Isaiah 65:5

King James Version

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.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But they tell others, ‘Don't come near me! Don't touch me because I am holy!' They are like smoke in my eyes, and their fire burns all the time."

New Living Translation
Yet they say to each other, ‘Don't come too close or you will defile me! I am holier than you!' These people are a stench in my nostrils, an acrid smell that never goes away.

Update Bible Version
that say, Stand by yourself, don't come near to me, for I am holier than you. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all the day.

New Century Version
But they tell others, ‘Stay away, and don't come near me. I am too holy for you.' These people are like smoke in my nose. Like a fire that burns all the time, they continue to make me angry.

New English Translation
They say, ‘Keep to yourself! Don't get near me, for I am holier than you!' These people are like smoke in my nostrils, like a fire that keeps burning all day long.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
who say, Stand by yourself, don't come near to me, for I am holier than you. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all the day.

Amplified Bible
Who say, 'Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am too holy for you [and you might defile me]!' These [people] are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.

English Standard Version
who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you." These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
whiche seien to an hethene man, Go thou awei fro me, neiy thou not to me, for thou art vncleene; these schulen be smoke in my stronge veniaunce, fier brennynge al dai.

English Revised Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

Contemporary English Version
And then they say to others, "Don't come near us! We're dedicated to God." Such people are like smoke, irritating my nose all day.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
Who say, Keep away, do not come near me, for fear that I make you holy: these are a smoke in my nose, a fire burning all day.

Complete Jewish Bible
They say, ‘Keep your distance, don't come near me, because I am holier than you.' These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day!

Darby Translation
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.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.

King James Version (1611)
Which say; Stand by thy selfe, come not neere to me; for I am holier then thou: these are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

New Life Bible
They say, ‘Keep to yourself. Do not come near me. For I am holier than you.' These are smoke in My nose, a fire that burns all the day.

New Revised Standard
who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you." These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Which say, Stand apart, come not nere to me: for I am holier then thou: these are a smoke in my wrath & a fire that burneth all the day.

George Lamsa Translation
Who say, Keep away, do not come near me; for I am sanctified. These men are a smoke in my anger, a fire that burns all the day.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who say - Draw near by thyself, Do not approach with me, For I am holier than thou! These, are A smoke in my nostrils, A fire, burning all the day.

Douay-Rheims Bible
That say: Depart from me, come not near me, because thou art unclean: these shall be smoke in my anger, a fire burning all the day.

Revised Standard Version
who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am set apart from you." These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
If thou commest nye them, they say, touche me not, for I am holyer then thou: All these men when I am angry, shalbe turned to smoke and fire that shall burne for euer.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
who say, Depart from me, draw not nigh to me, for I am pure.

Good News Translation
And then they say to others, ‘Keep away from us; we are too holy for you to touch!' I cannot stand people like that—my anger against them is like a fire that never goes out.

Christian Standard Bible®
They say, ‘Keep to yourself,don’t come near me, for I am too holy for you!’These practices are smoke in my nostrils,a fire that burns all day long.

Hebrew Names Version
who say, Stand by yourself, don't come near to me, for I am holier than you. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all the day.

Lexham English Bible
who say, "Keep to yourself! You must not come near me, for I am too holy for you!" These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire burning all day.

Literal Translation
who say, Keep to yourself! Do not come near me, for I am holier than you! These are a smoke in My nose, a fire burning all the day.

Young's Literal Translation
Who are saying, `Keep to thyself, come not nigh to me, For I have declared thee unholy.' These [are] a smoke in Mine anger, A fire burning all the day.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf thou comest nye them, they saie: touch me not, for I am holyer then thou. All these men when I am angrie, shalbe turned to smoke and fyre, that shal burne for euer.

New American Standard Bible
"Who say, 'Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am holier than you!' These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.

New King James Version
Who say, "Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!' These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Who say, 'Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am holier than you!' These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.

Legacy Standard Bible
Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me,For I am holier than you!'These are smoke in My nostrils,A fire that burns all the day.

Contextual Overview

¹ I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. ² I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; ³ A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; ⁴ Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; ⁵ 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. ⁶ Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom, ⁷ Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord , which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Stand: Matthew 9:11, Luke 5:30, Luke 7:39, Luke 15:2, Luke 15:28-30, Luke 18:9-12, Acts 22:21, Acts 22:22, Romans 2:17-29, Jude 1:19

These: Proverbs 6:16, Proverbs 6:17, Proverbs 10:26, Proverbs 16:5, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5

nose: or, anger

a fire: Deuteronomy 29:20, Deuteronomy 32:20-22

Reciprocal: Genesis 19:9 - Stand Psalms 79:12 - render Proverbs 30:12 - that are Isaiah 66:6 - a voice of the Lord Ezekiel 11:15 - Get Ezekiel 16:56 - was not Mark 2:16 - How Luke 6:22 - separate Luke 6:37 - Judge Luke 15:29 - Lo Luke 18:11 - as John 7:49 - General John 9:34 - and dost John 16:2 - the time Acts 10:28 - but Romans 3:9 - are we Galatians 2:12 - he withdrew James 2:3 - to the

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Which say, stand by thyself, c], According to Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Kimchi, these are the unclean persons that did the above things who say to the righteous, "draw near to thyself" p; so the words are, go to thine own place, or to thine own company:

and come not near to me; keep off at a distance, as unworthy of such company:

for I am holier than thou; but this is the language of a self-righteous man, of a Pharisee that strictly observed the rituals of the law; and fitly describes such who lived in the times of Christ; and exactly agrees with the characters of such, who not only would have no dealings with the Samaritans, but washed themselves when they came from market, or any public place, lest they should be defiled with the common people of their own nation; and, even with religious persons, would not stand near them while praying; but despised them, if they had not arrived to that pitch of outward sanctity they had; see John 4:9

Luke 18:9. The phrase may be rendered, "do not touch me" q; and the Pharisees would not suffer themselves to be touched by the common people, nor would they touch them. Maimonides r says,

"if the Pharisees touched but the garments of the common people, they were defiled all one as if they had touched a profluvious person, and were obliged to dip themselves all over;''

so that, when they walked in the streets, they used to walk on the sides of the way, that they might not be defiled by touching them s. So Epiphanius t relates of the Samaritan Jews, that when they touch one of another nation, they dip themselves with their clothes in water; for they reckon it a defilement to touch anyone, or to touch any man of another religion; and of the Dositheans, who were another sect of the Samaritans the same writer observes u, that they studiously avoid touching any, for they abhor every man. A certain Arabic geographer of note w makes mention of an island, called the island of the Samaritans, inhabited by some Samaritan Jews, as appears by their saying to any that apply to them, do not touch; and by this it is known that they are of the Jews who are called Samaritans; and this same arrogant superstition, as Scaliger observes x, continues in that people to this day, as those relate who have conversed with them:

these are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day: very offensive to the divine Being, as smoke is to the eyes and nostrils; very abominable to him; and whose proud and vain conduct raised indignation in him, and kindled the fire of his anger, which was continually exercised on them; see Luke 16:15. The Targum is,

"their vengeance is in hell, where the fire burns all the day.''

p קרב אליך "accede ad te", Vatablus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Cocceius; "appropinqua ad te", Piscator. q אל תגש בי "ne contigas me"; so some in Vatablus; "ne attingite me", Junius Tremellius, Piscator "ne tangae rue": Cocceius. r In Misn. Chagiga, c. 2. sect. 7. s lb. Hilcot Abot Tumaot, c. 13. sect. 8. t Contra Haeres. haeres. 9. u Contra Haeres, haeres 13. w Apud Scaliger de Emendat, Temp. l. 7. x Ibid.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Which say, Stand by thyself - Who at the time that they engage in these abominations are distinguished for spiritual pride. The most worthless people are commonly the most proud; and they who have wandered farthest from God have in general the most exalted idea of their own goodness. It was a characteristic of a large part of the Jewish nation, and especially of the Pharisees, to be self-righteous and proud. A striking illustration of this we have in the following description of the Hindu yogis, by Roberts: ‘Those men are so isolated by their superstition and penances, that they hold but little contact with the rest of mankind. They wander about in the dark in the place of burning the dead, or “among the graves;” there they affect to hold converse with evil and other spirits; and there they pretend to receive intimations respecting the destinies of others. They will eat things which are religiously clean or unclean; they neither wash their bodies, nor comb their hair, nor cut their nails, nor wear clothes. They are counted to be most holy among the people, and are looked upon as beings of another world.’

These are a smoke in my nose - Margin, ‘Anger.’ The word rendered ‘nose’ (אף 'aph) means sometimes nose Numbers 11:20; Job 40:24, and sometimes ‘anger,’ because anger is evinced by hard breathing. The Septuagint renders this, ‘This is the smoke of my anger.’ But the correct idea is, probably, that their conduct was offensive to God, as smoke is unpleasant or painful in the nostrils; or as smoke excites irritation when breathed, so their conduct excited displeasure (Rosenmuller). Or it may mean, as Lowth suggests, that their conduct kindled a smoke and a fire in his nose as the emblems of his wrath. There is probably an allusion to their sacrifices here. The smoke of their sacrifices constantly ascending was unpleasant and provoking to God.

A fire that burneth all the day - The idea here probably is, that their conduct kindled a fire of indignation that was continually breathed out upon them. A similar figure occurs in Deuteronomy 32:22 : ‘For a fire is kindled in mine anger,’ or in my nose (באפי b^e'appı̂y), ‘and shall burn unto the lowest hell.’ So in Psalms 18:8 :

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,

And fire out of his mouth devoured.

Compare Ezekiel 38:18.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 65:5. For I am holier than thou — So the Chaldee renders it.

קדשתיך kedashticha is the same with קדשתי ממך kadashti mimmecha. In the same manner חזקתני chazaktani, Jeremiah 20:7, is used for חזקת ממני chazacta mimmenni, "thou art stronger than I." - L.