Isaiah 29:13

The sovereign master ¹  says, “These people say they are loyal to me; ²  they say wonderful things about me, ³  but they are not really loyal to me. ⁴  Their worship consists of nothing but man-made ritual. ⁵ 

2Ch 29:1-31:21; Ps 17:1; Pr 30:6; Isa 10:6; Isa 48:1,2; Isa 58:2,3; Jer 3:10; Jer 5:2; Jer 12:2; Jer 42:2-4,20; Eze 33:31-33; Mt 15:2-6; Mt 15:7-9; Mr 7:2-13; Col 2:22

¹ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonai).

² tn Heb “Because these people draw near to me with their mouth.”

³ tn Heb “and with their lips they honor me.”

⁴ tn Heb “but their heart is far from me.” The heart is viewed here as the seat of the will, from which genuine loyalty derives.

⁵ tn Heb “their fear of me is a commandment of men that has been taught.”