Isaiah 56 NCV

All Nations Will Obey the Lord

1 This is what the Lord says:“Give justice to all people,and do what is right,because my salvation will come to you soon.Soon everyone will know that I do what is right.

2 The person who obeys the law about the Sabbathwill be blessed,and the person who does no evilwill be blessed.”

3 Foreigners who have joined the Lord 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.”

4 This is what the Lord says:“The eunuchs should obey the law about the Sabbathand do what I wantand keep my agreement.

5 If they do, I will make their names rememberedwithin my Temple and its walls.It will be better for them than children.I will give them a name that will last forever,that will never be forgotten.

6 Foreigners will join the Lordto worship him and love him,to serve him,to obey the law about the Sabbath,and to keep my agreement.

7 I will bring these people to my holy mountainand give them joy in my house of prayer.The offerings and sacrificesthey place on my altar will please me,because my Temple will be calleda house for prayer for people from all nations.”

8 The Lord God says—he who gathers the Israelites that were forced to leave their country:“I will bring together other peopleto join those who are already gathered.”

Israel’s Leaders Are Evil

9 All you animals of the field,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 dogsthat don’t know how to bark.They lie down and dreamand love to sleep.

11 They are like hungry dogsthat are never satisfied.They are like shepherdswho don’t know what they are doing.They all 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 an even better time.”