Isaiah 65

1I was sought by those who did not ask; I was found by those who did not seek me. I said, "Here I am! Here I am!" to a nation that did not call on my name.

2I have spread out my hands all day long to a rebellious people who walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts.

3A people who continually provoke me to my face, sacrificing in gardens and burning incense on bricks.

4who dwell among the graves and lodge in hidden places, who eat the flesh of pigs, their vessels holding broth of detestable things.

5Who say, “Come near—to yourself, do not come near to me, for I am holier than you.” These are smoke in my nostrils, a fire burning all day.

6See, it is written before me: I will not be silent, but repay—yes, repay—into their bosom.

7Your iniquities and your fathers' iniquities together, says Yahweh, who offered incense on the mountains and taunted me on the hills; I will measure their former work into their bosom.

8This is what Yahweh says: As wine is found in the cluster and someone says, "Do not destroy it, for a blessing is in it," so I will act for the sake of my servants, so as not to destroy everything.

9I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah an inheritor of my mountains; my chosen will possess it, and my servants will dwell there.

10Sharon shall be a fold for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for cattle, for my people who have sought me.

11But you who forsake Yahweh, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Gad, and who pour mixed wine for Meni.

12I will appoint you to the sword, and every one of you to the slaughter, where you will bow down, because I called but you did not answer; I spoke but you did not heed; instead you performed the evil in my sight and chose what I did not desire.

13Therefore the Lord Yahweh declares: See, my servants will eat, but you will go hungry; see, my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; see, my servants will rejoice, but you will be ashamed.

14Behold, my servants will rejoice from gladness of heart, but you will cry out from pain of heart and howl from breaking of spirit.

15You will leave your name as a curse to my elect; the Lord Yahweh will put you to death, and he will call his servants by another name.

16Whoever blesses himself on earth will bless himself by the God of truth, and whoever swears on earth will swear by the God of truth, because the former afflictions are forgotten and hidden from my eyes.

17For look, I create new heavens and a new earth; the former things will not be remembered, nor come to mind.

18But exult and rejoice forever in what I create, for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy.

19I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in my people—no longer will the sound of weeping or the sound of crying be heard in her.

20No longer will there be there an infant living only days, nor an old man who fails to complete his days; for the youth a hundred years old will die, and the sinner a hundred years old will be accursed.

21They will build houses and dwell in them, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

22They will not build and another dwell, nor plant and another eat; for the days of my people will be like the days of a tree, and my chosen will long enjoy the work of their hands.

23They will not toil in vain, nor bear amid calamity, for they are the seed of those blessed by Yahweh, and their offspring with them.

24Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.

25The wolf and the lamb will pasture as one, the lion will eat straw like cattle, and dust will be the serpent's food. They will not harm or destroy throughout my holy mountain, says Yahweh.