Isaiah · Catholic Public Domain Version
Isaiah 66 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What is this house that you would build for me? And what is this place of my rest?
1 Yahweh says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build to me? Where will I rest?
2 My hand has made all these things, and all these things have been made, says the Lord. But upon whom will I look with favor, except upon a poor little one, who is contrite in spirit, and who trembles at my words?
2 For my hand has made all these things, and so all these things came to be,” says Yahweh: “but I will look to this man, even to he who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.
3 Whoever immolates an ox, it is as if he slaughters a man. Whoever sacrifices a sheep, it is as if he is smashing the head of a dog. Whoever offers an oblation, it is as if he is offering swine’s blood. Whoever makes remembrance with incense, it is as if he is blessing an idol. All these things, they have chosen according to their own ways, and their soul has taken delight in their own abominations.
3 He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering, as he who offers pig’s blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.
4 Therefore, I also will choose their illusions, and I will lead over them the things that they feared. For I called, and there was no one who would respond. I have spoken, and they have not listened. And they have done evil in my eyes; and what I did not will, they have chosen.
4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears on them, because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, they didn’t listen, but they did that which was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I didn’t delight.”
5 Listen to the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word. Your brothers, who hate you and who cast you out because of my name, have said: “Let the Lord be glorified, and we will see by your rejoicing.” But they themselves will be confounded.
5 Hear Yahweh’s word, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name’s sake, have said, ‘Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your joy;’ but it is those who shall be disappointed.
6 A voice of the people from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord repaying retribution to his enemies!
6 A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of Yahweh that repays his enemies what they deserve.
7 Before she was in labor, she gave birth. Before her time arrived for delivery, she gave birth to a male child.
7 “Before she travailed, she gave birth. Before her pain came, she delivered a son.
8 Who has ever heard of such a thing? And who has seen anything like this? Will the earth give birth in one day? Or will a nation be born all at once? For Zion has been in labor, and she has given birth to her sons.
8 Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she gave birth to her children.
9 Will I, who causes others to give birth, not also give birth myself, says the Lord? Will I, who bestows generation upon others, be barren myself, says the Lord your God?
9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to be delivered?” says Yahweh. “Shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your God.
10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all you who love her! Rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her!
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her. Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her;
11 So may you nurse and be filled, from the breasts of her consolations. So may you receive milk and overflow with delights, from every portion of her glory.
11 that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts; that you may drink deeply, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.”
12 For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will turn a river of peace toward her, with an inundating torrent: the glory of the Gentiles, from which you will nurse. You will be carried at the breasts, and they will caress you upon the knees.
12 For Yahweh says, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream, and you will nurse. You will be carried on her side, and will be dandled on her knees.
13 In the manner of one whom a mother caresses, so will I console you. And you will be consoled in Jerusalem.
13 As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you. You will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14 You will see, and your heart will be glad, and your bones will flourish like a plant, and the hand of the Lord will be known to his servants, and he will be angry with his enemies.
14 You will see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones will flourish like the tender grass. Yahweh’s hand will be known among his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies.
15 For behold, the Lord will arrive with fire, and his four-horse chariots will be like a whirlwind: to render his wrath with indignation, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
15 For, behold, Yahweh will come with fire, and his chariots will be like the whirlwind; to give his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For the Lord will divide with fire, and with his sword among all flesh, and those slain by the Lord will be many.
16 For Yahweh will execute judgment by fire and by his sword on all flesh; and those slain by Yahweh will be many.
17 Those who were sanctified, who thought themselves to be clean in the gardens behind the inner gate, who were eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse: they will be consumed all at once, says the Lord.
17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, following one in the middle, eating pig’s meat, abominable things, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together,” says Yahweh.
18 But I know their works and their thoughts. I am arriving, so that I may gather them together with all nations and languages. And they will approach, and they will see my glory.
18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. The time comes that I will gather all nations and languages, and they will come, and will see my glory.
19 And I will set a sign among them. And I will send some of those who will have been saved to the Gentiles in the sea, to Africa, and to those who draw the bow in Lydia, to Italy and Greece, to islands far away, to those who have not heard of me, and to those who have not seen my glory. And they will announce my glory to the Gentiles.
19 “I will set a sign among them, and I will send those who escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to far-away islands, who have not heard my fame, nor have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.
20 And they will lead all of your brothers from all of the Gentiles as a gift to the Lord, on horses, and in four-horse chariots, and on stretchers, and on mules, and in coaches, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, in the same manner that the sons of Israel would carry an offering in a pure vessel into the house of the Lord.
20 They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to Yahweh, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says Yahweh, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into Yahweh’s house.
21 And I will take from them to be priests and Levites, says the Lord.
21 Of them I will also select priests and Levites,” says Yahweh.
22 For in like manner as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will cause to stand before me, says the Lord, so will your offspring and your name stand.
22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,” says Yahweh, “so your offspring and your name shall remain.
23 And there will be month after month, and Sabbath after Sabbath. And all flesh will approach, so as to adore before my face, says the Lord.
23 It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me,” says Yahweh.
24 And they will go out, and they will view the carcasses of the men who have transgressed against me. Their worm will not die, and their fire will not be extinguished. And they will be a sight to all flesh even unto revulsion.
24 “They will go out, and look at the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me; for their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”
Cross references (24)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 7:48–50; Acts 17:24; Matthew 5:34–35; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 132:7
- 2 Isaiah 57:15; Psalm 34:18; Psalm 51:17; Matthew 5:3–4; 2 Chronicles 34:27–28
- 3 Proverbs 15:8; Isaiah 1:11–15; Amos 5:21–22; Isaiah 65:12; Isaiah 66:17
- 4 Isaiah 65:12; Proverbs 10:24; Jeremiah 7:13; Proverbs 1:24; 2 Kings 21:2
- 5 Isaiah 66:2; John 15:18–20; Matthew 5:10–12; Psalm 38:20; Matthew 10:22
- 6 Joel 3:7–16; Isaiah 34:8; Amos 1:2; Isaiah 59:18; Isaiah 65:5–7
- 7 Revelation 12:1–5; Galatians 4:26
- 8 Isaiah 64:4; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Isaiah 49:20–22; Romans 15:18–21
- 9 Isaiah 37:3; Genesis 18:14
- 10 Psalm 26:8; Psalm 137:6; Deuteronomy 32:43; Isaiah 65:18; Ezekiel 9:4
- 11 Isaiah 60:16; Joel 3:18; Psalm 36:8; Isaiah 60:5; 1 Peter 2:2
- 12 Isaiah 60:16; Isaiah 48:18; Isaiah 45:14; Isaiah 66:11; Isaiah 49:19–23
- 13 2 Corinthians 1:4; Isaiah 51:3; Isaiah 40:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:7; Isaiah 66:10
- 14 Zechariah 10:7; Proverbs 3:8; Ezra 8:31; Ezekiel 37:1–14; Ezra 8:22
- 15 Isaiah 30:33; 2 Peter 3:10–12; 2 Thessalonians 1:6–9; Matthew 22:7; Psalm 11:6
- 16 Ezekiel 38:21–22; Isaiah 30:30; Ezekiel 39:2–10; Isaiah 27:1; Revelation 19:11–21
- 17 Isaiah 65:3–4; Deuteronomy 14:3–8; Isaiah 1:28–29; Leviticus 11:2–8
- 18 Psalm 86:9; Revelation 11:15; 2 Corinthians 4:4–6; Isaiah 2:2; John 5:42
- 19 Isaiah 52:15; Romans 15:21; Ezekiel 27:10; Isaiah 55:5; Isaiah 60:9
- 20 Isaiah 60:3–14; Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 65:25; Isaiah 65:11; Romans 15:16
- 21 1 Peter 2:9; Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:5; Revelation 1:6; Isaiah 61:6
- 22 Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1; John 10:27–29; 1 Peter 1:4–5
- 23 Ezekiel 46:1; Psalm 86:9; Ezekiel 46:6; Colossians 2:16–17; Zechariah 14:16
- 24 Isaiah 14:11; Revelation 14:10–11; Daniel 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:15–16; Revelation 21:8
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For the holy word saith, "On whom shall I look, but on him that is meek and peaceable, and that trembleth at My words?"
The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool." And again, in another place, "Your new moons and your sabbaths My soul hateth; and the great day of the fast and of ceasing from labour I cannot away with; nor, if ye come to be seen of Me, will I hear you: your hands are full of blood; …
… nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King." For these words are evidently spoken with reference to the Creator, as also Esaias says: "Heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool." And besides this Being there is no other God; otherwise He would not be termed …
For with fire of the Lord shall all the earth be judged, and all flesh with His sword: many shall be wounded by the Lord." In His promise to the good he says that He will flow down as a river of peace, that is to say, in the greatest possible abundance of peace.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Whom also by His prophet Isaiah God earnestly accepting said, "To whom will I look, but to him who is meek and quiet, and trembleth at My words?" For indeed there are many kinds of humility: one is humble in his own measure, another with all excess of lowliness.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)