The Lord Will Punish the Guilty
1 I, the Lord, was ready
to answer even those
who were not asking
and to be found by those
who were not searching.
To a nation that refused
to worship me,
I said, “Here I am!”
2 All day long I have reached out
to stubborn and sinful people
going their own way.
3 They keep making me angry
by sneering at me,
while offering sacrifices
to idols in gardens
and burning incense
to them on bricks.
4 They spend their nights
hiding in burial caves;
they eat the meat of pigs,
cooked in sauces
made of stuff unfit to eat.
5 And then they say to others,
“Don't come near us!
We're dedicated to God.”
Such people are like smoke,
irritating my nose all day.
6 I have written this down;
I won't keep silent.
I'll pay them back
just as their sins deserve.
7 I, the Lord, will make them pay
for their sins and for those
of their ancestors—
they have disgraced me
by burning incense
on mountains.
8 Here is what the Lord says:
A cluster of grapes
that produces wine
is worth keeping!
So, because of my servants,
I won't destroy everyone.
9 I have chosen the people
of Israel and Judah,
and I will bless them
with many descendants.
They will settle here
in this land of mountains,
and it will be theirs.
10 My people will worship me.
Then the coastlands of Sharon
and the land as far
as Achor Valley
will turn into pastureland
where cattle and sheep
will feed and rest.
11 What will I, the Lord, do
if any of you reject me
and my holy mountain?
What will happen to you
for offering food and wine
to the gods you call
“Good Luck” and “Fate”?
12 Your luck will end!
I will see to it that you
are slaughtered with swords.
You refused to answer
when I called out;
you paid no attention
to my instructions.
Instead, you did what I hated,
knowing it was wrong.
13 I, the Lord God, will give
food and drink to my servants,
and they will celebrate.
But all of you sinners
will go hungry and thirsty,
overcome with disgrace.
14 My servants will laugh and sing,
but you will be sad
and cry out in pain.
15 I, the Lord God, promise
to see that you are killed
and that my chosen servants use
your names as curse words.
But I will give new names
to my servants.
16 I am God! I can be trusted.
Your past troubles are gone;
I no longer think of them.
When you pray for someone
to receive a blessing,
or when you make a promise,
you must do it in my name.
I alone am the God
who can be trusted.
The Lord's New Creation
17 I am creating new heavens
and a new earth;
everything of the past
will be forgotten.
18 Celebrate and be glad forever!
I am creating a Jerusalem,
full of happy people.
19 I will celebrate with Jerusalem
and all its people;
there will be no more crying
or sorrow in that city.
20 No child will die in infancy;
everyone will live
a very long life.
Anyone a hundred years old
will be considered young,
and to die younger than that
will be considered a curse.
21 My people will live
in the houses they build;
they will enjoy grapes
from their own vineyards.
22 No one will take away
their homes or vineyards.
My chosen people will live
to be as old as trees,
and they will enjoy
what they have earned.
23 Their work won't be wasted,
and their children won't die
of dreadful diseases.
I will bless their children
and their grandchildren.
24 I will answer their prayers
before they finish praying.
25 Wolves and lambs
will graze together;
lions and oxen
will feed on straw.
Snakes will eat only dirt!
They won't bite or harm anyone
on my holy mountain.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
1 I have bene sought of them that asked not: I was found of them that sought me not: I sayd, Beholde me, beholde me, vnto a nation that called not vpon my Name. 2 I haue spred out mine handes all the day vnto a rebellious people, which walked in a way that was not good, euen after their owne imaginations: 3 A people that prouoked me euer vnto my face: that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense vpon brickes. 4 Which remaine among the graues, and lodge in the desarts, which eate swines flesh, and the broth of things polluted are in their vessels. 5 Which say, Stand apart, come not neere to me: for I am holier then thou: these are a smoke in my wrath and a fire that burneth all the day. 6 Beholde, it is written before me: I wil not keepe silence, but will render it and recompense it into their bosome. 7 Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers shalbe together (sayth the Lord) which haue burnt incense vpon the mountaines, and blasphemed me vpon the hilles: therefore wil I measure their olde worke into their bosome. 8 Thus sayth the Lord, As the wine is found in the cluster, and one sayth, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it, so will I doe for my seruants sakes, that I may not destroy them whole. 9 But I will bring a seede out of Iaakob, and out of Iudah, that shall inherit my mountaine: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my seruants shall dwell there. 10 And Sharon shalbe a sheepefolde, and the valley of Achor shalbe a resting place for the cattell of my people, that haue sought me. 11 But ye are they that haue forsaken the Lord and forgotten mine holy Mountaine, and haue prepared a table for the multitude, and furnish the drinke offerings vnto the number. 12 Therefore wil I number you to the sword, and all you shall bowe downe to the slaughter, because I called, and ye did not answere: I spake, and ye heard not, but did euil in my sight, and did chuse that thing which I would not. 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Beholde, my seruants shall eate, and ye shalbe hungrie: beholde, my seruants shall drinke, and ye shall be thirstie: beholde, my seruants shall reioyce, and ye shalbe ashamed. 14 Beholde, my seruants shall sing for ioye of heart, and ye shall crye for sorow of heart, and shall howle for vexation of minde. 15 And ye shall leaue your name as a curse vnto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay you and call his seruants by another name. 16 He that shall blesse in the earth, shall blesse himselfe in the true God, and he that sweareth in the earth, shall sweare by the true God: for the former troubles are forgotten, and shall surely hide themselues from mine eyes. 17 For lo, I will create newe heauens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde. 18 But be you glad and reioyce for euer in the things that I shall create: for beholde, I will create Ierusalem, as a reioycing and her people as a ioye, 19 And I wil reioyce in Ierusalem, and ioye in my people, and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voyce of crying. 20 There shall be no more there a childe of yeeres, nor an olde man that hath not filled his dayes: for he that shall be an hundreth yeeres old, shall dye as a yong man: but the sinner being an hundreth yeeres olde shall be accursed. 21 And they shall build houses and inhabite them, and they shall plant vineyards, and eate the fruite of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabite: they shall not plant, and another eate: for as the dayes of the tree are the dayes of my people, and mine elect shall inioye in olde age the worke of their handes. 23 They shall not labour in vaine, nor bring forth in feare: for they are the seede of the blessed of the Lord, and their buds with them. 24 Yea, before they call, I will answere, and whiles they speake, I will heare. 25 The wolfe and the lambe shall feede together, and the lyon shall eate strawe like the bullocke: and to the serpent dust shall be his meate. They shall no more hurt nor destroy in all mine holy Mountaine, saith the Lord.