Isaiah’s Call and Mission

1In the year that King Uzziah† died, I saw the Lord† seated on a high and lofty† throne,d and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2Seraphim† were standing above him; they each had six wings:† with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.† 3And one called to another:

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies;

his glory† fills the whole earth.†

4The foundations of the doorways shook† at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke.

5Then I said:

Woe is me† for I am ruined†

because I am a man of unclean lips

and live among a people of unclean lips,†

and because my eyes have seen the King,

the Lord of Armies.

6Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken from the altar† with tongs. 7He touched my mouth† with it and said:

Now that this has touched your lips,

your iniquity is removed

and your sin is atoned for.†

8Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking:

Who will I send?

Who will go for us?

I said:

Here I am. Send me.

9And he replied:

Go! Say to these people:

Keep listening, but do not understand;†

keep looking, but do not perceive.

10Make the minds† of these people dull;

deafen their ears and blind their eyes;

otherwise they might see with their eyes

and hear with their ears,

understand with their minds,

turn back, and be healed.†

11Then I said, “Until when, Lord? ”† And he replied:

Until cities lie in ruins without inhabitants,†

houses are without people,

the land is ruined and desolate,

12and the Lord drives the people far away,

leaving great emptiness in the land.

13Though a tenth will remain in the land,

it will be burned again.

Like the terebinth or the oak

that leaves a stump when felled,

the holy seed† is the stump.†