Isaiah 56

A House of Prayer for All

¹This is what the Lord says:

Preserve justice and do what is right, ^a

for my salvation is coming soon,

and my righteousness will be revealed. ^b

²Happy is the person who does this,

the son of man who holds it fast,

who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it,

and keeps his hand from doing any evil. ^c

³No foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord

should say,

“The Lord will exclude me from his people,” ^d

and the eunuch should not say,

“Look, I am a dried-up tree.” ^e

⁴For the Lord says this:

“For the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,

and choose what pleases me,

and hold firmly to my covenant,

⁵I will give them, in my house and within my walls,

a memorial and a name

better than sons and daughters.

I will give each of them an everlasting name

that will never be cut off. ^f

⁶As for the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord

to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,

and to become his servants —

all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it

and who hold firmly to my covenant —

⁷I will bring them to my holy mountain ^g

and let them rejoice in my house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices

will be acceptable on my altar, ^h

for my house will be called a house of prayer

for all nations.” ⁱ

⁸This is the declaration of the Lord God,

who gathers the dispersed of Israel:

“I will gather to them still others

besides those already gathered.” ^j

Unrighteous Leaders Condemned

⁹All you animals of the field and forest,

come and eat!

¹⁰Israel’s ^k watchmen ^l are blind, all of them,

they know nothing;

all of them are mute dogs,

they cannot bark;

they dream, lie down,

and love to sleep.

¹¹These dogs have fierce appetites;

they never have enough.

And they are shepherds

who have no discernment;

all of them turn to their own way,

every last one for his own profit. ^m

¹²“Come, let me get some wine,

let’s guzzle some beer;

and tomorrow will be like today,

only far better! ” ⁿ