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Salvation for the Nations

56 Thus says the Lord:

Preserve justice
    and do righteousness,
for My salvation is about to come
    and My righteousness to be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
    and the son of man who takes hold of it,
who keeps from polluting the Sabbath
    and keeps his hand from doing any evil.

Do not let the son of the foreigner
    who has joined himself to the Lord
speak, saying,
    “The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”;
do not let the eunuch say,
    “I am only a dry tree.”

For thus says the Lord:

To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
    and choose the things that please Me,
    and take hold of My covenant,
to them I will give in My house and within My walls
    a memorial, and a name
    better than that of sons and of daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
    that shall not be cut off.
Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord
    to serve Him,
and to love the name of the Lord,
    and to be His servants,
to everyone who keeps from polluting the Sabbath
    and takes hold of My covenant,
even them I will bring to My holy mountain
    and make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
    shall be accepted on My altar;
for My house shall be called
    a house of prayer for all people.
The Lord God
    who gathers the outcasts of Israel says,
Yet I will gather others to them
    besides those who already are gathered to him.

God Accuses the Wicked

All you beasts of the field,
    all you beasts in the forest, come to devour.
10 His watchmen are blind;
    they all are ignorant;
they all are dumb dogs,
    unable to bark;
sleepers lying down,
    who love to slumber.
11 They are greedy dogs
    which can never have enough,
and they are shepherds who cannot understand;
    they all turn to their own way,
    every one for his gain, from his territory.
12 “Come,” they say, “let us get wine,
    and let us fill ourselves with strong drink;
and tomorrow shall be as today,
    only more so.”

Salvation for Others

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice(A)
    and do what is right,(B)
for my salvation(C) is close at hand
    and my righteousness(D) will soon be revealed.
Blessed(E) is the one who does this—
    the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath(F) without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

Let no foreigner(G) who is bound to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”(H)
And let no eunuch(I) complain,
    “I am only a dry tree.”

For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs(J) who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant(K)
to them I will give within my temple and its walls(L)
    a memorial(M) and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name(N)
    that will endure forever.(O)
And foreigners(P) who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister(Q) to him,
to love the name(R) of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath(S) without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain(T)
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices(U)
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.(V)(W)
The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather(X) still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

Come, all you beasts of the field,(Y)
    come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
10 Israel’s watchmen(Z) are blind,
    they all lack knowledge;(AA)
they are all mute dogs,
    they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
    they love to sleep.(AB)
11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
    they never have enough.
They are shepherds(AC) who lack understanding;(AD)
    they all turn to their own way,(AE)
    they seek their own gain.(AF)
12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!(AG)
    Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
    or even far better.”(AH)