Isaiah 1

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

²Hear , O heavens , and give ear , O earth ; for the Lord has spoken : Children have I reared and brought up , but they have rebelled against me.

³The ox knows its owner , and the donkey its master’s crib , but Israel does not know , my people do not understand .

⁴Ah , sinful nation , a people laden with iniquity , offspring of evildoers , children who deal corruptly ! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel , they are estranged .

⁵Why will you still be struck down ? Why will you continue to rebel ? The whole head is sick , and the whole heart faint .

⁶From the sole of the foot even to the head , there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds ; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil .

⁷Your country lies desolate ; your cities are burned with fire ; in your very presence foreigners devour your land ; it is desolate , as overthrown by foreigners .

⁸And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard , like a lodge in a cucumber field , like a besieged city .

⁹If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors , we should have been like Sodom , and become like Gomorrah .

¹⁰Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of, Sodom ! Give ear to the teaching of our God , you people of Gomorrah !

¹¹What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices ? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts ; I do not delight in the blood of bulls , or of lambs , or of goats .

¹²When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts ?

¹³Bring no more vain offerings ; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations — I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly .

¹⁴Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates ; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.

¹⁵When you spread out your hands , I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers , I will not listen ; your hands are full of blood .

¹⁶Wash yourselves ; make yourselves clean ; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes ; cease to do evil ,

¹⁷learn to do good ; seek justice , correct oppression ; bring justice to the fatherless , plead the widow’s cause .

¹⁸Come now , let us together , says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet , they shall be as white as snow ; though they are red like crimson , they shall become like wool .

¹⁹If you are willing and obedient , you shall eat the good of the land ;

²⁰but if you refuse and rebel , you shall be eaten by the sword ; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken .

²¹How the faithful city has become a whore , she who was full of justice ! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers .

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

²³Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves . Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts . They do not bring justice to the fatherless , and the widow’s cause does not come to them.

²⁴Therefore the Lord declares , the Lord of hosts , the Mighty One of Israel : Ah , I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes .

²⁵I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy .

²⁶And I will restore your judges as at the first , and your counselors as at the beginning . Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness , the faithful city .

²⁷Zion shall be redeemed by justice , and those in her who repent , by righteousness .

²⁸But rebels and sinners shall be broken together , and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed .

²⁹For they shall be ashamed of the oaks that you desired ; and you shall blush for the gardens that you have chosen .

³⁰For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers , and like a garden without water .

³¹And the strong shall tinder , and his work a spark , and both of them shall burn together , with none to quench them.