The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 57 -

The just man perishes, and there is no one who acknowledges it in his heart; and men of mercy are taken away, for there is no one who understands. For the just man has been taken away before the face of malice.

Let peace arrive. Let he who has walked in his righteousness find rest on his bed.

God Condemns Idolatry

But come here, you sons of the prophetess, you offspring of an adulterous man and a fornicating woman.(a)

Whom are you mocking? Against whom have you opened your mouth wide and wagged your tongue? Are you not sons of wickedness, a lying offspring,

who are being consoled by idols under every leafy tree, immolating little children at the torrents, under the high rocks?

Your portion is in the currents of the torrent; this is your lot! And you yourselves have poured out libations to them; you have offered sacrifice. Should I not be angry over these things?

Upon a high and lofty mountain, you have placed your bed, and you have ascended to that place to immolate victims.

And behind the door, and beyond the post, you have set up your memorial. For you uncovered yourself next to me, and you received an adulterer. You widened your bed, and you formed a pact with them. You loved their bed with an open hand.

And you have adorned yourself for the king with ointments, and you have increased your cosmetics. You have sent your representatives to distant places, and you have debased yourself all the way to Hell.

You have been wearied by the multitude of your own ways. Yet you did not say, “I will cease.” You have found life by your own hand; because of this, you have not prayed.

For whose sake have you been anxiously afraid, so that you would lie and not be mindful of me, nor consider me in your heart? For I am silent, and I am like someone who does not see, and so you have forgotten me.

I will announce your justice, and your works will not benefit you.

When you cry out, let your followers free you. But the wind will carry them all away; a breeze will take them up. But he who has faith in me will inherit the earth and will possess my holy mountain.

Healing for the Repentant

And I will say: “Make way! Grant passage! Move to the side of the path! Take the obstacles out of the way of my people!”

For this is said by the Most High, the Sublime One, who dwells in eternity. And his name is Holy, for he dwells in the exalted and holy place, and he acts with a restrained and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

For I will not contend unceasingly, and I will not be angry to the end. For I will exhale my breath, and the Spirit will go forth from my face.

Because of the iniquity of his avarice, I was angry, and I struck him down. I concealed my face from you, and I was angry. And he went astray by wandering in his heart.

I saw his ways, and I healed him, and I led him back again, and I restored consolations to him and to those who mourn for him.

I created the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him who is far away, and peace to him who is near, said the Lord, and I healed him.

But the impious are like the raging sea, which is not able to be quieted, and its waves stir up dirt and mud.

There is no peace for the impious, says the Lord God.

Footnotes

(a)57:3 In my interpretation, this refers to the Antichrist and the false prophetess, whose followers are their figurative offspring.(Conte)

The righteous perish, and no one lays it to heart. Merciful men are taken away, and no one considers that the righteous is taken away from the evil.

He enters into peace. They rest in their beds, each one who walks in his uprightness.

God Condemns Idolatry

“But draw near here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes.

Whom do you mock? Against whom do you make a wide mouth and stick out your tongue? Aren’t you children of disobedience and offspring of falsehood,

you who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; who kill the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion. They, they are your lot. You have even poured a drink offering to them. You have offered an offering. Shall I be appeased for these things?

On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed. You also went up there to offer sacrifice.

You have set up your memorial behind the doors and the posts, for you have exposed yourself to someone besides me, and have gone up. You have enlarged your bed and made you a covenant with them. You loved what you saw on their bed.

You went to the king with oil, increased your perfumes, sent your ambassadors far off, and degraded yourself even to Sheol.(a)

You were wearied with the length of your ways; yet you didn’t say, ‘It is in vain.’ You found a reviving of your strength; therefore you weren’t faint.

“Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lie, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? Haven’t I held my peace for a long time, and you don’t fear me?

I will declare your righteousness; and as for your works, they will not benefit you.

When you cry, let those whom you have gathered deliver you, but the wind will take them. A breath will carry them all away, but he who takes refuge in me will possess the land, and will inherit my holy mountain.”

Healing for the Repentant

He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”

For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

For I will not contend forever, neither will I always be angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls whom I have made.

I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness and struck him. I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.

I have seen his ways, and will heal him. I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.

I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,” says the LORD; “and I will heal them.”

But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can’t rest and its waters cast up mire and mud.

“There is no peace”, says my God, “for the wicked.”

Footnotes

(a)57:9 Sheol is the place of the dead.