Isaiah 56

A House of Prayer for All

1 This is what the Lord says:

Preserve justice and do what is right,  * 56:1 Gn 18:19; Ps 106:3; Pr 21:3

for my salvation is coming soon,

and my righteousness will be revealed.  * 56:1 Ps 98:2; Is 46:13; 51:5; Rm 1:17; 3:21

2 Happy is the person who does this,

the son of man who holds it fast,

who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it,

and keeps his hand from doing any evil.  * 56:2 Is 58:13

3 No foreigner who has joined himself to the  Lord

should say,

"The Lord will exclude me from his people,"  * 56:3 Is 14:1; 56:6

and the eunuch should not say,

"Look, I am a dried-up tree."  * 56:3 Dt 23:1

4 For the Lord says this:

"For the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,

and choose what pleases me,

and hold firmly to my covenant,

5 I will give them, in my house and within my walls,

a memorial and a name

better than sons and daughters.

I will give each of them an everlasting name

that will never be cut off.  * 56:5 Is 55:13; Rv 2:17

6 As for the foreigners who join themselves to the  Lord

to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,

and to become his servants —

all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it

and who hold firmly to my covenant —

7 I will bring them to my holy mountain  * 56:7 Is 2:2–3

and let them rejoice in my house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices

will be acceptable on my altar,  * 56:7 Mal 1:11

for my house will be called a house of prayer

for all nations."  * 56:7 Jr 7:11; Mt 21:13; Mk 11:17; Lk 19:46

8 This is the declaration of the Lord God,

who gathers the dispersed of Israel:

"I will gather to them still others

besides those already gathered."  * 56:8 Is 11:12; 60:3–11; 66:18–21; Jn 10:16

Unrighteous Leaders Condemned

9 All you animals of the field and forest,

come and eat!

10 Israel’s  * 56:10 Or His, or Its watchmen  * 56:10 Ezk 3:17–18; 33:1–6 are blind, all of them,

they know nothing;

all of them are mute dogs,

they cannot bark;

they dream, lie down,

and love to sleep.

11 These dogs have fierce appetites;

they never have enough.

And they are shepherds

who have no discernment;

all of them turn to their own way,

every last one for his own profit.  * 56:11 Jr 10:21; 23:1; 50:6; Ezk 34:2

12 "Come, let me get some wine,

let’s guzzle some beer;

and tomorrow will be like today,

only far better! "  * 56:12 Lk 12:19; 1Co 15:32