Will the fast I choose be like this:
A day for a person to deny himself,
to bow his head like a reed,
and to spread out sackcloth and ashes?(A)
Will you call this a fast
and a day acceptable to the Lord?
Isn’t this the fast I choose:
To break the chains of wickedness,(B)
to untie the ropes of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free,
and to tear off every yoke?(C)
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,(D)
to bring the poor and homeless into your house,
to clothe the naked when you see him,(E)
and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?[a](F)

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Footnotes

  1. 58:7 Lit not hide yourself from your flesh

Is this the kind of fast(A) I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble(B) themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed(C)
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?(D)
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?

“Is not this the kind of fasting(E) I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice(F)
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed(G) free
    and break every yoke?(H)
Is it not to share your food with the hungry(I)
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter(J)
when you see the naked, to clothe(K) them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?(L)

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Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

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