BibleStudyIt Isaiah 1

⁴ Woe to the sinful nation,
a people whose guilt is great, ^{( P )}
a brood of evildoers, ^{( Q )}
children given to corruption! ^{( R )}
They have forsaken ^{( S )} the Lord ;
they have spurned the Holy One ^{( T )} of Israel
and turned their backs ^{( U )} on him.

⁵ Why should you be beaten ^{( V )} anymore?
Why do you persist ^{( W )} in rebellion? ^{( X )}
Your whole head is injured,
your whole heart ^{( Y )} afflicted. ^{( Z )
6} From the sole of your foot to the top of your head ^{( AA )}
there is no soundness ^{( AB )} —
only wounds and welts ^{( AC )}
and open sores,
not cleansed or bandaged ^{( AD )}
or soothed with olive oil. ^{( AE )}

⁷ Your country is desolate, ^{( AF )}
your cities burned with fire; ^{( AG )}
your fields are being stripped by foreigners ^{( AH )}
right before you,
laid waste as when overthrown by strangers. ^{( AI )
8} Daughter Zion ^{( AJ )} is left ^{( AK )}
like a shelter in a vineyard,
like a hut ^{( AL )} in a cucumber field,
like a city under siege.
⁹ Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us some survivors, ^{( AM )}
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah. ^{( AN )}

¹⁰ Hear the word of the Lord , ^{( AO )}
you rulers of Sodom; ^{( AP )}
listen to the instruction ^{( AQ )} of our God,
you people of Gomorrah! ^{( AR )
11} “The multitude of your sacrifices—
what are they to me?” says the Lord .
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals; ^{( AS )}
I have no pleasure ^{( AT )}
in the blood of bulls ^{( AU )} and lambs and goats. ^{( AV )
12} When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you, ^{( AW )}
this trampling of my courts?
¹³ Stop bringing meaningless offerings! ^{( AX )}
Your incense ^{( AY )} is detestable ^{( AZ )} to me.
New Moons, ^{( BA )} Sabbaths and convocations ^{( BB )} —
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
¹⁴ Your New Moon ^{( BC )} feasts and your appointed festivals ^{( BD )}
I hate with all my being. ^{( BE )}
They have become a burden to me; ^{( BF )}
I am weary ^{( BG )} of bearing them.
¹⁵ When you spread out your hands ^{( BH )} in prayer,
I hide ^{( BI )} my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening. ^{( BJ )}

Your hands ^{( BK )} are full of blood! ^{( BL )}

¹⁶ Wash ^{( BM )} and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight; ^{( BN )}
stop doing wrong. ^{( BO )
17} Learn to do right; ^{( BP )} seek justice. ^{( BQ )}
Defend the oppressed. ^{[ a ] ( BR )}
Take up the cause of the fatherless; ^{( BS )}
plead the case of the widow. ^{( BT )}

¹⁸ “Come now, let us settle the matter,” ^{( BU )}
says the Lord .
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; ^{( BV )}
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. ^{( BW )
19} If you are willing and obedient, ^{( BX )}
you will eat the good things of the land; ^{( BY )
20} but if you resist and rebel, ^{( BZ )}
you will be devoured by the sword.” ^{( CA )}
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. ^{( CB )}

²¹ See how the faithful city
has become a prostitute! ^{( CC )}
She once was full of justice;
righteousness ^{( CD )} used to dwell in her—
but now murderers! ^{( CE )
22} Your silver has become dross, ^{( CF )}
your choice wine is diluted with water.
²³ Your rulers are rebels, ^{( CG )}
partners with thieves; ^{( CH )}
they all love bribes ^{( CI )}
and chase after gifts.
They do not defend the cause of the fatherless;
the widow’s case does not come before them. ^{( CJ )}

²⁴ Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
the Mighty One ^{( CK )} of Israel, declares:
“Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes
and avenge ^{( CL )} myself on my enemies. ^{( CM )
25} I will turn my hand against you; ^{[ b ] ( CN )}
I will thoroughly purge ^{( CO )} away your dross ^{( CP )}
and remove all your impurities. ^{( CQ )
26} I will restore your leaders as in days of old, ^{( CR )}
your rulers as at the beginning.
Afterward you will be called ^{( CS )}
the City of Righteousness, ^{( CT )}
the Faithful City. ^{( CU )} ”

²⁷ Zion will be delivered with justice,
her penitent ^{( CV )} ones with righteousness. ^{( CW )
28} But rebels and sinners ^{( CX )} will both be broken,
and those who forsake ^{( CY )} the Lord will perish. ^{( CZ )}

²⁹ “You will be ashamed ^{( DA )} because of the sacred oaks ^{( DB )}
in which you have delighted;
you will be disgraced because of the gardens ^{( DC )}
that you have chosen.
³⁰ You will be like an oak with fading leaves, ^{( DD )}
like a garden without water.
³¹ The mighty man will become tinder
and his work a spark;
both will burn together,
with no one to quench the fire. ^{( DE )} ”