CHAPTER 66
1 The Lord saith these things, Heaven is my seat, and the earth is the stool of my feet. Which is this house, which ye shall build to me, and which is this place of my rest?
2 Mine hand made all these things, and all these things be made, saith the Lord; but to whom shall I behold, no but to a poor man and contrite in spirit, and greatly dreading my words?
3 He that offereth an ox, is as he that slayeth a man; he that slayeth a sheep, is as he that braineth a dog; he that offereth an offering, is as he that offereth swine’s blood; he that thinketh on incense, is as he that blesseth an idol; they choosed all these things in their ways, and their soul delighted in their abominations.
4 Wherefore and I shall choose the scornings of them, and I shall bring to them those things which they dreaded; for I called, and none there was that answered; I spake, and they heard not; and they did evil before mine eyes, and choosed those things, which I would not.
5 Hear ye the word of the Lord, which quake at his word; your brethren hating you, and casting away for my name, said, The Lord be glorified, and we shall see in your gladness; forsooth they shall be shamed.
6 The voice of the people from the city, the voice from the temple, the voice of the Lord yielding a reward to his enemies.
7 Before that she travailed of child, she childed; before that the sorrow of her childbearing came, she childed a son.
8 Who heard ever such a thing, and who saw a thing like this? Whether the earth shall travail of child in one day, either a folk shall be childed together? For why Zion travailed of child, and childed her sons.
9 Whether that I make others to bear child, shall not bear child myself? saith the Lord. Whether I that give gener-ation to other men, shall be barren? saith thy Lord God.
10 Be ye glad with Jerusalem, and all ye that love that, make full out joy therein; all ye that mourn on that Jerusalem, make ye joy with it in joy;
11 that both ye suck, and be [ful] filled of the teats and comfort thereof, that ye milk, and flow in delights, of all manner glory thereof.
12 For why the Lord saith these things, Lo! I shall bow down on it, as a flood of peace, and as a flowing stream, the glory of heathen men, which ye shall suck; ye shall be borne at teats, and on knees, they shall speak pleasantly to you.
13 As if a mother speaketh fair to any child, so I shall comfort you, and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 Ye shall see, and your heart shall have joy, and your bones shall burgeon as an herb. And the hand of the Lord shall be known in his servants, and he shall have indignation to his enemies.
15 For lo! the Lord shall come in fire, and as a whirlwind his chariots, to yield in indignation his strong vengeance, and his blaming in the flame of fire.
16 For why the Lord shall deem in fire, and in his sword to each flesh; and slain men of the Lord shall be multiplied,
17 that were hallowed, and guessed them clean, in gardens after one gate within; that eat swine’s flesh, and abomination, and a mouse, they shall be wasted together, saith the Lord.
18 Forsooth I come to gather together the works of them, and the thoughts of them, with all folks and languages; and they shall come, and shall see my glory.
19 And I shall set [or put] a sign in them, and I shall send of them that be saved to heathen men, into the sea, into Africa, and into Lydia, and to them that hold [an] arrow, into Italy, and Greek land [or Greece], to isles far, to them that heard not of me, and saw not my glory. And they shall tell my glory to heathen men,
20 and they shall bring all your brethren out of [or from] all folks as a gift to the Lord, in horses, and [in] chariots, and in litters, and in mules, and in carts, to mine holy hill [or holy mountain], Jerusalem, saith the Lord; as if the sons of Israel bring a gift in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.
21 And I shall take of them into priests and deacons [or Levites], saith the Lord.
22 For as new heavens and new earth, which I make to stand before me, saith the Lord, so your seed shall stand, and your name.
23 And a month shall be of month, and a sabbath of sabbath; each man shall come for to worship before my face, saith the Lord.
24 And they shall go out, and shall see the carrions of men, that trespassed against me; the worm of them shall not die, and the fire of them shall not be quenched; and they shall be unto filling of sight to each man.