Isaiah 1:13

1:13 Do not bring any more meaningless ¹  offerings;

I consider your incense detestable! ² 

You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,

but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations! ³ 

Isaiah 31:2

31:2 Yet he too is wise ⁴  and he will bring disaster;

he does not retract his decree. ⁵ 

He will attack the wicked nation, ⁶ 

and the nation that helps ⁷  those who commit sin. ⁸ 

Isaiah 55:7

55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle ⁹ 

and sinful people their plans. ¹⁰ 

They should return ¹¹  to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, ¹² 

and to their God, for he will freely forgive them. ¹³ 

Isaiah 58:9

58:9 Then you will call out, and the Lord will respond;

you will cry out, and he will reply, ‘Here I am.’

You must ¹⁴  remove the burdensome yoke from among you

and stop pointing fingers and speaking sinfully.

Isaiah 59:4

59:4 No one is concerned about justice; ¹⁵ 

no one sets forth his case truthfully.

They depend on false words ¹⁶  and tell lies;

they conceive of oppression ¹⁷ 

and give birth to sin.

Isaiah 59:6-7

59:6 Their webs cannot be used for clothing;

they cannot cover themselves with what they make.

Their deeds are sinful;

they commit violent crimes. ¹⁸ 

59:7 They are eager to do evil, ¹⁹ 

quick to shed innocent blood. ²⁰ 

Their thoughts are sinful;

they crush and destroy. ²¹ 

[1:13]  ¹ tn Or “worthless” (NASB, NCV, CEV); KJV, ASV “vain.”

[1:13]  ² sn Notice some of the other practices that Yahweh regards as “detestable”: homosexuality (Lev 18:22-30; 20:13), idolatry (Deut 7:25; 13:15), human sacrifice (Deut 12:31), eating ritually unclean animals (Deut 14:3-8), sacrificing defective animals (Deut 17:1), engaging in occult activities (Deut 18:9-14), and practicing ritual prostitution (1 Kgs 14:23).

[1:13]  ³ tn Heb “sin and assembly” (these two nouns probably represent a hendiadys). The point is that their attempts at worship are unacceptable to God because the people’s everyday actions in the socio-economic realm prove they have no genuine devotion to God (see vv. 16-17).

[31:2]  ⁴ sn This statement appears to have a sarcastic tone. The royal advisers who are advocating an alliance with Egypt think they are wise, but the Lord possesses wisdom as well and will thwart their efforts.

[31:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “and he does not turn aside [i.e., “retract”] his words”; NIV “does not take back his words.”

[31:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “and he will arise against the house of the wicked.”

[31:2]  ⁷ sn That is, Egypt.

[31:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “and against the help of the doers of sin.”

[55:7]  ⁷ tn Heb “Let the wicked one abandon his way.” The singular is collective.

[55:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “and the man of evil his thoughts.” The singular is collective.

[55:7]  ⁹ tn Heb “let him return.” The singular is collective, meaning “let them.”

[55:7]  ¹⁰ tn The imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive after the jussive indicates purpose/result.

[55:7]  ¹¹ sn The appeal and promise of vv. 6-7 echoes the language of Deut 4:25-31; 30:1-10; and 1 Kgs 8:46-53, all of which anticipate the exile and speak of the prerequisites for restoration.

[58:9]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 9b-10 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (“if” clauses appear in vv. 9b-10a), with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 10b.

[59:4]  ¹³ tn Heb “no one pleads with justice.”

[59:4]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “nothing”; NAB “emptiness.”

[59:4]  ¹⁵ tn Or “trouble” (NIV), or “harm.”

[59:6]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “their deeds are deeds of sin, and the work of violence [is] in their hands.”

[59:7]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “their feet run to evil.”

[59:7]  ²⁰ tn Heb “they quickly pour out innocent blood.”

[59:7]  ²¹ tn Heb “their thoughts are thoughts of sin, destruction and crushing [are] in their roadways.”