Isaiah 1:11-31 “How do your voluminous sacrifices benefit me?” the LORD is asking. “I’ve had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts. I don’t enjoy the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.

ISV⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹¹ “How do your voluminous sacrifices benefit me?” the LORD is asking. “I’ve had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts. I don’t enjoy the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. ¹² “When you come to present yourselves in my presence, who has required you to trample on my courts? ¹³ Stop bringing useless offerings! Incense is detestable to me, as are your New Moons, Sabbaths, and calling of convocations. I cannot stand iniquity within a solemn assembly. ¹⁴ As for your New Moons and your appointed festivals, I abhor them. They’ve become a burden to me; I’ve grown weary of carrying that burden. ¹⁵ When you spread out your hands in prayer, I’ll hide my eyes from you. Even though you pray repeatedly, I won’t listen. Your hands are full of blood, your fingers drenched with iniquity.”
¹⁶ An Invitation to Reconciliation“Wash yourselves, and make yourselves clean; remove your evil behavior from my presence; stop practicing what is evil. ¹⁷ Learn to practice what is good; seek justice, alleviate oppression, defend orphans in court, and plead the widow’s case. ¹⁸ “Please come, and let’s reason together,” implores the LORD. “Even though your sins are like scarlet, they’ll be white like snow. Though they’re like crimson, they’ll become like wool. ¹⁹ If you’re willing and obedient, you’ll eat the best that the land produces; ²⁰ but if you refuse and rebel, you’ll be devoured by the sword, because the LORD has spoken.”
²¹ Diagnosis and Judgment“How the faithful city has become a whore, she who used to be filled with justice! Righteousness used to reside within her, but now only murderers live there. ²² Your silver has become dross, your best wine is diluted with water. ²³ Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. All of them are lovers of bribes and are runners after gifts. They don’t bring justice to orphans, and the widow’s case never comes up for review in their court.”
²⁴ Restoration and RedemptionTherefore this is what the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies, the one who is Israel’s Mighty One, declares: “Now I’ll get relief from his enemies and avenge myself on his foes. ²⁵ When I turn my attention to you, I’ll refine your dross as in a furnace. I’ll remove all your alloy. ²⁶ Let me restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you’ll be called ‘The Righteous City’ and ‘The Faithful City of Zion’. ²⁷ “Zion will be redeemed by justice, and her repentant ones by righteousness. ²⁸ Rebels and sinners will be broken together, and those who forsake the LORD will be consumed. ²⁹ They’ll be ashamed of the oak trees that you desired; and you’ll blush because of the gardens that you have chosen. ³⁰ You’ll be like an oak whose leaf is withering, like an unwatered garden. ³¹ Your strong one will be like tinder, and your work a spark; both of them will burn together, with no one to quench the flames that burn them.”