The words of the Bible

ISAIAH 1

Description of the sins and sufferings of the people, with exhortations and threats

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he had concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD spake, I bare children, and increased them; but they rebelled against me.

3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's manger; But Israel has no knowledge, my people do not understand.

4 Ah, a sinful nation, a nation burdened with iniquity, the offspring of evildoers, children who commit corruption. They forsook the Lord, they despised the Holy One of Israel, they turned back.

5 Why should you still be punished, that you persist in rebellion? The whole head is sick and the whole heart is weak.

6 From the sole of the foot to the head there is no sound thing in it; There are only bruises, bruises and sores alive; Were not squeezed, tied, or softened with oil.

7 Your country is desolate; Your cities burned with fire; Your strangers devour you in your presence, and you are devastated, as by a plunder of strangers.

8 And the daughter of Zion is left as the hut in the vineyard, as the hut in the grove, as a besieged city.

9 If the Lord of armies had not left us some survivors, we would be like Sodom, and like Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of Jehovah, the rulers of Sodom; Hearken unto the law of our God, O people of Gomorrah.

11 What good is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? Says the Lord. I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and of the fat of fatlings; And I do not like the blood of bulls, nor of lambs, nor of goats.

12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked of you this, that you should tread down my courts?

13 Do not continue to bring vain offerings; Incense is an abomination to me. The new moons, the sabbaths, and the convocation of assemblies ... I can not bear iniquity and solemn assembly!

14 Your new moons, and your fixed feasts, my soul hates them; They are heavy; I'm tired of suffering them.

15 When you stretch out your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; And though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen to them; Because your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash yourselves, be clean; Take away from mine eyes the wickedness of your doings; Cease from doing evil;

17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, put an end to oppression, do justice to the fatherless, defend the cause of the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 If ye will, and ye shall hear me, ye shall eat the good of the land;

20 But if ye refuse, and be disobedient, ye shall be devoured with the sword; For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

21 As a prostitute became a faithful city! She who was full of righteousness! Justice dwelt in her, but now murderers.

22 Your silver has become dross, your wine has mixed with water.

23 Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; Every one of them loves bribes, and goes after gifts; They do not do justice to the orphan, and the widow's cause does not come to them.

24 Therefore saith the Lord God of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ah! I will deliver myself from my adversaries, and I will avenge myself of my enemies.

25 I will turn my hand against you, and I will purify your dross with potash; And I will take away all uncleanness from you;

26 And I will restore to thee thy judges, as they were before, and thy counselors, as at the first, then thou shalt be called a city of righteousness, a faithful city.

27 Zion shall be redeemed by righteousness, and his converts, by righteousness.

28 But transgressors and sinners will be destroyed together; And they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

29 For you shall be ashamed because of the terebinths which ye have pleased, and ye shall be confounded because of the gardens which ye have chosen.

30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaves are withered, and as a garden that hath no water.

31 And the strong will become a stubble, and his work a spark; And they shall both burn together, and there shall be none to put them out.