Isaiah 57

Evil Leaders Rebuked

1The righteous person perishes, and no one 1takes it to heart; And devout people are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous person 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!4Of whom do you make fun? 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 10oaks, 11Under every luxuriant tree, Who 12slaughter the children in the 13ravines, Under the clefts of the rocks?6Among the 1415smooth stones of the 16ravine Is your portion, 17they are your lot; Even to them you have 18poured out a drink offering, You have made a grain offering. Should I 1920relent of these things?7On a 21high and lofty mountain You have 22made 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 23uncovered yourself, And have gone up and made your bed wide. And you have made an agreement for yourself with them, You have loved their bed, You have looked at their 24manhood.9You have journeyed to the king with oil And increased your perfumes; You have 25sent your messengers a great distance And made them go down to 26Sheol.10You were tired out by the length of your road, Yet you did not say, ‘27It is hopeless!’ You found 28renewed strength, Therefore you did not 29faint.

11“Of 30whom were you worried and fearful When you lied, and did 31not remember Me 32Nor 33give Me a thought? Was I not silent, even for a long time, So you do not fear Me?12I will 34declare your righteousness and your 35deeds, And they will not benefit you.13When you cry out, 36let your collection of idols save you. But the wind will carry them all up, And a breath will take them away. But the one who 37takes refuge in Me will 38inherit the land And 39possess My holy mountain.”

14And it will be said, “40Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle from the way of My people.”15For this is what the 41high and exalted One Who 4243lives forever, whose name is Holy, says: “I 44dwell in a high and holy place, And also with the 45contrite and lowly of spirit In order to 46revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.16For I will 47not contend forever, 48Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would grow faint before Me, And the 49breath of those whom I have made.17Because of the wrongful act of his 50unjust gain I was angry and struck him; I hid My face and was angry, And he went on 51turning away, in the way of his heart.18I have seen his ways, but I will 52heal him; I will 53lead him and 54restore comfort to him and to his mourners,19Creating the 5556praise of the lips. 57Peace, peace to him who is 58far away and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “and I will heal him.”20But the 59wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud.21“60There is no peace,” says 61my God, “for the wicked.”