Isaiah 57
57
1The righteous perish,
and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil.
2Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death.
3“But you—come here, you children of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
4Who are you mocking?
At whom do you sneer
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,
the offspring of liars?
5You burn with lust among the oaks
and under every spreading tree;
you sacrifice your children in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.
6The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings
and offered grain offerings.
In view of all this, should I relent?
7You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;
there you went up to offer your sacrifices.
8Behind your doors and your doorposts
you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,
and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.
9You went to Molek#57:9 Or to the king with olive oil
and increased your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadors#57:9 Or idols far away;
you descended to the very realm of the dead!
10You wearied yourself by such going about,
but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’
You found renewal of your strength,
and so you did not faint.
11“Whom have you so dreaded and feared
that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered me
nor taken this to heart?
Is it not because I have long been silent
that you do not fear me?
12I will expose your righteousness and your works,
and they will not benefit you.
13When you cry out for help,
let your collection of idols save you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a mere breath will blow them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me
will inherit the land
and possess my holy mountain.”
Comfort for the Contrite
14And it will be said:
“Build up, build up, prepare the road!
Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”
15For this is what the high and exalted One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16I will not accuse them forever,
nor will I always be angry,
for then they would faint away because of me—
the very people I have created.
17I was enraged by their sinful greed;
I punished them, and hid my face in anger,
yet they kept on in their willful ways.
18I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,
19creating praise on their lips.
Peace, peace, to those far and near,”
says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
20But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud.
21“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
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Isaiah 57: NIV
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
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Isaiah 57
57
Israel’s Futile Idolatry
1The righteous perishes,
And no man takes it to heart;
#Ps. 12:1Merciful men are taken away,
#1 Kin. 14:13While no one considers
That the righteous is taken away from evil.
2He shall enter into peace;
They shall rest in #2 Chr. 16:14their beds,
Each one walking in his uprightness.
3“But come here,
#Is. 1:4; Matt. 16:4You sons of the sorceress,
You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot!
4Whom do you ridicule?
Against whom do you make a wide mouth
And stick out the tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
Offspring of falsehood,
5Inflaming yourselves with gods #2 Kin. 16:4under every green tree,
#2 Kin. 23:10; Ps. 106:37, 38; Jer. 7:31; Ezek. 16:20Slaying the children in the valleys,
Under the clefts of the rocks?
6Among the smooth #Jer. 3:9; Hab. 2:19stones of the stream
Is your portion;
They, they, are your lot!
Even to them you have poured a drink offering,
You have offered a grain offering.
Should I receive comfort in #Jer. 5:9, 29; 9:9these?
7“On#Jer. 3:6; Ezek. 16:16 a lofty and high mountain
You have set #Ezek. 23:41your bed;
Even there you went up
To offer sacrifice.
8Also behind the doors and their posts
You have set up your remembrance;
For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me,
And have gone up to them;
You have enlarged your bed
And made a covenant with them;
#Ezek. 16:26You have loved their bed,
Where you saw their nudity.
9#Hos. 7:11You went to the king with ointment,
And increased your perfumes;
You sent your #Ezek. 23:16, 40messengers far off,
And even descended to Sheol.
10You are wearied in the length of your way;
#Jer. 2:25; 18:12Yet you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’
You have found the life of your hand;
Therefore you were not grieved.
11“And #Prov. 29:25; Is. 51:12, 13of whom have you been afraid, or feared,
That you have lied
And not remembered Me,
Nor taken it to your heart?
Is it not because #Ps. 50:21; Eccl. 8:11; Is. 42:14I have held My peace from of old
That you do not fear Me?
12I will declare your righteousness
And your works,
For they will not profit you.
13When you cry out,
Let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will carry them all away,
A breath will take them.
But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land,
And shall inherit My holy mountain.”
Healing for the Backslider
14And one shall say,
#Is. 40:3; 62:10; Jer. 18:15“Heap it up! Heap it up!
Prepare the way,
Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people.”
15For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, #Job 6:10; Luke 1:49whose name is Holy:
#Ps. 68:35; Zech. 2:13“I dwell in the high and holy place,
#Ps. 34:18; 51:17; Is. 66:2With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
#Ps. 147:3; Is. 61:1–3To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16#Ps. 85:5; 103:9; (Mic. 7:18)For I will not contend forever,
Nor will I always be angry;
For the spirit would fail before Me,
And the souls #Num. 16:22; Job 34:14; Heb. 12:9which I have made.
17For the iniquity of #Is. 2:7; 56:11; Jer. 6:13his covetousness
I was angry and struck him;
#Is. 8:17; 45:15; 59:2I hid and was angry,
#Is. 9:13And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
18I have seen his ways, and #Jer. 3:22will heal him;
I will also lead him,
And restore comforts to him
And to #Is. 61:2his mourners.
19“I create #Is. 6:7; 51:16; 59:21; Heb. 13:15the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace #Acts 2:39; Eph. 2:17to him who is far off and to him who is near,”
Says the Lord,
“And I will heal him.”
20#Job 15:20; Prov. 4:16; Jude 13But the wicked are like the troubled sea,
When it cannot rest,
Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21“There#Is. 48:22 is no peace,”
Says my God, “for the wicked.”
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