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All Nations Will Obey the Lord

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Give justice to all people.
    Do what is right.
Do this because my salvation will come to you soon.
    Soon everyone will know that I do what is right.
The person who obeys the law about the Sabbath
    will be blessed.
And the person who does no evil
    will be blessed.”

Foreigners have joined the Lord. They should not say,
    “The Lord will not accept me with his people.”
The eunuch should not say,
    “Because I cannot have children the Lord will not accept me.”
This is what the Lord says:
“The eunuchs should obey the law about the Sabbath.
    They should do what I want.
    They should keep my agreement.
If they do, I will make their names remembered
    within my Temple and its walls.
    It will be better for them than children.
I will give them a name that will last forever.
    It will never be forgotten.
Foreigners will join the Lord to serve him.
    They will worship and love him.
    They will worship him.
They will obey the law about the Sabbath.
    They will keep the agreement with the Lord.
I will bring these people to my holy mountain.
    I will give them joy in my house of prayer.
The offerings and sacrifices
    they place on my altar will please me.
This is because my Temple will be called
    a house for prayer for people from all nations.”
The Lord gathers the Israelites who were forced to leave their country.
    This is what the Lord God says,
“I will bring other people to those who are already gathered.”

Israel’s Leaders Are Evil

All you animals of the field, come to eat.
    All you animals of the forest, come to eat.
10 The leaders who are to guard the people are blind.
    They don’t know what they are doing.
All of them are like quiet dogs.
    They don’t know how to bark.
They lie down and dream.
    They love to sleep.
11 They are like hungry dogs.
    They are never satisfied.
They are like shepherds
    who don’t know what they are doing.
They each have gone their own way.
    All they want to do is satisfy themselves.
12 They say, “Come, let’s drink some wine.
    Let’s drink all the beer we want.
And tomorrow we will do this again.
    Or, maybe we will have even a better time.”

Salvation for Others

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice(A)
    and do what is right,(B)
for my salvation(C) is close at hand
    and my righteousness(D) will soon be revealed.
Blessed(E) is the one who does this—
    the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath(F) without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

Let no foreigner(G) who is bound to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”(H)
And let no eunuch(I) complain,
    “I am only a dry tree.”

For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs(J) who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant(K)
to them I will give within my temple and its walls(L)
    a memorial(M) and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name(N)
    that will endure forever.(O)
And foreigners(P) who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister(Q) to him,
to love the name(R) of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath(S) without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain(T)
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices(U)
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.(V)(W)
The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather(X) still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

Come, all you beasts of the field,(Y)
    come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
10 Israel’s watchmen(Z) are blind,
    they all lack knowledge;(AA)
they are all mute dogs,
    they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
    they love to sleep.(AB)
11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
    they never have enough.
They are shepherds(AC) who lack understanding;(AD)
    they all turn to their own way,(AE)
    they seek their own gain.(AF)
12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!(AG)
    Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
    or even far better.”(AH)