Isaiah 65:5
3 to a people who continually provoke Me to My face, sacrificing in the gardens and burning incense on altars of brick,
4 sitting among the graves, spending nights in secret places, eating the meat of pigs and polluted broth from their bowls.
They say, ‘Keep to yourself; do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ Such people are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.
6 Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will pay it back into their laps,
7 both for your iniquities and for those of your fathers,” says the LORD. “Because they burned incense on the mountains and scorned Me on the hills, I will measure into their laps full payment for their former deeds.”
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- They say, ‘Keep to yourself; do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ Such people are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.
- KJV
- Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
- WEB
- who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day.
- ASV
- that say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
- DARBY
- who say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
- BLB
- those saying, ‘Keep yourself away; do not come near to me, for I am set apart [from] you’—these [are] smoke in My nostrils, a fire burning all the day!
- ÅB
- som sier: Hold deg unna, kom meg ikke nær, for jeg er hellig for deg! De folk er en røyk i min nese, en ild som brenner hele dagen.
- OTB
- som sier, ‘Hold deg for deg selv, kom ikke nær meg, for jeg er helligere enn deg!’ Slike mennesker er røyk i mine nesebor, en ild som brenner hele dagen.
- B1930
- som sier: Hold dig unda, kom mig ikke nær, for jeg er hellig for dig! De folk er en røk i min nese, en ild som brenner hele dagen.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Luke 18:9–12
To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:
Read in contextLuke 7:39
When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”
Read in contextProverbs 16:5
Everyone who is proud in heart is detestable to the LORD; be assured that he will not go unpunished.
Read in contextLuke 15:28–30
The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
Read in contextRomans 2:17–29
Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;
Read in contextDeuteronomy 29:20
The LORD will never be willing to forgive him. Instead, His anger and jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse written in this book will fall upon him. The LORD will blot out his name from under heaven
Read in contextLuke 5:30
But the Pharisees and their scribes complained to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Read in contextDeuteronomy 32:20–22
He said: “I will hide My face from them; I will see what will be their end. For they are a perverse generation— children of unfaithfulness.
Read in context