because the former distresses have been forgotten, And because they have been hid from Mine eyes.
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.
17 For, lo, I am creating new heavens, and a new earth, And the former things are not remembered, Nor do they ascend on the heart.
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!
18 But joy ye, and rejoice for ever, that I [am] Creator, For, lo, I am creating Jerusalem a rejoicing, And her people a joy.
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.
19 And I have rejoiced in Jerusalem, And have joyed in My people, And not heard in her any more Is the voice of weeping, and the voice of crying.
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.
20 There is not thence any more a suckling of days, And an aged man who doth not complete his days, For the youth a hundred years old dieth, And the sinner, a hundred years old, is lightly esteemed.
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.
21 And they have built houses, and inhabited, And planted vineyards, and eaten their fruit.
They will build houses and live in them; they will eat the fruit of the vineyards they themselves planted.
22 They do not build, and another inhabit, They do not plant, and another eat, For as the days of a tree [are] the days of My people, And the work of their hands wear out do My chosen ones.
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.
23 They labour not for a vain thing, Nor do they bring forth for trouble, For the seed of the blessed of Jehovah [are] they, And their offspring with them.
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.
24 And it hath come to pass, They do not yet call, and I answer, They are yet speaking, and I hear.
I will reply even before they ask me. While they are still speaking, I will answer them!
25 Wolf and lamb do feed as one, And a lion as an ox eateth straw, As to the serpent — dust [is] its food, They do no evil, nor destroy, In all My holy mountain, said Jehovah!
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.
