But your (A)iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,
And your sins have hidden His [a]face from you so that He does (B)not hear.
For your (C)hands are defiled with blood
And your fingers with iniquity;
Your lips have spoken (D)falsehood,
Your tongue mutters wickedness.
(E)No one sues righteously and (F)no one pleads [b]honestly.
They (G)trust in confusion and speak lies;
They (H)conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.
They hatch adders’ eggs and (I)weave the spider’s web;
He who eats of their eggs dies,
And from that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.
Their webs will not become clothing,
Nor will they (J)cover themselves with their works;
Their (K)works are works of iniquity,
And an (L)act of violence is in their [c]hands.
(M)Their feet run to evil,
And they hasten to shed innocent blood;
(N)Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity,
Devastation and destruction are in their highways.
They do not know the (O)way of peace,
And there is (P)no justice in their tracks;
They have made their paths crooked,
(Q)Whoever treads on [d]them does not know peace.

A Confession of Wickedness

Therefore (R)justice is far from us,
And righteousness does not overtake us;
We (S)hope for light, but behold, darkness,
For brightness, but we walk in gloom.
10 We (T)grope along the wall like blind men,
We grope like those who have no eyes;
We (U)stumble at midday as in the twilight,
Among those who are vigorous we are (V)like dead men.
11 All of us growl like bears,
And (W)moan sadly like doves;
We hope for (X)justice, but there is none,
For salvation, but it is far from us.
12 For our (Y)transgressions are multiplied before You,
And our (Z)sins [e]testify against us;
For our transgressions are with us,
And [f]we know our iniquities:
13 Transgressing and (AA)denying the Lord,
And turning away from our God,
Speaking (AB)oppression and revolt,
Conceiving in and (AC)uttering from the heart lying words.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 59:2 So versions; M.T. faces
  2. Isaiah 59:4 Lit in truth
  3. Isaiah 59:6 Lit palms
  4. Isaiah 59:8 Lit it
  5. Isaiah 59:12 Lit answer
  6. Isaiah 59:12 Lit our iniquities we know them

Her adversaries have become [a]her masters,
Her enemies [b]prosper;
For the Lord has (A)caused her grief
Because of the multitude of her transgressions;
Her little ones have gone away
As captives before the adversary.

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 1:5 Lit head
  2. Lamentations 1:5 Or are at ease

20 “See, O Lord, for I am in distress;
My [a](A)spirit is greatly troubled;
My heart is overturned within me,
For I have been very (B)rebellious.
In the street the sword [b]slays;
In the house it is like death.

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 1:20 Lit inward parts are in ferment
  2. Lamentations 1:20 Lit bereaves