Isaiah 57:3-12

Other Translations of Isaiah 57:3-12

New International Version

³ "But you-come here, you children of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! ⁴ Who are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue? Are you not a brood of rebels, the offspring of liars? ⁵ You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags. ⁶ The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; indeed, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In view of all this, should I relent? ⁷ You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill; there you went up to offer your sacrifices. ⁸ Behind your doors and your doorposts you have put your pagan symbols. Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed, you climbed into it and opened it wide; you made a pact with those whose beds you love, and you looked with lust on their naked bodies. ⁹ You went to MolekOr "to the king" with olive oil and increased your perfumes. You sent your ambassadorsOr "idols" far away; you descended to the very realm of the dead! ¹⁰ You wearied yourself by such going about, but you would not say, 'It is hopeless.' You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint. ¹¹ "Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have not been true to me, and have neither remembered me nor taken this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me? ¹² I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you.

English Standard Version

³ But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman. ⁴ Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit, ⁵ you who burn with lust among the oaks,Or among the terebinths under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? ⁶ Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things? ⁷ On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice. ⁸ Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness.Or on a monument (see 56:5); Hebrew on a hand ⁹ You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol. ¹⁰ You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say, "It is hopeless"; you found new life for your strength, and so you were not faint.Hebrew and so you were not sick ¹¹ Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart? Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me? ¹² I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they will not profit you.

The Message

³ "But you, children of a witch, come here! Sons of a slut, daughters of a whore. ⁴ What business do you have taunting, sneering, and sticking out your tongue? Do you have any idea what wretches you've turned out to be? A race of rebels, a generation of liars. ⁵ You satisfy your lust any place you find some shade and fornicate at whim. You kill your children at any convenient spot - any cave or crevasse will do. ⁶ You take stones from the creek and set up your sex-and-religion shrines. You've chosen your fate. Your worship will be your doom. ⁷ You've climbed a high mountain to practice your foul sex-and-death religion. ⁸ Behind closed doors you assemble your precious gods and goddesses. Deserting me, you've gone all out, stripped down and made your bed your place of worship. You've climbed into bed with the 'sacred' whores and loved every minute of it, adoring every curve of their naked bodies. ⁹ You anoint your king-god with ointments and lavish perfumes on yourselves. You send scouts to search out the latest in religion, send them all the way to hell and back. ¹⁰ You wear yourselves out trying the new and the different, and never see what a waste it all is. You've always found strength for the latest fad, never got tired of trying new religions. ¹¹ "Who talked you into the pursuit of this nonsense, leaving me high and dry, forgetting you ever knew me? Because I don't yell and make a scene do you think I don't exist? ¹² I'll go over, detail by detail, all your 'righteous' attempts at religion, and expose the absurdity of it all.

New King James Version

³ "But come here, You sons of the sorceress, You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot! ⁴ Whom do you ridicule? Against whom do you make a wide mouth And stick out the tongue? Are you not children of transgression, Offspring of falsehood, ⁵ Inflaming yourselves with gods under every green tree, Slaying the children in the valleys, Under the clefts of the rocks? ⁶ Among the smooth stones of the stream Is your portion; They, they, are your lot! Even to them you have poured a drink offering, You have offered a grain offering. Should I receive comfort in these? ⁷ "On a lofty and high mountain You have set your bed; Even there you went up To offer sacrifice. ⁸ Also behind the doors and their posts You have set up your remembrance; For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me, And have gone up to them; You have enlarged your bed And made a covenant with them; You have loved their bed, Where you saw their nudity. ⁹ You went to the king with ointment, And increased your perfumes; You sent your messengers far off, And even descended to Sheol. ¹⁰ You are wearied in the length of your way; Yet you did not say, 'There is no hope.' You have found the life of your hand; Therefore you were not grieved. ¹¹ "And of whom have you been afraid, or feared, That you have lied And not remembered Me, Nor taken it to your heart? Is it not because I have held My peace from of old That you do not fear Me? ¹² I will declare your righteousness And your works, For they will not profit you.

New Living Translation

³ "But you-come here, you witches' children, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! ⁴ Whom do you mock, making faces and sticking out your tongues? You children of sinners and liars! ⁵ You worship your idols with great passion beneath the oaks and under every green tree. You sacrifice your children down in the valleys, among the jagged rocks in the cliffs. ⁶ Your gods are the smooth stones in the valleys. You worship them with liquid offerings and grain offerings. They, not I, are your inheritance. Do you think all this makes me happy? ⁷ You have committed adultery on every high mountain. There you have worshiped idols and have been unfaithful to me. ⁸ You have put pagan symbols on your doorposts and behind your doors. You have left me and climbed into bed with these detestable gods. You have committed yourselves to them. You love to look at their naked bodies. ⁹ You have gone to Molech with olive oil and many perfumes, sending your agents far and wide, even to the world of the dead. ¹⁰ You grew weary in your search, but you never gave up. Desire gave you renewed strength, and you did not grow weary. ¹¹ "Are you afraid of these idols? Do they terrify you? Is that why you have lied to me and forgotten me and my words? Is it because of my long silence that you no longer fear me? ¹² Now I will expose your so-called good deeds. None of them will help you.