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The Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 57
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1 |
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and
merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is
taken away from the evil to come.
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2 |
He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each
one walking in his uprightness.
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3 |
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the
adulterer and the whore.
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4 |
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide
mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression,
a seed of falsehood.
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5 |
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying
the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
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6 |
Among
the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy
lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered
a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
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7 |
Upon a lofty
and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up
to offer sacrifice.
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8 |
Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy
remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and
art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with
them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.
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9 |
And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase
thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase
thyself even unto hell.
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10 |
Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou
not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand;
therefore thou wast not grieved.
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11 |
And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast
lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I
held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
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12 |
I will
declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit
thee.
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13 |
When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind
shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth
his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy
mountain;
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14 |
And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the
way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
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15 |
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,
whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also
that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the
humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
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16 |
For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth:
for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
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17 |
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him:
I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his
heart.
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I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also,
and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
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19 |
I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far
off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
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20 |
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest,
whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
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21 |
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
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