Isaiah 66

1 This is what Yahweh says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where then is the house you will build for me? Where is the place where I may rest?

The Lord says, Heaven is the seat of my power, and earth is the resting-place for my feet: what sort of house will you make for me, and what place will be my resting-place?

2 My hand has made all these things; that is how these things came to be—this is Yahweh's declaration. This is the man of whom I approve, the broken and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at my word.

For all these things my hand has made, and they are mine, says the Lord; but to this man only will I give attention, to him who is poor and broken in spirit, fearing my word.

3 He who slaughters an ox also murders a man; he who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog's neck; he who offers a grain offering offers swine's blood; he who offers a memorial of incense also blesses wickedness. They have chosen their own ways, and they take pleasure in their abominations.

He who puts an ox to death puts a man to death; he who makes an offering of a lamb puts a dog to death; he who makes a meal offering makes an offering of pig's blood; he who makes an offering of perfumes for a sign gives worship to an image: as they have gone after their desires, and their soul takes pleasure in their disgusting things;

4 In the same way I will choose their own punishment; I will bring on them what they fear, because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, no one listened. They did what was evil in my sight, and chose to do what displeases me.”

So I will go after trouble for them, and will send on them what they are fearing: because no one made answer to my voice, or gave ear to my word; but they did what was evil in my eyes, going after that in which I took no pleasure.

5 Hear the word of Yahweh, you who tremble at his word, “Your brothers who hate and exclude you for my name's sake have said, 'May Yahweh be glorified, then we will see your joy,' but they will be put to shame.

Give ear to the word of the Lord, you who are in fear at his word: your countrymen, hating you, and driving you out because of my name, have said, Let the Lord's glory be made clear, so that we may see your joy; but they will be put to shame.

6 A sound of battle tumult comes from the city, a sound from the temple, the sound of Yahweh paying back his enemies.

There is a noise of war from the town, a sound from the Temple, the voice of the Lord giving punishment to his haters.

7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before pain is upon her, she gave birth to a son.

Before her pains came, she gave birth; before her pains, she gave birth to a man-child.

8 Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Will a land be born in one day? Can a nation be established in one moment? Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor, she gives birth to her children.

When has such a story come to men's ears? who has seen such things? will a land come to birth in one day? will a nation be given birth in a minute? For when Zion's pains came on her, she gave birth to her children straight away.

9 Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and not permit the child to be born?—asks Yahweh. Or do I bring a child to moment of delivery and then hold it back?—asks your God.”

Will I by whom the birth was started, not make it complete? says the Lord. Will I who make children come to birth, let them be kept back? says your God.

10 Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her, all you who mourned over her!

Have joy with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you her lovers: take part in her joy, all you who are sorrowing for her:

11 For you will nurse and be satisfied; with her breasts you will be comforted; for you will drink them to the full and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

So that you may take of the comfort flowing from her breasts, and be delighted with the full measure of her glory.

12 This is what Yahweh says, “I am about to spread prosperity over her like a river, and the riches of the nations like an overflowing stream. You will nurse at her side, be carried in her arms, and be dandled on her knees.

For the Lord says, See, I will make her peace like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream, and she will take her children in her arms, gently caring for them on her knees.

13 As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you, and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

As to one who is comforted by his mother, so will I give you comfort: and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.

14 You will see this, and your heart will rejoice, and your bones will sprout like the tender grass. The hand of Yahweh will be made known to his servants, but he will show his anger against his enemies.

And you will see it and your heart will be glad, and your bones will get new strength, like young grass: and the hand of the Lord will be seen at work for his servants, and his wrath against his haters.

15 For look, Yahweh is coming with fire, and his chariots are coming like the windstorm to bring the heat of his anger and his rebuke with flames of fire.

For the Lord is coming with fire, and his war-carriages will be like the storm-wind; to give punishment in the heat of his wrath, and his passion is like flames of fire.

16 For Yahweh executes judgment on mankind by fire and with his sword. Those killed by Yahweh will be many.

For with fire and sword will the Lord come, judging all the earth, and his sword will be on all flesh: and great numbers will be put to death by him.

17 They consecrate themselves and make themselves pure, so they may enter the gardens, following the one in the middle of those who eat the flesh of pig and abominable things like mice. “They will come to an end—this is Yahweh's declaration.

As for those who keep themselves separate, and make themselves clean in the gardens, going after one in the middle, taking pig's flesh for food, and other disgusting things, such as the mouse: their works and their thoughts will come to an end together, says the Lord.

18 For I know their deeds and their thoughts. The time is coming when I will gather all nations and languages. They will come and will see my glory.

And I am coming to get together all nations and tongues: and they will come and will see my glory.

19 I will set a mighty sign among them. Then I will send survivors from them to the nations: To Tarshish, Put, and Lud, archers who draw their bows, to Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands where they have not heard about me nor seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.

And I will put a sign among them, and I will send those who are still living to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud, Meshech and Rosh, Tubal and Javan, to the sea-lands far away, who have not had word of me, or seen my glory; and they will give the knowledge of my glory to the nations.

20 They will bring back all your brothers out of all the nations, as an offering to Yahweh. They will come on horses, and in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem—says Yahweh. For the people of Israel will bring a grain offering in a clean vessel into the house of Yahweh.

And they will take your countrymen out of all the nations for an offering to the Lord, on horses, and in carriages, and in carts, and on asses, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, as the children of Israel take their offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.

21 Some of these I will even choose as priests and Levites—says Yahweh.

And some of them will I take for priests and Levites, says the Lord.

22 For just as the new heavens and the new earth that I will make will remain before me—this is Yahweh's declaration—so your descendants will remain, and your name will remain.

For as the new heaven and the new earth which I will make will be for ever before me, says the Lord, so will your seed and your name be for ever.

23 From one month to the next, and from one Sabbath to the next, all people will come to bow down to me—says Yahweh.

And it will be, that from new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh will come to give worship before me, says the Lord.

24 They will go out and see the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me, for the worms that eat them will not die, and the fire that consumes them will not be quenched; and it will be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

And they will go out to see the dead bodies of the men who have done evil against me: for their worm will ever be living, and their fire will never be put out, and they will be a thing of fear to all flesh.