Bible Gateway passage: Isaiah 56 - New International Version (2024)

Salvation for Others

56This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice^(A)
and do what is right,^(B)
for my salvation^(C) is close at hand
and my righteousness^(D) will soon be revealed.
²Blessed^(E) is the one who does this—
the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath^(F) without desecrating it,
and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

³Let no foreigner^(G) who is bound to the Lord say,
“The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”^(H)
And let no eunuch^(I) complain,
“I am only a dry tree.”

⁴For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs^(J) who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose what pleases me
and hold fast to my covenant^(K)—
⁵to them I will give within my temple and its walls^(L)
a memorial^(M) and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name^(N)
that will endure forever.^(O)
6And foreigners^(P) who bind themselves to the Lord
to minister^(Q) to him,
to love the name^(R) of the Lord,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath^(S) without desecrating it
and who hold fast to my covenant—
⁷these I will bring to my holy mountain^(T)
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices^(U)
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations.^(V)”^(W)
8The Sovereign Lord declares—
he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather^(X) still others to them
besides those already gathered.”

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

⁹Come, all you beasts of the field,^(Y)
come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
¹⁰Israel’s watchmen^(Z) are blind,
they all lack knowledge;^(AA)
they are all mute dogs,
they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
they love to sleep.^(AB)
11They are dogs with mighty appetites;
they never have enough.
They are shepherds^(AC) who lack understanding;^(AD)
they all turn to their own way,^(AE)
they seek their own gain.^(AF)
12“Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!^(AG)
Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
or even far better.”^(AH)

Cross references

1. Isaiah 56:1 : S Ps 11:7; S Isa 1:17; S Jer 22:3
2. Isaiah 56:1 : S Isa 26:8
3. Isaiah 56:1 : S Ps 85:9
4. Isaiah 56:1 : Jer 23:6; Da 9:24
5. Isaiah 56:2 : S Ps 119:2
6. Isaiah 56:2 : S Ex 20:8, 10
7. Isaiah 56:3 : S Ex 12:43; S 1Ki 8:41; S Isa 11:10; Zec 8:20-23
8. Isaiah 56:3 : Dt 23:3
9. Isaiah 56:3 : S Lev 21:20; Jer 38:7 fn; Ac 8:27
10. Isaiah 56:4 : Jer 38:7 fn
11. Isaiah 56:4 : S Ex 31:13
12. Isaiah 56:5 : Isa 26:1; 60:18
13. Isaiah 56:5 : S Nu 32:42; 1Sa 15:12
14. Isaiah 56:5 : S Isa 43:7
15. Isaiah 56:5 : S Isa 48:19; 55:13
16. Isaiah 56:6 : S Ex 12:43; S 1Ki 8:41
17. Isaiah 56:6 : S 1Ch 22:2; Isa 60:7, 10; 61:5
18. Isaiah 56:6 : Mal 1:11
19. Isaiah 56:6 : ver 2, 4
20. Isaiah 56:7 : S Isa 2:2; Eze 20:40
21. Isaiah 56:7 : S Isa 19:21; Ro 12:1; Php 4:18; Heb 13:15
22. Isaiah 56:7 : Mt 21:13*; Lk 19:46*
23. Isaiah 56:7 : Mk 11:17*
24. Isaiah 56:8 : S Dt 30:4; S Isa 1:9; S 11:12; 60:3-11; Eze 34:12; Jn 10:16
25. Isaiah 56:9 : Isa 18:6; Jer 12:9; Eze 34:5, 8; 39:17-20
26. Isaiah 56:10 : S Isa 52:8; 62:6; Jer 6:17; 31:6; Eze 3:17; 33:7
27. Isaiah 56:10 : Jer 2:8; 10:21; 14:13-14
28. Isaiah 56:10 : Na 3:18
29. Isaiah 56:11 : Jer 23:1; Eze 34:2
30. Isaiah 56:11 : Isa 1:3
31. Isaiah 56:11 : S Isa 53:6; Hos 4:7-8
32. Isaiah 56:11 : Isa 57:17; Jer 6:13; 8:10; 22:17; Eze 13:19; Mic 3:11
33. Isaiah 56:12 : S Lev 10:9; S Pr 23:20; S Isa 22:13
34. Isaiah 56:12 : Ps 10:6; Lk 12:18-19