Isaiah 57 - Amplified Bible(AMP)

Evil Leaders Rebuked

1The righteous man perishes, and no one takes it to heart;

Faithful and devout men are taken away, while no one understands

That the righteous person is taken away from disaster and evil.

2He enters into peace;

They rest in their beds (graves),

Each one who walked uprightly.

3“But come here, you sons of a sorceress,

Offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute.

4“Of whom do you make fun?

Against whom do you open wide your mouth

And stick out your tongue?

Are you not children of rebellion (sin),

Offspring of deceit,

5Who inflame yourselves among the oaks (terebinth trees),

Under every green and leafy tree,

Who slaughter the children in the ravines

Under the clefts of the rocks?

6“Among the smooth stones of the ravine

Is your portion, they (the idols) are your lot;

Even to them you have poured out a drink offering,

You have offered a grain offering.

Should I be quiet concerning these things?

7“Upon a high and lofty mountain

You have made your bed;

Even there you went up to offer sacrifice.

8“Behind the door and the doorpost

You have set up your symbol;

Indeed, far removed from Me, you have uncovered yourself,

And have gone up and made your bed wide.

And you have made a agreement for yourself with the adulterers,

You have loved their bed,

You have looked on their manhood.

9“You have gone to the king with oil

And increased your perfumes;

You have sent your messengers a great distance

And made them go down to Sheol (the realm of the dead).

10“You were wearied by the length of your road,

Yet you did not say, ‘It is no use.’

You found renewed strength,

Therefore you did not grow weak.

11¶“About whom were you worried and fearful

That you lied and did not remember Me,

Nor give Me a thought?

Was I not silent even for a long time

And you do not fear Me?

12“I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,

But they will not benefit you.

13“When you cry out, let your collection of idols save you.

But the wind will carry them all away,

A breath will take them.

But he who takes refuge in Me will possess the land

And will inherit My holy mountain.”

14¶And it will be said,

“Build up, build up, clear the way.

Remove the stumbling block out of the way of My people.”

15For the high and exalted One

He who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy says this,

“I dwell on the high and holy place,

But also with the contrite and humble in spirit

In order to revive the spirit of the humble

And to revive the heart of the contrite.

16“For I will not contend forever,

Nor will I always be angry;

For the spirit would grow weak before Me,

And the breath of those whom I have created.

17“Because of the wickedness of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him;

I hid My face and was angry,

And he went on turning away and backsliding, in the way of his heart.

18“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;

I will lead him and will restore comfort to him and to those who mourn for him,

19As I create the praise of his lips,

Peace, peace, to him who is far away and to him who is near!”

Says the Lord;

“And I will heal him.”

20But the wicked are like the tossing sea,

For it cannot be quiet,

And its waters toss up mire and mud.

21“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”