Isaiah 65:1-16

1The Lord says, ‘I was ready to answer, even when my people did not ask me anything. I showed myself to people who were not even looking for me. I said, “Look! Here I am!” to a nation who did not even use my name to pray.

2All the time, I have been ready to help my people, even though they turned against me. But they continue to live in a way that is not good. They do whatever they want to do.

3They continue to make me angry, as they insult me without shame. They offer sacrifices to their idols in their gardens. They burn incense to them on altars that are made from bricks.

4They sit among the graves and they hide in caves. They eat meat from pigs. They use unclean meat to make their soup.

5They say to each other, “Keep away from me! Do not come near me! I am too holy for you!” These people are like smoke in my nose! They are like a fire that burns all day.’

6The Lord says, ‘Look! I have decided what I will do, and I have written it down: I will not keep quiet. I will punish them completely. I will give them everything that they deserve,

7as punishment for their sins and for the sins of their ancestors. They burned incense to their idols on the mountains, and they insulted me on the hills. So I will punish them completely, as much as they deserve.’

8This is what the Lord says: ‘If grapes still have some juice in them, someone will say, “Do not destroy them. There is some juice there that we can use.” I will do the same thing for my servants. I will not destroy them all.

9I will cause Jacob's family to have descendants. There will be people of Judah's family who will live on my mountains. The land will belong to the people that I have chosen. My servants will live there.

10Sharon will become a field where sheep safely eat grass. Cows will rest in the Valley of Achor. Those places will belong to my people, those who want to serve me.

11But punishment will come to those people who turn away from the Lord. You forget to worship me on my holy mountain. Instead, you prepare food and wine to offer to your false gods called “Luck” and “Fate”.

12So this will be your fate: a sword will kill you. You will all bend down low for someone to kill you. This will happen because you did not answer me when I spoke to you. You did not even listen to my words. You did evil things against me. You chose to do things that I would hate.’

13So the Almighty Lord says this: ‘Look! My servants will eat, but you will be hungry. Look! My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Look! My servants will be happy, but you will be ashamed.

14Yes, my servants will sing with joy because they are so happy. But you will cry aloud because you are so sad. You will weep because you are very upset.

15My own people will use your names when they curse others. The Almighty Lord will kill you, but he will give to his servants another name.

16People in the land will use the name of the true God, when they want to say a blessing. People in the land who want to make a strong promise will also use the name of the true God. I will forget the troubles that happened in past years. I will no longer even think about them.