Online Bible

Thus says the LORD,“^aHeaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.Where then is a ^bhouse you could build for Me?And where is a place that ¹I may rest?

2 “For ^aMy hand made all these things,Thus all these things came into being,” declares the LORD.“But to this one I will look,To him who is humble and ^bcontrite of spirit, and who ^ctrembles at My word.

3 “But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man;He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog’s neck;He who offers a grain offering is like one who offers ^aswine’s blood;He who ¹^bburns incense is like the one who blesses an idol.As they have chosen their ^cown ways,And their soul delights in their ^dabominations,4 So I will ^achoose their ¹punishmentsAnd will ^bbring on them what they dread.Because I called, but ^cno one answered;I spoke, but they did not listen.And they did ^devil in My sightAnd chose that in which I did not delight.”5 Hear the word of the LORD, you who ^atremble at His word:“Your brothers who ^bhate you, who ^cexclude you for My name’s sake,Have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy.’But ^dthey will be put to shame.6 “A voice of uproar from the city, a voice from the temple,The voice of the LORD who is ^arendering recompense to His enemies.

7 “Before she travailed, ^ashe brought forth;Before her pain came, ^bshe gave birth to a boy.8 “^aWho has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?Can a land be ¹born in one day?Can a nation be brought forth all at once?As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.9 “Shall I bring to the point of birth and ^anot give delivery?” says the LORD.“Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God.

10 “Be ^ajoyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who ^blove her;Be exceedingly ^cglad with her, all you who mourn over her,11 That you may nurse and ^abe satisfied with her comforting breasts,That you may suck and be delighted with her ^bbountiful bosom.”12 For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend ^apeace to her like a river,And the ^bglory of the nations like an overflowing stream;And you will ¹be nursed, you will be ^ccarried on the ²hip and fondled on the knees.13 “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will ^acomfort you;And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”14 Then you will ^asee this, and your ^bheart will be glad,And your ^cbones will flourish like the new grass;And the ^dhand of the LORD will be made known to His servants,But He will be ^eindignant toward His enemies.15 For behold, the LORD will come in ^afireAnd His ^bchariots like the whirlwind,To render His anger with fury,And His rebuke with flames of fire.16 For the LORD will execute judgment by ^afireAnd by His ^bsword on all flesh,And those slain by the LORD will be many.17 “Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the ^agardens,¹Following one in the center,Who eat ^bswine’s flesh, detestable things and mice,Will ^ccome to an end altogether,” declares the LORD.

18 “For I ¹know their works and their ^athoughts; ²the time is coming to ^bgather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory. 19 I will set a ^asign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations: ^bTarshish, ¹Put, ^cLud, ²Meshech, ^dTubal and ³Javan, to the distant ^ecoastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will ^fdeclare My glory among the nations. 20 Then they shall ^abring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My ^bholy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a ^cclean vessel to the house of the LORD. 21 I will also take some of them for ^apriests and for Levites,” says the LORD.

22 “For just as the ^anew heavens and the new earthWhich I make will endure before Me,” declares the LORD,“So your ^boffspring and your ^cname will endure.23 “And it shall be from ^anew moon to new moonAnd from sabbath to sabbath,All ¹mankind will come to ^bbow down before Me,” says the LORD.24 “Then they will go forth and lookOn the ^acorpses of the menWho have ¹^btransgressed against Me.For their ^cworm will not die^dAnd their fire will not be quenched;And they will be an ^eabhorrence to all ²mankind.”