Isaiah 66
The LORD declares that heaven is His throne and the earth His footstool, and He looks to the one who is poor and of a contrite spirit and who trembles at His word. Zion shall bring forth her children in a day, and the LORD will comfort Jerusalem as a mother comforts her child. The LORD will come with fire and a whirlwind to judge all flesh, and the new heavens and the new earth shall remain before Him.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? | Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What house would You build for Me? What place shall be My rest? |
| 2 | For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. | All these things My hand has made — all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one I will look to: He who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My word. |
| 3 | He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. | He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; He who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig's blood; He who burns frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations. |
| 4 | I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. | I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears on them. Because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, they did not listen. They did evil in My sight and chose what I did not delight in. |
| 5 | Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. | Listen to the word of the LORD, You who tremble at His word. Your brothers who hate You and exclude You for My name's sake have said, "Let the LORD be glorified, so that we may see Your joy!" But they shall be put to shame. |
| 6 | A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies. | A roaring sound from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the LORD — repaying His enemies what they deserve! |
| 7 | Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. | Before she was in labor she gave birth. Before her pain came, she delivered a son. |
| 8 | Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. | Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in a moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children. |
| 9 | Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. | Shall I bring to the point of birth and not deliver? says the LORD. Shall I, who cause delivery, shut the womb? says Your God. |
| 10 | Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: | Rejoice with Jerusalem; be glad for her, all You who love her. Rejoice with her for joy, all You who mourn over her — |
| 11 | That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. | that You may nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breast; that You may drink deeply and delight yourselves in the abundance of her glory. |
| 12 | For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. | For thus says the LORD: "I will extend peace to her like a river and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream. You shall nurse; You shall be carried on her hip and bounced on her knees. |
| 13 | As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. | As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort You. You shall be comforted in Jerusalem." |
| 14 | And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. | When You see this, Your heart shall rejoice; Your bones shall flourish like the grass. The hand of the LORD shall be known to His servants, and his indignation to his enemies. |
| 15 | For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. | For the LORD will come with fire — with his chariots like a whirlwind — to repay His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. |
| 16 | For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. | For by fire and by his sword the LORD will judge all flesh, and those slain by the LORD shall be many. |
| 17 | They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD. | Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens — following one in the midst — eating pig's meat and the detestable thing and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the LORD. |
| 18 | For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. | For I know their works and their thoughts. The time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. They shall come and shall see My glory. |
| 19 | And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. | I will set a sign among them. From those who escape I will send some to the nations — to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow; to Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have not heard My fame or seen My glory. They shall declare My glory among the nations. |
| 20 | And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. | They shall bring all Your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the LORD — on horses, in chariots and wagons, on mules and on swift camels — to My holy mountain Jerusalem, declares the LORD, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD. |
| 21 | And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD. | And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the LORD. |
| 22 | For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. | For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before Me, declares the LORD, so shall Your offspring and Your name remain. |
| 23 | And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. | From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, declares the LORD. |
| 24 | And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. | They shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh. |