Isaiah 66

1Thus 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?

2For 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.

3He 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.footnote afootnote b

4I 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.footnote c

5Hear 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.

6A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

7Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.

8Who 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.

9Shall 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.footnote d

10Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

11That 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.footnote e

12For 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.

13As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

14And 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.

15For, 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.

16For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

17They 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.footnote f

18For 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.

19And 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.

20And 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.footnote g

21And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.

22For 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.

23And 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.footnote h

24And 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.

Heaven Is My Throne

1This is what the LORD says:“Heaven is My throne,and earth is My footstool.What kind of house will you build for Me?Or where will My place of repose be? 2Has not My hand made all these things?footnote aAnd so they came into being,”declares the LORD.“This is the one I will esteem:he who is humble and contrite in spirit,who trembles at My word.

3Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man;whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood;whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol.Indeed, they have chosen their own waysand delighted in their abominations. 4So I will choose their punishmentand I will bring terror upon them,because I called and no one answered,I spoke and no one listened.But they did evil in My sightand chose that in which I did not delight.”

5You who tremble at His word,hear the word of the LORD:“Your brothers who hate youand exclude you because of My namehave said, ‘Let the LORD be glorifiedthat we may see your joy!’But they will be put to shame.”

6Hear the uproar from the city;listen to the voice from the temple!It is the voice of the LORD,repaying His enemies what they deserve!

Rejoice with Jerusalem

7“Before she was in labor, she gave birth;before she was in pain, she delivered a boy. 8Who has heard of such as this?Who has seen such things?Can a country be born in a dayor a nation be delivered in an instant?Yet as soon as Zion was in labor,she gave birth to her children. 9Shall I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver it?”says the LORD.“Or will I who deliver close the womb?”says your God.

10Be glad for Jerusalem and rejoice over her,all who love her.Rejoice greatly with her,all who mourn over her, 11so that you may nurse and be satisfiedat her comforting breasts;you may drink deeply and delight yourselvesin her glorious abundance.

12For this is what the LORD says:“I will extend peace to her like a river,and the wealth of nations like a flowing stream;you will nurse and be carried on her arm,and bounced upon her knees. 13As a mother comforts her son,so will I comfort you,and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”

14When you see, you will rejoice,and you will flourish like grass;then the hand of the LORD will be revealed to His servants,but His wrath will be shown to His enemies.

Final Judgments against the Wicked

15For behold, the LORD will come with fire—His chariots are like a whirlwind—to execute His anger with furyand His rebuke with flames of fire. 16For by fire and by His sword,the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh,and many will be slain by the LORD.

17“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves—to follow one in the center of those who eat the flesh of swine and vermin and rats—will perish together,” declares the LORD.

18“And I, knowing their deeds and thoughts, am comingfootnote b to gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory.

19I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islandsfootnote c far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory.
So they will proclaim My glory among the nations. 20And they will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a gift to the LORD on horses and chariots and wagons, on mules and camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the Israelites bring an offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD.”

21“And I will select some of them as priests and Levites,” says the LORD.

22“For just as the new heavens and the new earth,footnote dwhich I will make, will endure before Me,”declares the LORD,“so your descendants and your name will endure. 23From one New Moon to anotherand from one Sabbath to another,all mankind will come to worship before Me,”says the LORD. 24“As they go forth, they will see the corpsesof the men who have rebelled against Me;for their worm will never die,their fire will never be quenched,footnote eand they will be a horrorto all mankind.”