Isaiah Chapter 66
Showing all 24 verses for Isaiah Chapter 66.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? "
"God says: heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool — so what kind of house could you possibly build for me? What place could serve as my resting place?"
Don't mistake buildings, rituals, or institutions for the real thing they're meant to point to. I'm not confined to any place you can build for me.
"For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. "
"All of it was made by my hand, says God — but the person I actually pay attention to is the one who is humble, brokenhearted, and takes my word seriously."
I'm not impressed by how big or impressive something looks. What draws my attention is a genuinely humble, honest heart — that's worth more to me than any monument.
"He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. "
"Someone who sacrifices an ox but ignores justice is as if they killed a person; sacrificing a lamb is as if they broke a dog's neck; offering a grain gift is as if they offered pig's blood; burning incense is as if they blessed an idol — they've chosen their own way, and their hearts delight in disgusting things."
Going through the motions of doing 'the right thing' means nothing if your actual life and choices don't match it. I care about the substance behind the gesture, not the gesture itself.
"I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. "
"So I will choose to bring on them the very delusions and fears they feared, because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, they didn't listen — they did evil in my sight and chose what I didn't want."
Ignoring what you know is right doesn't leave a neutral gap — it tends to fill with anxiety and confusion instead. Answering the call when it comes is worth doing.
"Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. "
"Hear the word of God, you who take his word seriously: your own people who hated you and threw you out because of your faith with me said 'let God show his glory' — but he will show up for your joy, and they'll be the ones ashamed."
If you've been mocked or excluded for genuinely trying to live well, don't let that shame you into stopping. I see sincerity even when the people closest to you can't.
"A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies. "
"There's a loud noise coming from the city, a sound from the temple — it's the voice of God paying back what his enemies deserve."
Comfort and accountability come from the same place in me — I care about you enough to comfort you, and I care about justice enough to not let harm go unanswered.
"Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. "
"Before she even went into labour, she gave birth; before her pain began, she delivered a son."
Sometimes healing or good news arrives faster than you braced yourself for — don't assume you always have to suffer the full expected amount before things get better.
"Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. "
"Who has ever heard or seen anything like this? Can a country be born in a single day, or a nation come to be all at once? Yet as soon as Zion went into labour, she gave birth to her children."
Don't assume big change always has to be slow. Sometimes a breakthrough arrives all at once — stay open to that possibility rather than only expecting gradual progress.
"Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. "
"Would I bring a woman to the point of labour and not let her give birth? says God. Would I open the womb and then shut it again? says your God."
If I've started something good in your life, I won't abandon it halfway through. Trust the process even in the uncomfortable middle of it.
"Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: "
"Celebrate with Jerusalem, be glad for her, all who love her; rejoice with her, all who have mourned over her."
Let the people who mourned with you also celebrate with you when things turn around — joy shared with those who understood your pain means more than joy experienced alone.
"That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. "
"So that you may nurse and be fully satisfied at her comforting breasts; so that you may drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance."
The comfort and provision I offer isn't rationed or grudging — it's meant to genuinely satisfy, not just barely sustain you.
"For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. "
"God says: I will extend peace to her like a flowing river, and the wealth of nations like an overflowing stream; you will be nursed, carried on her hip, and bounced on her knees."
I want you to know both provision and tenderness — not just having your needs met, but being genuinely cared for, the way a child is held and comforted.
"As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. "
"As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you — you will be comforted in Jerusalem."
I comfort you the way a mother comforts a child who's hurting — close, tender, unembarrassed by your need. Let yourself receive that kind of comfort without shame.
"And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. "
"When you see this, your heart will be glad and your body will flourish like fresh grass; God's hand will be evident towards his servants, and his anger towards his enemies."
Real hope isn't just a mood — it actually changes how alive you feel in your body and daily life. Let good news genuinely reach and refresh you, not stay theoretical.
"For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. "
"Look, God will come with fire and his chariots like a whirlwind, to pour out his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames."
Comfort for the hurting and seriousness about harm done to them aren't contradictory — I hold both. Real love takes real wrongdoing seriously, not lightly.
"For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. "
"God will execute judgement on all humanity by fire and sword, and many will be slain by God."
I don't ask you to pretend that consequences aren't real. Facing that honestly, rather than avoiding it, is part of taking your own choices seriously.
"They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD. "
"Those who 'purify' themselves in the garden shrines, following a leader in the middle, eating pig meat and vermin and other disgusting things, will be wiped out together, says God."
An open invitation isn't the same as an invitation with no stakes — take the chance to genuinely change while it's in front of you.
"For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. "
"I know what people are doing and thinking; the time is coming when I will gather all nations and languages together, and they will come and see my glory."
What's good and true isn't meant to stay locked inside one group — I want it seen and shared by everyone, regardless of background.
"And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. "
"I will place a sign among them and send survivors to the nations — to Tarshish, Pul, Lud, Tubal, Javan, and distant islands that haven't heard of me or seen my glory — and they will tell of my glory to the nations."
Good news is worth actively carrying to people who haven't encountered it, not just waiting for them to stumble across it. Be someone who carries hope outward, not just holds it for yourself.
"And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. "
"They will bring all your fellow people as an offering to God from every nation, on horses, chariots, carts, mules and camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, just as the Israelites bring offerings in clean vessels into God's house."
No one who has been scattered, displaced, or overlooked is beneath being honoured and brought home with care. I see worth in people the world has written off.
"And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD. "
"And I will take some of them to be priests and Levites too, says God."
I don't reserve meaningful roles and dignity only for insiders or the traditionally qualified — everyone genuinely devoted has a real place and real purpose with me.
"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. "
"Just as the new heavens and new earth that I will make will endure before me, says God, so will your descendants and your name endure."
What's genuinely good in you and in your life isn't fleeting — it's built to last, tied to something as enduring as a renewed world itself.
"And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. "
"From one new moon to the next, and from one sabbath to the next, everyone will come to worship before me, says God."
Building good, meaningful rhythms into your regular life — not just occasional big moments — is how lasting change and connection actually take root.
"And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. "
"And they will go out and look at the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me — their worm will never die, and their fire will never go out; they will be a horror to everyone."
I never pretend that harmful choices don't matter, even while offering endless grace to anyone willing to turn back. Both truths are real: the door stays open, and choices still carry weight.