Isaiah 57 - Prayer Tents

Isaiah 57

New Living Translation

57Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.H6662H6H376H7760H3820H2617H582H622H995H6662H622H6440H7451 2For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.H935H7965H5117H4904H1980H5228 3“But you—come here, you witches’ children, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!H7126H1121H6049H2233H5003H2181 4Whom do you mock, making faces and sticking out your tongues? You children of sinners and liars!H6026H7337H6310H748H3956H3206H6588H2233H8267 5You worship your idols with great passion beneath the oaks and under every green tree. You sacrifice your children down in the valleys, among the jagged rocks in the cliffs.H2552H410H7488H6086H7819H3206H5158H5585H5553 6Your gods are the smooth stones in the valleys. You worship them with liquid offerings and grain offerings. They, not I, are your inheritance. Do you think all this makes me happy?H2511H5158H2506H1486H8210H5262H5927H4503H5162 7You have committed adultery on every high mountain. There you have worshiped idols and have been unfaithful to me.H1364H5375H2022H7760H4904H5927H2076H2077 8You have put pagan symbols on your doorposts and behind your doors. You have left me and climbed into bed with these detestable gods. You have committed yourselves to them. You love to look at their naked bodies.H310H1817H4201H7760H2146H1540H5927H7337H4904H3772H157H4904H3027H2372 9You have given olive oil to Molech

with many gifts of perfume. You have traveled far, even into the world of the dead, to find new gods to love.H7788H4428H8081H7235H7547H7971H6735H7350H8213H7585 10You grew weary in your search, but you never gave up. Desire gave you renewed strength, and you did not grow weary.H3021H7230H1870H559H2976H4672H2416H3027H2470 11“Are you afraid of these idols? Do they terrify you? Is that why you have lied to me and forgotten me and my words? Is it because of my long silence that you no longer fear me?H1672H3372H3576H2142H7760H3820H2814H5769H3372 12Now I will expose your so-called good deeds. None of them will help you.H5046H6666H4639H3276 13Let’s see if your idols can save you when you cry to them for help. Why, a puff of wind can knock them down! If you just breathe on them, they fall over! But whoever trusts in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.”H2199H6899H5337H7307H5375H1892H3947H2620H5157H776H3423H6944H2022 14God says, “Rebuild the road! Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.”H559H5549H5549H6437H1870H7311H4383H1870H5971 15The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this. “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.H559H7311H5375H7931H5703H8034H6918H7931H4791H6918H1793H8217H7307H2421H7307H8217H2421H3820H1792 16For I will not fight against you forever; I will not always be angry. If I were, all people would pass away—all the souls I have made.H7378H5769H5331H7107H7307H5848H6440H5397H6213 17I was angry, so I punished these greedy people. I withdrew from them, but they kept going on their own stubborn way.H5771H1215H7107H5221H5641H7107H3212H7726H1870H3820 18I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them. I will comfort those who mourn,H7200H1870H7495H5148H7999H5150H57 19bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the Lord, who heals them.H1254H5108H8193H7965H7965H7350H7138H559H3068H7495 20“But those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt.H7563H1644H3220H3201H8252H4325H1644H7516H2916 21There is no peace for the wicked,” says my God.H7965H559H430H7563