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ISAIAH INSTITUTE TRANSLATION

  Isaiah

66

Isaiah 66

Cultic practices and persecution by ecclesiastical leaders coincide with Zion’s rebirth before Jehovah comes.

1 Thus says Jehovah:The heavens are my throneand the earth is my footstool.What house would you build me?What would serve me as a place of rest? 2 These are all things my hand has made,and thus all came into being, says Jehovah.And yet I have regard for thosewho are of a humble and contrite spiritand who are vigilant for my word.
3 But whoever slaughters an oxis as one who kills a man,and whoever sacrifices a lamb,as one who breaks a dog’s neck;whoever presents a grain offeringis as one who offers swine’s blood,and whoever burns incense,as one who venerates idols.Just as they have preferred to go their own ways,their souls delighting in their abominations, 4 so will I prescribe intrigues for themand bring upon them the thing they dread.For when I called, no one responded;when I spoke, none gave heed.They did what was evil in my eyes;they chose to do what was not my will.
5 Hear the word of Jehovah,you who are vigilant for his word:Your brethren who abhor you,and exclude you because of my name, say,Let Jehovah manifest his glory,that we may see cause for your joy!But it is they who shall suffer shame.
6 Hark, a tumult from the city, a noise from the temple!It is the voice of Jehovahpaying his enemies what is due them.
7 Before she is in labor, she gives birth;before her ordeal overtakes her, she delivers a son! 8 Who has heard the like,or who has seen such things?Can the earth labor but a dayand a nation be born at once?For as soon as she was in labor,Zion gave birth to her children. 9 Shall I bring to a crisis and not bring on birth?says Jehovah.When it is I who cause the birth,shall I hinder it? says your God.
10 Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,all who love her;join in her celebration, all who mourn for her. 11 From now on nurse contentedlyat her consoling breasts;draw at your pleasurefrom the abundance of her bosom.a
12 For thus says Jehovah: See,I will extend peace to her like a river,the bountyb of the nations like a stream in flood.Then shall you nurse and be carried upon the hipand dandled on the knees. 13 As one who is comforted by his motherI will comfort you;for Jerusalem you shall be comforted.
14 Your heart shall rejoice to see it,your limbs flourish like sprouting grass,when the hand of Jehovahshall be manifest among his servantsand his rage among his enemies. 15 See, Jehovah comes with fire,his chariots like a whirlwind,to retaliate in furious anger,to rebuke with conflagrations of fire. 16 For with fire and with his sword shall Jehovahexecute judgment on all flesh,and those slain by Jehovah shall be many.
17 As for the cultists who fornicate in the parks, the devotees of one in the center, who eat the flesh of swine and prawn and rodents—they with [their practices and ideas]c shall be made an end of, says Jehovah.
18 For I will comed to gather all nations and tongues, that they may approach and behold my glory.
19 And I will set a mark upon them, sending those of them who survive to the nations that had not heard the news concerning me, nor seen my glory—to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud (the archers), to Tubal and Javan, and to the distant isles. And they shall declare my glory among the nations 20 and shall bring back all your brethren from throughout the nations to Jerusalem my holy mountain, says Jehovah, as offerings to Jehovah—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and dromedaries—just as the Israelites brought offerings in pure vessels to the house of Jehovah. 21 Of them likewise I will accept men to be priests and Levites, says Jehovah.
22 And as the new heavens and the new earth which I make shall endure before me, says Jehovah, so shall your offspring and name endure. 23 And New Moon after New Moon, Sabbath after Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, says Jehovah. 24 And they shall go out and look upon the corpses of the people who transgressed against me, whose worms do not die and whose fire shall not be extinguished. They shall be a horror to all flesh.

  • a11 Or, glory.
  • b12 Or, glory.
  • c17 Terms brought up from verse 18, where they follow For I.
  • d18 Hebrew bāᵓâ, come (fem. sing.), emended to bāᵓ.


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