Isaiah 57

HCSB

Isaiah 57

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The righteous one perishes,
and no one takes it to heart;
faithful men are swept away,
with no one realizing
that the righteous one is swept away
from the presence^(a) of evil.

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He will enter into peace—
they will rest on their beds^(b)—
everyone who lives uprightly.

Pagan Religion Denounced

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But come here,
you sons of a sorceress,
offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute!^(c)

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Who is it you are mocking?
Who is it you are opening your mouth
and sticking out your tongue at?
Isn’t it you, you rebellious children,^(A)
you race of liars,

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who burn with lust among the oaks,
under every green tree,^(B)
who slaughter children in the wadis
below the clefts of the rocks?^(C)

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Your portion is among the smooth stones of the wadi;
indeed, they are your lot.
You have even poured out a drink offering to them;
you have offered a grain offering;
should I be satisfied with these?

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You have placed your bed
on a high and lofty mountain;^(D)
you also went up there to offer sacrifice.

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You have set up your memorial
behind the door and doorpost.
For away from Me, you stripped,
went up, and made your bed wide,^(E)
and you have made a bargain^(d) for yourself with them.
You have loved their bed;
you have gazed on their genitals.^(e)^(f)

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You went to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your couriers far away^(F)
and sent them down even to Sheol.

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You became weary on your many journeys,
but you did not say, “I give up!”^(G)
You found a renewal of your strength;^(g)
therefore you did not grow weak.

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Who was it you dreaded and feared,
so that you lied and didn’t remember Me
or take it to heart?
Have I not kept silent for such a long time^(h)^(H)
and you do not fear Me?

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

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When you cry out,
let your collection of idols deliver you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a breath will take them away.
But whoever takes refuge in Me
will inherit the land^(I)
and possess My holy mountain.^(J)

Healing and Peace

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He said,
“Build it up, build it up, prepare the way,
remove every obstacle from My people’s way.”^(K)

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For the High and Exalted One
who lives forever, whose name is Holy^(L) says this:
“I live in a high and holy place,
and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit,^(M)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and revive the heart of the oppressed.^(N)

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For I will not accuse you forever,
and I will not always be angry;^(O)
for then the spirit would grow weak before Me,
even the breath of man, which I have made.

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Because of his sinful greed I was angry,^(P)
so I struck him; I was angry and hid;⁽ⁱ⁾
but he went on turning back to the desires of his heart.

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

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creating words of praise.”^(j)^(R)
The Lord says,
“Peace, peace to the one who is far or near,^(S)
and I will heal him.

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But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,^(T)
for it cannot be still,
and its waters churn up mire and muck.

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There is no peace for the wicked,”
says my God.^(U)

Footnotes:

a. Isaiah 57:1: Or away because

b. Isaiah 57:2: Either their deathbeds or their graves

c. Isaiah 57:3: Lit and she acted as a prostitute

d. Isaiah 57:8: Lit you cut

e. Isaiah 57:8: Lit hand

f. Isaiah 57:8: In Hb, the word hand is probably a euphemism for “genitals.”

g. Isaiah 57:10: Lit found life of your hand

h. Isaiah 57:11: LXX reads And I, when I see you, I pass by

i. Isaiah 57:17: Lit him; hiding and I am angry

j. Isaiah 57:19: Lit creating fruit of the lips

Cross references:

A. Isaiah 57:4: Isaiah 30:1; Isaiah 30:9

B. Isaiah 57:5: Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:13

C. Isaiah 57:5: Psalm 106:37-38; Jeremiah 7:31; Ezekiel 16:20-21

D. Isaiah 57:7: Jeremiah 3:6; Ezekiel 16:16

E. Isaiah 57:8: Ezekiel 23:17-18

F. Isaiah 57:9: Ezekiel 16:26-29

G. Isaiah 57:10: Jeremiah 2:25; Jeremiah 18:12

H. Isaiah 57:11: Psalm 50:21; Isaiah 42:14

I. Isaiah 57:13: Psalm 37:3; Psalm 37:9; Isaiah 25:4

J. Isaiah 57:13: Isaiah 65:9

K. Isaiah 57:14: Isaiah 62:10; Jeremiah 18:15

L. Isaiah 57:15: Luke 1:49

M. Isaiah 57:15: Psalm 34:18; Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 66:2

N. Isaiah 57:15: Psalm 147:3; Isaiah 61:1-3

O. Isaiah 57:16: Genesis 6:3; Psalm 103:9; Jeremiah 3:12

P. Isaiah 57:17: Isaiah 2:7; Isaiah 56:11; Jeremiah 6:13

Q. Isaiah 57:18: Isaiah 61:1-3

R. Isaiah 57:19: Isaiah 6:7; Isaiah 51:16; Isaiah 59:21; Hebrews 13:15

S. Isaiah 57:19: Acts 2:39; Ephesians 2:17

T. Isaiah 57:20: Psalm 107:29

U. Isaiah 57:21: Isaiah 48:22; Isaiah 59:8