Isaiah 57

Evil Leaders Rebuked

1The righteous man perishes, and no man 1takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from 2evil,2He enters into peace; They rest in their 3beds, Each one who 4walked in his upright way.3“But come here, you sons of a 5sorceress, 6Offspring of an adulterer and 7a 8prostitute.4Against whom do you jest? Against whom do you open wide your mouth And stick out your tongue? Are you not children of 9rebellion, Offspring of deceit,5Who inflame yourselves among the 1011oaks, 12Under every luxuriant tree, Who 13slaughter the children in the 14ravines, Under the clefts of the crags?6Among the 1516smooth stones of the 17ravine Is your portion, 18they are your lot; Even to them you have 19poured out a drink offering, You have made a grain offering. Shall I 2021relent concerning these things?7Upon a 22high and lofty mountain You have 23made your bed. You also went up there to offer sacrifice.8Behind the door and the doorpost You have set up your sign; Indeed, far removed from Me, you have 24uncovered yourself, And have gone up and made your bed wide. And you have made an agreement for yourself with them, You have loved their 25bed, You have looked on their 26manhood.9You have journeyed to the king with oil And increased your perfumes; You have 27sent your envoys a great distance And made them go down to 28Sheol.10You were tired out by the length of your road, Yet you did not say, ‘29It is hopeless.’ You found 30renewed strength, Therefore you did not 31faint.

11“Of 32whom were you worried and fearful When you lied, and did 33not remember Me 34Nor 35give Me a thought? Was I not silent even for a long time So you do not fear Me?12I will 36declare your righteousness and your 37deeds, But they will not profit you.13When you cry out, 38let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry all of them up, And a breath will take them away. But he who 39takes refuge in Me will 40inherit the land And will 41possess My holy mountain.”

14And it will be said, “42Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.”15For thus says the 43high and exalted One Who 4445lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I 46dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the 47contrite and lowly of spirit In order to 48revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.16For I will 49not contend forever, 50Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would grow faint before Me, And the 51breath of those whom I have made.17Because of the iniquity of his 52unjust gain I was angry and struck him; I hid My face and was angry, And he went on 53turning away, in the way of his heart.18I have seen his ways, but I will 54heal him; I will 55lead him and 56restore comfort to him and to his mourners,19Creating the 5758praise of the lips. 59Peace, peace to him who is 60far and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “and I will heal him.”20But the 61wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud.21“62There is no peace,” says 63my God, “for the wicked.”