Isaiah 56 – NIV & NIRV

New International Version

Isaiah 56:1-12

Salvation for Others

1This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice

and do what is right,

for my salvation is close at hand

and my righteousness will soon be revealed.

2Blessed is the one who does this—

the person who holds it fast,

who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it,

and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

3Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say,

“The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”

And let no eunuch complain,

“I am only a dry tree.”

4For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,

who choose what pleases me

and hold fast to my covenant—

5to them I will give within my temple and its walls

a memorial and a name

better than sons and daughters;

I will give them an everlasting name

that will endure forever.

6And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord

to minister to him,

to love the name of the Lord,

and to be his servants,

all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it

and who hold fast to my covenant—

7these I will bring to my holy mountain

and give them joy in my house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices

will be accepted on my altar;

for my house will be called

a house of prayer for all nations.”

8The Sovereign Lord declares—

he who gathers the exiles of Israel:

“I will gather still others to them

besides those already gathered.”

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

9Come, all you beasts of the field,

come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!

10Israel’s watchmen are blind,

they all lack knowledge;

they are all mute dogs,

they cannot bark;

they lie around and dream,

they love to sleep.

11They are dogs with mighty appetites;

they never have enough.

They are shepherds who lack understanding;

they all turn to their own way,

they seek their own gain.

12“Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!

Let us drink our fill of beer!

And tomorrow will be like today,

or even far better.”

New International Reader’s Version

Isaiah 56:1-12

The Lord Will Save Those Who Come to Him

1The Lord says,

“Do what is fair and right.

I will soon come and save you.

Soon everyone will know that what I do is right.

2Blessed is the person who does what I want them to.

They are faithful in keeping the Sabbath day.

They do not misuse it.

They do not do what is evil on that day.”

3Suppose an outsider wants to follow the Lord.

Then that person shouldn’t say,

“The Lord won’t accept me as one of his people.”

And a eunuch shouldn’t say,

“I’m like a dry tree

that doesn’t bear any fruit.”

4The Lord says,

“Suppose some eunuchs keep my Sabbath days.

They choose to do what pleases me.

And they are faithful in keeping my covenant.

5Then I will set up a monument in the area of my temple.

Their names will be written on it.

That will be better for them than having sons and daughters.

The names of the eunuchs will be remembered forever.

They will never be forgotten.

6“Suppose outsiders want to follow me

and serve me.

They want to love me

and worship me.

They keep the Sabbath day and do not misuse it.

And they are faithful in keeping my covenant.

7Then I will bring them to my holy mountain of Zion.

I will give them joy in my house.

They can pray there.

I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices on my altar.

My house will be called

a house where people from all nations can pray.”

8The Lord and King will gather

those who were taken away from their homes in Israel.

He announces, “I will gather them to myself.

And I will gather others to join them.”

The Lord Judges Israel’s Evil Leaders

9Come, all you enemy nations! Come like wild animals.

Come and destroy like animals in the forest.

10Israel’s prophets are blind.

They don’t know the Lord.

All of them are like watchdogs that can’t even bark.

They just lie around and dream.

They love to sleep.

11They are like dogs that love to eat.

They never get enough.

They are like shepherds who don’t have any understanding.

All of them do as they please.

They only look for what they can get for themselves.

12“Come!” they shout. “Let’s get some wine!

Let’s drink all the beer we can!

Tomorrow we’ll do the same thing.

And that will be even better than today.”