Read Scripture ad-free with Bible Gateway Plus—trusted Study Bibles and commentaries beside every verse. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
Isaiah 66
New King James Version

### True Worship and False

66 Thus says the Lord:

(A)“Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,”
Says the Lord.
(B)“But on this one will I look:
(C)On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.

3 “He(D) who kills a bull is as if he slays a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he (E)breaks a dog’s neck;
He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood;
He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol.
Just as they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,
4 So will I choose their delusions,
And bring their fears on them;
(F)Because, when I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.”

### The Lord Vindicates Zion

5 Hear the word of the Lord,
You who tremble at His word:
“Your brethren who (G)hated you,
Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said,
(H)‘Let the Lord be glorified,
That (I)we may see your joy.’
But they shall be ashamed.”

6 The sound of noise from the city!
A voice from the temple!
The voice of the Lord,
Who fully repays His enemies!

7 “Before she was in labor, she gave birth;
Before her pain came,
She delivered a male child.
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?
Or shall a nation be born at once?
For as soon as Zion was in labor,
She gave birth to her children.
9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord.
“Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem,
And be glad with her, all you who love her;
Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11 That you may feed and be satisfied
With the consolation of her bosom,
That you may drink deeply and be delighted
With the abundance of her glory.”

12 For thus says the Lord:

“Behold, (J)I will extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.
Then you shall (K)feed;
On her sides shall you be (L)carried,
And be dandled on her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will (M)comfort you;
And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

### The Reign and Indignation of God

14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice,
And (N)your bones shall flourish like grass;
The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants,
And His indignation to His enemies.
15 (O)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.
16 For by fire and by (P)His sword
The Lord will judge all flesh;
And the slain of the Lord shall be (Q)many.

17 “Those(R) who sanctify themselves and purify themselves,
To go to the gardens
[a]After an idol in the midst,
Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse,
Shall [b]be consumed together,” says the Lord.

18 “For I know their works and their (S)thoughts. It shall be that I will (T)gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory. 19 (U)I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and [c]Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. (V)And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. 20 Then they shall (W)bring all your brethren (X)for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. 21 And I will also take some of them for (Y)priests and Levites,” says the Lord.

22 “For as (Z)the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 And (AA)it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
(AB)All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.

24 “And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their (AC)worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

#### Footnotes

1. Isaiah 66:17 Lit. After one
2. Isaiah 66:17 come to an end
3. Isaiah 66:19 So with MT, Tg.; LXX Put (cf. Jer. 46:9)

#### Cross references

1. Isaiah 66:1 : 1 Kin. 8:27; 2 Chr. 6:18; Ps. 11:4; Matt. 5:34; Acts 17:24
2. Isaiah 66:2 : Ps. 34:18; [Is. 57:15; 61:1; Matt. 5:3, 4; Luke 18:13, 14]
3. Isaiah 66:2 : Ps. 34:18; 51:17
4. Isaiah 66:3 : [Is. 1:10–17; 58:1–7; Mic. 6:7, 8]
5. Isaiah 66:3 : Deut. 23:18
6. Isaiah 66:4 : Prov. 1:24; Is. 65:12; Jer. 7:13
7. Isaiah 66:5 : Ps. 38:20; Is. 60:15; [Luke 6:22, 23]
8. Isaiah 66:5 : Is. 5:19
9. Isaiah 66:5 : [2 Thess. 1:10; Titus 2:13]
10. Isaiah 66:12 : Is. 48:18; 60:5
11. Isaiah 66:12 : Is. 60:16
12. Isaiah 66:12 : Is. 49:22; 60:4
13. Isaiah 66:13 : Is. 51:3; [2 Cor. 1:3, 4]
14. Isaiah 66:14 : Ezek. 37:1
15. Isaiah 66:15 : Is. 9:5; [2 Thess. 1:8]
16. Isaiah 66:16 : Is. 27:1
17. Isaiah 66:16 : Is. 34:6
18. Isaiah 66:17 : Is. 65:3–8
19. Isaiah 66:18 : Is. 59:7
20. Isaiah 66:18 : Is. 45:22–25; Jer. 3:17
21. Isaiah 66:19 : Luke 2:34
22. Isaiah 66:19 : Mal. 1:11
23. Isaiah 66:20 : Is. 49:22
24. Isaiah 66:20 : Is. 18:7; [Rom. 15:16]
25. Isaiah 66:21 : Ex. 19:6; Is. 61:6; 1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6
26. Isaiah 66:22 : Is. 65:17; Heb. 12:26, 27; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1
27. Isaiah 66:23 : Zech. 14:16
28. Isaiah 66:23 : Zech. 14:17–21
29. Isaiah 66:24 : Is. 14:11; Mark 9:44, 46, 48

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NKJV, Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, 2nd Edition, Comfort Print: Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God Through His Word
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, Gift and Award Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version
Retail: $9.99
Our Price: $6.99
Save: $3.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People
Retail: $19.98
Our Price: $13.99
Save: $5.99 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Prayer Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $35.99
Save: $24.00 (40%)
Buy Now
NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Everyday Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: 365 Daily Readings Through the Whole Bible
Retail: $29.99
Our Price: $20.99
Save: $9.00 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles