Isaiah 65

I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

1God says: people who never asked about me found me. People who were not looking for me learned who I am. I said, "Here I am! Here I am!" I said it to a nation that did not use my name.

2I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;

2All day long I have held my hands out to a stubborn people. They walk down the wrong path. They follow their own ideas.

3A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;

3These people make me angry right to my face, over and over. They kill animals as gifts to other gods in their gardens. They burn incense, sweet-smelling smoke, on altars made of brick.

4Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

4They sit among the graves. They spend their nights in hidden places. They eat pig meat, which God told them not to eat. Their bowls hold soup made from unclean things.

5Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

5They say, "Stay back. Do not come near me. I am holier than you." People like that are like smoke in my nose. They are a fire that burns all day long.

6Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,

6Look, it is written down in front of me. I will not stay quiet. I will pay them back. I will pour the payment right into their laps.

7Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.

7"I will pay back your sins and your fathers' sins together," says the LORD. "They burned incense on the mountains. They said hateful things about me on the hills. So I will measure out the full payment for what they did."

8Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.

8This is what the LORD says. Sweet juice is found inside a bunch of grapes. So people say, "Do not throw it away. Something good is in it." I will do the same for my servants. I will not destroy them all.

9And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.

9I will bring out children from Jacob's family. From Judah I will bring people to own my mountains. The ones I have chosen will have that land. My servants will live there.

10And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.

10Sharon will be a field where sheep rest. The valley of Achor will be a resting place for cattle. This is for my people who look for me.

11But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.

11But you are the ones who walk away from the LORD. You forget my holy mountain. You set a table of food for the god called Luck. You fill cups of wine for the god called Fate.

NoteThe KJV says "that troop" and "that number." These are the names of two gods people worshiped, Luck and Fate.

12Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.

12So I have counted out the sword for you. You will all bow down to be killed. I called, and you did not answer. I spoke, and you did not listen. You did evil right in front of me. You chose what I did not want.

13Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:

13So this is what the Lord GOD says. My servants will eat, but you will be hungry. My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. My servants will be glad, but you will be ashamed.

14Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

14My servants will sing because their hearts are happy. But you will cry because your hearts hurt. You will wail because your spirits are broken.

15And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:

15Your name will be left behind as a curse for my chosen ones. The Lord GOD will put you to death. He will give his servants a different name.

16That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.

16Anyone in the land who asks for a blessing will ask the God of truth. Anyone who makes a promise will promise by the God of truth. The old troubles will be forgotten. They will be hidden from my sight.

17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

17Look, I am making new heavens and a new earth. What came before will not be remembered. No one will even think of it again.

18But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

18Be glad and full of joy forever about what I make. Look, I am making Jerusalem a happy place. Its people will be a delight.

19And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

19I will be glad about Jerusalem. I will be happy with my people. Crying will not be heard there anymore. Weeping will not be heard there.

20There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

20No baby there will live only a few days. No old person will die before their time. Someone who dies at a hundred will still be called young. Anyone who does not reach a hundred will be seen as cursed.

NoteThis verse says people will live so long that dying at a hundred years old will seem young.

21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

21They will build houses and live in them. They will plant grapevines and eat the fruit.

22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

22They will not build houses for someone else to live in. They will not plant food for someone else to eat. My people will live as long as trees live. My chosen ones will enjoy the work of their hands.

23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

23They will not work hard for nothing. Their children will not be born only for trouble. They are a family the LORD has blessed. Their children are blessed along with them.

24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

24Before they call to me, I will answer. While they are still talking, I will hear.

25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

25The wolf and the lamb will eat side by side. The lion will eat straw like an ox. Dust will be the snake's food. They will not hurt or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain, says the LORD.

NoteIn the KJV, "meat" means any kind of food, not just animal meat.