Isaiah 58
Expanded Bible
How to Honor God
58 The Lord says, “Shout out loud. Don’t hold back.
·Shout out loud [L Raise/lift up your voice] like a trumpet.
Tell my people ·what they have done against their God [their transgression];
tell ·the family of Jacob about [L Jacob] their sins.
2 They ·still come looking for [seek] me ·every day [day to day]
and ·want [delight] to learn my ways.
They act just like a nation that does ·what is right [righteousness],
that ·obeys [L did not forsake/reject] the ·commands [judgments] of its God.
They ask me ·to judge them fairly [for righteous judgment].
They ·want [delight] to ·be near [draw near to] God.
3 They say, ‘·To honor you we had special days when [L Why have…?] we fasted,
but you didn’t see.
·We humbled ourselves to honor you [L Why have we afflicted our souls/selves…?],
but you didn’t notice.’”
But the Lord says, “[L Look; T Behold] You ·do what pleases [satisfy; seek pleasure for] yourselves on these fast days,
and you ·are unfair to [exploit; oppress] your workers.
4 Even when you fast, you argue and fight
and ·hit each other with your [L hit with wicked/sinful] fists.
You cannot do these things as you do now
and ·believe your prayers are [expect to be] heard ·in heaven [on high].
5 ·This kind of special day is not what [Is this the fast that…?] I ·want [have chosen].
·This is not the way I want people to be sorry for what they have done [L Do I want a day when people afflict/mortify themselves?].
I don’t want people just to bow their heads like a ·plant [reed]
·and wear rough cloth and lie in ashes to show their sadness [L stretching out on sackcloth and ashes].
Is this what you call a fast?
·Do you really think this pleases [L …a day acceptable to] the Lord?
6 “I will tell you the kind of fast I ·want [have chosen]:
·Free the people you have put in prison unfairly [L Release the chains/bonds of wickedness]
and ·undo their chains [or untie the ropes from the yoke].
Free ·those to whom you are unfair [the oppressed]
and ·stop their hard labor [L break every yoke].
7 Share your food with the hungry
and bring poor, homeless people into your own homes.
When you see someone who has no clothes, ·give him yours [clothe him],
and don’t ·refuse to help [L conceal yourself from] your ·own relatives [flesh].
8 Then your light will shine like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your ·God [L righteousness] will walk before you,
and the glory of the Lord [C his manifest presence] will ·protect you from behind [be your rear guard].
9 Then you will call out, and the Lord will answer.
You will cry out, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
“If you ·stop making trouble for others [L take away the yoke from your midst],
if you stop ·using cruel words [speaking wickedness] and pointing your finger at others,
10 if you ·feed [L offer your soul/selves to] those who are hungry
and ·take care of [satisfy] the needs of ·those who are troubled [the afflicted/oppressed],
then your light will ·shine [L rise] in the darkness,
and ·you will be bright like sunshine at [L your darkness/gloom like] noon.
11 The Lord will always lead you.
He will satisfy your ·needs [soul] in dry lands
and give strength to your bones.
You will be like a garden that is well-watered,
like a spring ·that never runs dry [whose waters never fail].
12 Your people will rebuild the ·old cities that are now in [L ancient] ruins;
you will rebuild their ancient foundations.
You will be ·known for repairing [called the repairer of] the broken walls
and ·for rebuilding [the restorer of] the roads and houses.
13 “·You must obey God’s law about [L If you turn your foot away from…; C avoiding Sabbath journeys] the Sabbath
and not do what pleases yourselves on that holy day.
·You should [L …and if you…] call the Sabbath a ·joyful day [delight]
and honor it as the Lord’s holy day.
·You should [L …and if you…] honor it by not ·doing whatever you please [L going your own way]
nor saying ·whatever you please [idle words] on that day.
14 ·Then [L …then] you will find ·joy [delight] in the Lord,
and I will ·carry you to [or cause you to ride on] the high places above the earth.
I will ·let you eat the crops of the land [L feed you with the inheritance] of your ancestor Jacob.”
The ·Lord has said these things [L mouth of the Lord has spoken].
Isaiah 58
King James Version
58 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.
9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
Isaiah 58
New King James Version
Fasting that Pleases God
58 “Cry aloud, [a]spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
(A)Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek Me daily,
And delight to know My ways,
As a nation that did righteousness,
And did not forsake the ordinance of their God.
They ask of Me the ordinances of justice;
They take delight in approaching God.
3 ‘Why(B) have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen?
Why have we (C)afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’
“In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
And [b]exploit all your laborers.
4 (D)Indeed you fast for strife and debate,
And to strike with the fist of wickedness.
You will not fast as you do this day,
To make your voice heard on high.
5 Is (E)it a fast that I have chosen,
(F)A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And (G)to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the Lord?
6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To (H)loose the bonds of wickedness,
(I)To undo the [c]heavy burdens,
(J)To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not (K)to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are [d]cast out;
(L)When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from (M)your own flesh?
8 (N)Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
(O)The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
“If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The [e]pointing of the finger, and (P)speaking wickedness,
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your [f]darkness shall be as the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 Those from among you
(Q)Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of [g]Streets to Dwell In.
13 “If (R)you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,
14 (S)Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to (T)ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
(U)The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 58:1 do not hold back
- Isaiah 58:3 Lit. drive hard
- Isaiah 58:6 Lit. bonds of the yoke
- Isaiah 58:7 wandering
- Isaiah 58:9 Lit. sending out of
- Isaiah 58:10 Or gloom
- Isaiah 58:12 Lit. Paths
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
