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Salvation for All People

56 This is what Yahweh says:

Preserve justice, and do what is right.
    My salvation is about to come.
    My righteousness is about to be revealed.

Blessed is the one who does these things
    and the person who holds on to them.
    Blessed is the one who keeps the day of worship from becoming unholy
    and his hands from doing anything wrong.

Foreigners who have joined Yahweh should not say, “Yahweh will separate us from his people.” Castrated men should not say, “We’re only dead trees!” This is what Yahweh says: I will remember the castrated men who keep my days of worship, choose what pleases me, and faithfully observe the conditions of my promise.[a] Inside my house and within my walls, I will give them something better than sons and daughters. I will give them a monument and a name. I will give them a permanent name that will not be forgotten. And I will remember the foreigners who have joined Yahweh to worship him, to love Yahweh’s name, and to be his servants. All of them will keep the day of worship from becoming unholy and will faithfully observe the conditions of my promise. Then I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them happy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, because my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.

Adonay Yahweh, who gathers the scattered people of Israel, declares, “I will gather still others besides those I have already gathered.”

The Sins of Israel Bring the Lord’s Anger

All you animals in the field,
    all you animals in the forest,
    come and eat.
10 Israel’s watchmen are blind.
    None of them know anything.
    All of them are like dogs that are unable to bark.
    They lie around dreaming; they love to sleep.
11 These dogs have huge appetites.
    They are never full.
    They are the shepherds,
    but they don’t understand.
    All of them have turned to go their own ways.
    Each one seeks his own gain.
12 Each one cries,
    “Let me get some wine,
        and we’ll fill ourselves with liquor.
            And tomorrow will be like today, only better.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 56:4 Or “covenant.”

Salvation for Others

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice(A)
    and do what is right,(B)
for my salvation(C) is close at hand
    and my righteousness(D) will soon be revealed.
Blessed(E) is the one who does this—
    the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath(F) without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

Let no foreigner(G) who is bound to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”(H)
And let no eunuch(I) complain,
    “I am only a dry tree.”

For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs(J) who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant(K)
to them I will give within my temple and its walls(L)
    a memorial(M) and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name(N)
    that will endure forever.(O)
And foreigners(P) who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister(Q) to him,
to love the name(R) of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath(S) without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain(T)
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices(U)
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.(V)(W)
The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather(X) still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

Come, all you beasts of the field,(Y)
    come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
10 Israel’s watchmen(Z) are blind,
    they all lack knowledge;(AA)
they are all mute dogs,
    they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
    they love to sleep.(AB)
11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
    they never have enough.
They are shepherds(AC) who lack understanding;(AD)
    they all turn to their own way,(AE)
    they seek their own gain.(AF)
12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!(AG)
    Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
    or even far better.”(AH)