Isaiah 1

1 The vision Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, who ruled Judah.

2 Listen, heaven, and pay attention, earth, because the Lord has spoken:

“I raised children and brought them up, but they rebelled against me.”

3 “The ox knows its owner, and the donkey knows its master’s feeding trough, but Israel does not know me, and my people do not understand.”

4 “Ah, sinful nation, people full of sins, evil offspring, lawless children! You have abandoned the Lord and provoked the Holy One of Israel.”

5 “Why should you be struck again when you only add more lawlessness? The whole head is in pain, and the whole heart is in sorrow.”

6 “From foot to head, neither wound nor bruise nor festering sore; there is no ointment to apply, nor oil, nor bandages.”

7 “Your land is desolate, your cities are burned with fire, and foreigners devour your land before your eyes. It has been overthrown by foreign nations.”

8 “Zion’s daughter will be left like a tent in a vineyard, a fruit watchman’s shelter in a cucumber field, or a city under siege.”

9 “If the Lord of armies had not left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom and resembled Gomorrah.”

10 “Hear the word of the Lord, rulers of Sodom. Pay attention to the law of God, people of Gomorrah.”

11 “‘What use is the abundance of your sacrifices to me?’ says the Lord. ‘I have had enough of whole burnt offerings of rams. I do not delight in the fat of lambs or the blood of bulls and goats.’”

12 “Do not come with these things to appear before me. Who asked you to bring them? You will no longer trample my court.”

13 “Even if you bring fine flour, it is useless. Incense is detestable to me. I cannot endure your new-moon festivals, Sabbaths, and great day.”

14 “My soul hates your fasting, rest from work, new-moon festivals, and feasts. You have become loathsome to me, and I will no longer pardon your sins.”

15 “When you stretch out your hands, I will turn my eyes away from you. Even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen, because your hands are full of blood.”

16 “Wash yourselves and become clean. Remove your wrongdoings from your souls before my eyes. Stop doing wrong.”

17 “Learn to do good. Seek judgment diligently. Rescue the one being wronged. Plead for the fatherless and uphold the widow’s cause.”

18 “‘Come, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Even if your sins are purple, I will make them white as snow. Even if they are scarlet, I will make them white as wool.’”

19 “If you are willing and listen to me, you will eat the good things of the land.”

20 “But if you are unwilling and do not listen, a sword will devour you, because the Lord’s mouth has spoken.”

21 “How has faithful Zion, the city once full of judgment where righteousness lived, become a prostitute? Now murderers live there.”

22 “Your silver is impure, and your wine merchants dilute the wine with water.”

23 “Your rulers are rebels and companions of thieves. They love bribes and chase rewards. They do not plead for the fatherless or attend to widows’ cases.”

24 “Therefore this is what the Master, the Lord of armies, says: ‘Woe to Israel’s mighty! My wrath against my adversaries will not cease, and I will execute judgment on my enemies.’”

25 “I will turn my hand against you, refine you until you are pure, destroy the rebels, remove every lawbreaker from you, and humble everyone who is proud.”

26 “I will restore your judges as they were before and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the city of righteousness, Zion’s faithful mother-city.”

27 “Her captives will be rescued with judgment and mercy.”

28 “But lawbreakers and sinners will be crushed together, and those who abandon the Lord will be completely consumed.”

29 “They will be ashamed of the idols they delighted in and disgraced because of the gardens they desired.”

30 “They will become like a terebinth that has shed its leaves and like a garden without water.”

31 “Their strength will become like a strand of flax, and their works like sparks. Lawbreakers and sinners will burn together, with no one to extinguish them.”