English Standard Version

New International Version

Israel’s Futile Idolatry

The righteous man perishes,
and no one lays it to heart;
devout men are taken away,
while no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;

1

The 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.

2

he enters into peace;
they rest in their beds
who walk in their uprightness.

2

Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death.

3

But you, draw near,
sons of the sorceress,
offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman.

3

“But you — come here, you children of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!

4

Whom are you mocking?
Against whom do you open your mouth wide
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
the offspring of deceit,

4

Who are you mocking?
At whom do you sneer
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,
the offspring of liars?

5

you who burn with lust among the oaks,a
under every green tree,
who slaughter your children in the valleys,
under the clefts of the rocks?

5

You burn with lust among the oaks
and under every spreading tree;
you sacrifice your children in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.

6

Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion;
they, they, are your lot;
to them you have poured out a drink offering,
you have brought a grain offering.
Shall I relent for these things?

6

The 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?

7

On a high and lofty mountain
you have set your bed,
and there you went up to offer sacrifice.

7

You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;
there you went up to offer your sacrifices.

8

Behind the door and the doorpost
you have set up your memorial;
for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed,
you have gone up to it,
you have made it wide;
and you have made a covenant for yourself with them,
you have loved their bed,
you have looked on nakedness.b

8

Behind 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.

9

You journeyed to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your envoys far off,
and sent down even to Sheol.

9

You went to Moleka with olive oil
and increased your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadorsb far away;
you descended to the very realm of the dead!

10

You were wearied with the length of your way,
but you did not say, “It is hopeless”;
you found new life for your strength,
and so you were not faint.c

10

You 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 did you dread and fear,
so that you lied,
and did not remember me,
did not lay it to heart?
Have I not held my peace, even for a long time,
and you do not fear me?

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?

12

I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
but they will not profit you.

12

I will expose your righteousness and your works,
and they will not benefit you.

13

When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
The wind will carry them all off,
a breath will take them away.
But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land
and shall inherit my holy mountain.

13

When 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.”

14

Comfort for the Contrite

And it shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove every obstruction from my people’s way.”

14

Comfort for the Contrite

And it will be said:
“Build up, build up, prepare the road!
Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”

15

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.

15

For 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.

16

For I will not contend forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would grow faint before me,
and the breath of life that I made.

16

I 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.

17

Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry,
I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,
but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.

17

I was enraged by their sinful greed;
I punished them, and hid my face in anger,
yet they kept on in their willful ways.

18

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,

18

I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,

19

creating the fruit of the lips.
Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord,
“and I will heal him.

19

creating praise on their lips.
Peace, peace, to those far and near,”
says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”

20

But the wicked are like the tossing sea;
for it cannot be quiet,
and its waters toss up mire and dirt.

20

But 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.”

21

“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

Parallel

English Standard Version

New International Version

Isaiah 57

Isaiah 57