Isaiah Chapter 57

¹ Good people perish and nobody notices;

                        the devout disappear without anyone realizing it,

                              because God removes good people out of harm’s way.

                        ² They who take the godly road

                              go to peace and rest in their graves.        

Idolatrous Worship Condemned

                        ³ “But come here, you sons of sorcerers,

                              you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes.

                        ⁴ Who are you making fun of?

                              Who are you mouthing off to?

                              Who are you sticking out your tongue at?

                              Aren’t you rebellious brats, lying cads

                                    ⁵ that worship your idols with lust among the terebinths

                                          under every green tree,

                                    that slaughter your children in the wadis

                                          on the jagged rocks beneath the cliffs?               

Is 57:1-5

                        ⁶ Your destiny is among those smooth-stone fertility symbols

                                    that you worship in those wadis; they’re your fate;

                              you pour out liquid offerings to them

                                    and make grain offerings;

                              am I supposed to be appeased by stuff like that?

                        ⁷ You’ve committed adultery on every high mountain

                              and gone up there to offer sacrifice to your idols.

                        ⁸ You’ve put pagan symbols on the back of your doors

                                     and on your doorposts;

                              you’ve deserted me and uncovered yourself

                                    to your temple prostitutes;

                              you’ve loved their bed

                                    and looked at their nakedness.                                  

Is 57:6-8

                        ⁹ You’ve gone to Molech with olive oil

                                    and lots of perfume;

                              you’ve sent your messengers far and wide,

                                    even to Sheol.

                        ¹⁰ You’ve worn yourselves out by your long search,

                              but you didn’t give up;

                              you found renewed strength and didn’t faint.                 

Is 57:9-10

                        ¹¹ “Who were you worried about and fearful of

                                    when you lied and didn’t think about me?

                        ¹² I’ll tell everybody about your so-called good deeds,

                                    but they won’t do you any good.

                        ¹³ When you appealed for help,

                                          did your collection of idols deliver you?

                                    A gust of wind can pick them up;

                                          a breath can blow them over.

                              But whoever takes refuge in me will inherit the land

                                    and possess my holy mountain.”                               

Is 57:11-13

Comfort for the Contrite

                        ¹⁴ God says,

                              “Fix the road; rebuild it;

                              get rid of every obstacle to my people.”

                        ¹⁵ This is what the high and lofty One says

                              that lives forever, whose name is Holy:

                              “I live in a high and holy place

                                    to revive the courage of the humble

                                          and the heart of the repentant.

                        ¹⁶ I won’t oppose you forever or always be angry;

                              the spirit and breath of the ones I’ve created

                              would lose spirit and give up.

                              ¹⁷ I was angry and struck them

                                    for their sinful, unjust gain;

                              I hid from them and was angry,

                                    and they went on turning away in heart.                   

Is 57:14-17

                        ¹⁸ I’ve seen their ways, but I’ll heal them anyway;

                              I’ll lead them, comfort their mourners,

                                    ¹⁹ and create praise from them.

                              Peace to the near and far;

                                    I’ll heal them,”           Yahveh says.

                        ²⁰ “But sinful people are like a tossing sea;

                                    it can’t relax;

                                    it stirs up debris and mud.

                        ²¹ There’s no peace for them,” my God says.                        

Is 57:18-21