Isaiah 66

International Standard Version

“Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house^[a] that you would build for me,
    and where will my resting place be?
² All these things my hand has made,
    and so all these things came into being,”
        declares the Lord.
“But this is the one to whom I will look favorably:
    to the one who is humble and contrite in spirit,
        and who^[b] trembles at^[c] my message.

³ “Whoever slaughters an ox
    is just like^[d] one who kills a human being;
whoever sacrifices a lamb
    is just like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
    is just like one who offers pig’s blood;
and whoever makes a memorial offering of frankincense
    is just like one who blesses an idol.
Yes, these have chosen their own ways,
    and they take delight in their contaminated actions.
⁴ Therefore^[e] I, too, will choose harsh treatment for them,
    and will bring upon them what they dread.
For when I called, no^[f] one answered;
    when I spoke, they didn’t listen;
but they did what I consider to be evil,
    and chose what doesn’t please me.”

“Your own brothers who hate you
    and exclude you because of my name
have said: ‘Let the Lord be glorified;
    he will see^[h] your joy,’
        yet it is they who will be put to shame.

⁶ “Listen to that uproar in^[i] the city!
    Listen to that noise from the Temple!
It is the sound of the Lord
    paying back retribution to his enemies!

⁷ “Before she goes into labor she gives birth;
    before her pains come upon her
        she has delivered^[j] a son.
⁸ Who has ever heard of such a thing?
    And^[k] who ever sees^[l] such things?
Can a country be born in a single day,
    or can a nation be brought forth in a single moment?
Yet no sooner was Zion in labor
    than she delivered her children.
⁹ Am I to open the womb and not deliver?”
    asks^[m] the Lord.
“And when I bring to delivery, am I to close^[n] the womb?”
    asks your God.

¹⁰ “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be happy for her,
    all you who love her;
rejoice with her in gladness,
    all you who mourn over her,
¹¹ so that you may nurse and be satisfied
    at her consoling breasts,
and so that you may drink deeply and take delight
    from her glorious bosom.”

“See, I will extend prosperity to her like a river,
    and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
and you will nurse,
    and you^[p] will be carried on her hip,^[q]
        and bounced upon her knees.
¹³ Like a child whom his mother comforts,
    so I will comfort you;
        and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.
¹⁴ And when you look, your hearts will rejoice
    and your bodies will flourish like grass;
and it will be made known
    that the Lord’s hand is with his servants,
        but his fury is with his enemies.

¹⁵ “Take notice! The Lord will come with fire,
    and his chariot^[r] will be^[s] like a whirlwind,
to pay back his anger—yes, his anger!—^[t] in fury,
    and his menacing rebukes^[u] in flames of fire.
¹⁶ For with fire and with his sword the Lord will proceed to judgment^[v] on all humanity,^[w]
    and those slain by the Lord will be many.”

²² “For as the new heavens and the new earth
    that I am about to make
will endure before me,” says the Lord,
    “so will your descendants and your name endure.
²³ And from New Moon to New Moon,
    and from Sabbath to Sabbath,^[am]
all^[an] humanity will come to worship before me,”
    says the Lord.