10 Hear the word of the Lord,
You rulers (A)of Sodom;
Give ear to the law of our God,
You people of Gomorrah:
11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your (B)sacrifices to Me?”
Says the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats.

12 “When you come (C)to appear before Me,
Who has required this from your hand,
To trample My courts?
13 Bring no more (D)futile[a] sacrifices;
Incense is an abomination to Me.
The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and (E)the calling of assemblies—
I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
14 Your (F)New Moons and your (G)appointed feasts
My soul hates;
They are a trouble to Me,
I am weary of bearing them.
15 (H)When you [b]spread out your hands,
I will hide My eyes from you;
(I)Even though you make many prayers,
I will not hear.
Your hands are full of [c]blood.

16 “Wash(J) yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
(K)Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke [d]the oppressor;
[e]Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 1:13 worthless
  2. Isaiah 1:15 Pray
  3. Isaiah 1:15 bloodshed
  4. Isaiah 1:17 Some ancient vss. the oppressed
  5. Isaiah 1:17 Vindicate

Fasting that Pleases God

58 “Cry aloud, [a]spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
(A)Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet they seek Me daily,
And delight to know My ways,
As a nation that did righteousness,
And did not forsake the ordinance of their God.
They ask of Me the ordinances of justice;
They take delight in approaching God.
‘Why(B) have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen?
Why have we (C)afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’

“In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
And [b]exploit all your laborers.
(D)Indeed you fast for strife and debate,
And to strike with the fist of wickedness.
You will not fast as you do this day,
To make your voice heard on high.
Is (E)it a fast that I have chosen,
(F)A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And (G)to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the Lord?

Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To (H)loose the bonds of wickedness,
(I)To undo the [c]heavy burdens,
(J)To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
Is it not (K)to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are [d]cast out;
(L)When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from (M)your own flesh?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 58:1 do not hold back
  2. Isaiah 58:3 Lit. drive hard
  3. Isaiah 58:6 Lit. bonds of the yoke
  4. Isaiah 58:7 wandering

(A)Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand (B)rivers of oil?
(C)Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
[a]The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Micah 6:7 My own child

He has (A)shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But (B)to do justly,
To love [a]mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Micah 6:8 Or lovingkindness

Bible Gateway Recommends