Isaiah 57
Names of God Bible
57 Righteous people die,
and no one cares.
Loyal people are taken away,
and no one understands.
Righteous people are spared when evil comes.
2 When peace comes,
everyone who has lived honestly will rest on his own bed.
Israel’s Idolatry
3 But you—come here,
you children of witches,
you descendants of adulterers and prostitutes!
4 Whom are you making fun of?
Whom are you making a face at?
Whom are you sticking out your tongue at?
Aren’t you rebellious children,
descendants of liars?
5 You burn with lust under oak trees
and under every large tree.
You slaughter children in the valleys
and under the cracks in the rocks.
6 Your idols are among the smooth stones in the ravine.
They are your destiny.
You have given them wine offerings
and sacrificed grain offerings to them.
Do you think I am pleased with all this?
7 You’ve made your bed on a high and lofty mountain.
You’ve gone to offer sacrifices there.
8 You’ve set up your idols beside doors and doorposts.
You’ve uncovered yourself to the idols.
You’ve distanced yourself from me.
You’ve made your bed with them.
You’ve made a deal with those you have pleasure with in bed.
You’ve seen them naked.
9 You’ve journeyed to the king with perfumed oils
and put on plenty of perfume.
You’ve sent your ambassadors far away
and sent them down to Sheol.
10 You’ve tired yourself out with many journeys.
You didn’t think that it was hopeless.
You’ve found renewed strength,
so you didn’t faint.
11 Whom did you dread and fear so much that you lied to me?
You haven’t remembered me or cared about me.
I’ve been silent for a long time.
Is that why you don’t fear me?
12 I’ll tell you about your righteous ways and what you have done,
but they won’t help you.
13 When you cry for help,
let your collection of idols save you.
A wind will carry them all away.
A breath will take them away.
But whoever trusts me will possess the land
and inherit my holy mountain.
14 It will be said:
“Build a road! Build a road!
Prepare the way!
Remove every obstacle in the way of my people!”
15 The High and Lofty One lives forever, and his name is holy.
This is what he says:
I live in a high and holy place.
But I am with those who are crushed and humble.
I will renew the spirit of those who are humble
and the courage of those who are crushed.
16 I will not accuse you forever.
I will not be angry with you forever.
Otherwise, the spirits, the lives of those I’ve made,
would grow faint in my presence.
17 I was angry because of their sinful greed,
so I punished them, hid from them, and remained angry.
But they continued to be sinful.
18 I’ve seen their sinful ways, but I’ll heal them.
I’ll guide them and give them rest.
I’ll comfort them and their mourners.
19 I’ll create praise on their lips:
“Perfect peace to those both far and near.”
“I’ll heal them,” says Yahweh.
20 But the wicked are like the churning sea.
It isn’t quiet,
and its water throws up mud and slime.
21 “There is no peace for the wicked,” says my Elohim.
Isaiah 57
King James Version
57 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood.
5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
8 Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.
9 And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.
10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.
11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.