Isaiah 56 - Easy To Read Version

¹ The Lord said these things, “Be fair to all people. Do things that are right! Why? Because soon my salvation will come to you. My goodness will soon be shown to the whole world.”

² The person that obeys God’s law about the Sabbath {\cf2\super [432]} will be blessed. And the person that does no evil will be happy.

^3-5 Some people that are not Jews will join themselves to the Lord. Those people should not say, “The Lord will not accept me with his people.” A eunuch {\cf2\super [433]} should not say, “I am a dry piece of wood—\{I can’t make any children\}.”

⁶ Some people that are not Jews will join themselves to the Lord. They will do this so they can serve him and love the Lord’s name. They will join themselves to the Lord to become his servants. They will keep the Sabbath {\cf2\super [438]} \{as a special day of worship\} and they will continue to closely follow my Agreement (Law).

⁷ The Lord says, “I will bring those people to my holy mountain. I will make them happy in my house of prayer. The offerings and sacrifices they give me will please me. Why? Because my temple {\cf2\super [439]} will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

⁸ The Lord my Master said these things.

⁹ Wild animals in the forest, come and eat!\par

¹⁰ The guards (prophets) are all blind.\par They don’t know what they are doing.\par They are like dogs that won’t bark.\par They lie on the ground and sleep.\par Oh, they love to sleep.\par

¹¹ They are like hungry dogs.\par They are never satisfied.\par The shepherds don’t know\par what they are doing.\par \{They are like their sheep\}\par that have all wandered away.\par They are greedy.\par All they want to do is satisfy themselves.\par

¹² They come and say,\par “I will drink some wine.\par I will drink some beer.\par I will do the same thing tomorrow.\par Only, I will drink even more.”\par