Isaiah

*Isaiah, son of Amoz's vision about Judah and Jerusalem during the time of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, who were Judah's kings.

*Listen, heaven and earth, as the LORD speaks. I raised and cared for my children, but they have rebelled against me.

*The ox and donkey both recognize their owners and where they sleep, but Israel doesn't understand, and my people don't think about it.

*Dear sinful people, heavy with wrongdoing and full of bad actions, you are children who cause trouble. You've left the Lord, made the Holy One of Israel angry, and gone back to the old ways.

*Why keep getting punished? You'll rebel even more; everyone's hurt, and everyone's hearts weak.

*This verse means that from the bottom of the foot to the top of the head, there is no healthiness. Instead, there are injuries, bruises, and rotting sores. These wounds haven't been healed or bandaged, nor have they been eased with ointment.

*Your nation is empty, your towns are destroyed by fire: your land, others take it while you watch, and it's empty, like after invaders take over.

*The daughter of Zion is now like a small house in a grape farm, a little shelter in a veggie garden with cucumbers, and a city under attack.

*If the Lord of all powers didn't leave us a tiny remaining group, we would be like Sodom, and similar to Gomorrah.

*Listen to God's message, leaders of Sodom; pay attention to His rules, people of Gomorrah.

*Why do you offer so many sacrifices to me? asks the Lord: I am already full of burnt offerings of rams and fat from well-fed animals. I don't enjoy the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.

*When you come to see me, why is it needed for you to walk in my temple area?

*Stop offering worthless gifts; I don't like incense; I also dislike special days and meetings, they are wrong, including solemn gatherings.

*I dislike your special days and events; they cause me stress and I'm tired of dealing with them.

*When you stretch out your hands, I won't look at you. Even if you pray a lot, I won't listen. Your hands are covered in blood.

*Cleanse yourself; remove your wrongdoing; stop doing bad things; don't hide it from me.

*Do good deeds; look for fairness, help those in trouble, protect orphans, stand up for widows.

*The Lord invites us to think with Him: no matter how red your mistakes are, He will make them as white as snow; no matter how deep the stain, He will wash it away completely.

*If you are ready and listen, you can enjoy the good things from the land.

*But if you say no and fight back, you will be destroyed by the sword; because God's words say so.

*How did the loyal city turn into a sinful one? It used to have fairness and justice, but now there are killers present.

*Your silver has turned into worthless trash, and your wine is diluted with water.

*Your leaders act badly, hanging out with thieves. They all love gifts and seek rewards. They don't care about orphans or help widows.

*So says the Lord, the ruler of the heavenly army, the powerful God of Israel: "Ah, I will deal with my opponents and punish those who are against me."

*And I will remove impurities from you, completely cleaning what's unwanted, and take away all your impurities.

*I will bring back your leaders like before, and your advisors too. Later, you will be known as the city of fairness and trustworthiness.

*Zion will be saved through fairness, and those who join her will be through goodness.

*The wicked and sinful will be destroyed together, and those who leave the LORD will be destroyed too.

*They will feel embarrassed about the big trees you wanted and confused about the nice gardens you picked.

*You will be like an oak with wilting leaves and a dry garden without water.

*The powerful will be like cotton wool, and the one who makes it will be like a tiny flame. They will both burn together and nothing can put out their flames.