Isaiah 1

¹The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. ²Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for Yahweh has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. ³The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know, my people don’t consider.” ⁴Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Yahweh. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward. ⁵Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. ⁶From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it: wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, neither bandaged, neither soothed with oil. ⁷Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. ⁸The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a besieged city. ⁹Unless Yahweh of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom; we would have been like Gomorrah. ¹⁰Hear Yahweh’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! ¹¹“What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says Yahweh. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats. ¹²When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts? ¹³Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me; new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can’t stand evil assemblies. ¹⁴My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them. ¹⁵When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. ¹⁶Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. ¹⁷Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow.” ¹⁸“Come now, and let us reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. ¹⁹If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; ²⁰but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.” ²¹How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice; righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. ²²Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. ²³Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They don’t judge the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them. ²⁴Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies; ²⁵and I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin. ²⁶I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called ‘The city of righteousness, a faithful town.’ ²⁷Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness. ²⁸But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake Yahweh shall be consumed. ²⁹For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen. ³⁰For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water. ³¹The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”

World English Bible (public domain)