Isaiah 66

Thus 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?

1The LORD says this. "The sky is My throne. The earth is where I rest My feet. So what house could you build for Me? Where could I ever settle down?

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.

2"My own hand made all these things. That is how they came to be," says the LORD. "But here is the person I care about. He is humble and sorry inside. He shakes when he hears My words.

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.

3"Some people kill an ox for Me. But it is like killing a man. Some give a lamb. But it is like breaking a dog's neck. Some bring grain. But it is like offering pig's blood. Some burn sweet spices. But it is like praising a fake god. They picked their own way to live. They are happy doing things I hate.

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.

4"So I will pick their punishment. I will bring on them the very things they fear. I called them, and no one answered. I spoke, and no one listened. They did wrong right in front of Me. They chose what does not please Me."

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.

5You who shake when you hear His words, listen to the LORD. "Your own countrymen hate you. They push you out because you belong to Me. They say, 'Let the LORD show His greatness, so we can see you happy!' But they will be the ones put to shame.

Note"Let the LORD be glorified" is said in a mean way here. The people saying it are making fun.

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

6Listen! A loud noise comes from the city. A voice comes from the temple. It is the voice of the LORD. He is paying His enemies back for what they did.

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

7"She had her baby before the pains even started. She gave birth to a son before the hurting came.

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.

8"Who ever heard of that? Who ever saw such a thing? Can a whole land be born in one day? Can a nation come to be in a moment? Yet as soon as Zion started, her children were born.

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.

9"Would I bring a baby right to the moment of birth and then stop?" says the LORD. "I am the one who brings babies out. So would I hold one back?" says your God.

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:

10Be glad for Jerusalem. Be happy with her, all you who love her. Be full of joy with her, all you who cried 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.

11Then you will feed from her like a baby and have enough. She will comfort you. You will drink deeply and be glad in all her riches.

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.

12The LORD says this. "I will send peace to her like a river. I will send the riches of the nations like a flowing stream. You will feed like a baby. You will be carried on her arm. You will be bounced on her knees.

Note"Dandled upon her knees" means bounced gently on the knees, the way you play with a small child.

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

13"A mother comforts her child. That is how I will comfort you. In Jerusalem you will be comforted."

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.

14When you see it, your heart will be glad. You will grow strong like fresh green grass. The LORD's hand will help His servants. But His anger will show against 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.

15Look! The LORD is coming with fire. His chariots come like a spinning wind. He comes to show His anger and scold 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.

16With fire and with His sword, the LORD will judge every person. Many will be killed by the LORD.

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.

17"Some people get themselves ready to go into the gardens. They follow one leader in the middle. They eat pig meat and rats and other things I hate. They will all be wiped out together," says the LORD.

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.

18"I know what they do. I know what they think. The time is coming when I will gather every nation and every language. They will come and see how great I am.

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.

19"I will set up a sign among them. I will send the ones who lived through it out to the nations. They will go to Tarshish and Put and Lud, where men shoot bows. They will go to Tubal and Javan and far-off islands. Those places never heard of Me or saw My glory. They will tell the nations how great I am.

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.

20"They will bring all your countrymen back from every nation as a gift to the LORD. They will come on horses and in chariots and in wagons. They will come on mules and on fast camels. They will come to My holy mountain, Jerusalem," says the LORD. "It will be like the way Israel brings an offering in a clean dish to the LORD's house."

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

21"And I will choose some of them to be priests and Levites, the men who serve Me," says 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.

22"I will make new heavens and a new earth. They will last and last in front of Me," says the LORD. "In the same way, your children and your name will last.

Note"Your seed" in the old wording means your children and their children after them.

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.

23"Every new month and every rest day, all people will come. They will come and worship Me," says the LORD.

Note"New moon" was the start of a month. "Sabbath" was the weekly rest day when people stopped work and worshiped.

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.

24"They will go out and look at the dead bodies. These are the men who turned against Me. Their worm will never die. Their fire will never go out. Everyone will turn away from that sight."