Verse

Isaiah 1:16

ESV Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
NIV Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.
NASB 'Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil,
CSB "Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil.
NLT Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.
KJV Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

What does Isaiah 1:16 mean?

The Lord turns the corner from telling the people of Judah how they are failing to telling them how to begin to change. The sinful state of their hearts, minds, and actions are so extreme that all their offerings and religious observances have become meaningless (Isaiah 1:11–15). In fact, they are worse than meaningless because God receives them as a burden.(Isaiah 1:14)

To make their relationship with Yahweh meaningful again, the people must make real changes. The Lord tells them to wash and make themselves clean. He is not talking about ceremonial washing or more offerings and sacrifices. The way God intends for His people to become clean is for them to stop doing evil. He sees their evil deeds. The only way to keep Him from seeing them is to stop doing them. This was the first step toward changing how God views them and returning to a close relationship with Him.
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