Isaiah 66:21

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I will also take some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord.

Hebrew Names Version
Of them also will I take for Kohanim [and] for Levites, says the LORD.

King James Version
And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord .

English Standard Version
And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord .

New American Standard Bible
"I will also take some of them as priests and Levites," says the LORD.

New Century Version
"And I will choose even some of these people to be priests and Levites," says the Lord .

Amplified Bible
"I will also take some of them as priests and Levites," says the LORD.

World English Bible
Of them also will I take for priests [and] for Levites, says Yahweh.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And I will take of them for Priestes, and for Leuites, saith the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites," says Yahweh.

Berean Standard Bible
And I will select some of them as priests and Levites," says the LORD.

Contemporary English Version
I promise that some of them will be priests and others will be helpers in my temple. I, the Lord , have spoken.

Complete Jewish Bible
I will also take cohanim and L'vi'im from them," says Adonai .

Darby Translation
And I will also take of them for priests [and] for Levites, saith Jehovah.

Easy-to-Read Version
I will also choose some of these people to be priests and Levites." The Lord himself said this.

George Lamsa Translation
And I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites, says the LORD.

Good News Translation
I will make some of them priests and Levites.

Lexham English Bible
And indeed, I will take some of them as priests and the Levites," says Yahweh.

Literal Translation
And I will also take some of them for the priests, for the Levites, says Jehovah.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And I shal take out certayne of them for to be preastes and leuites, saieth ye LORDE.

American Standard Version
And of them also will I take for priests and for Levites, saith Jehovah.

Bible in Basic English
And some of them will I take for priests and Levites, says the Lord.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And of them also will I take for the priests and for the Levites, saith the LORD.

King James Version (1611)
And I will also take of them for Priestes and for Leuites, saith the Lord.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I shal take out certayne of them for to be priestes and Leuites, saith the Lorde.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I will take of them priests and Levites, saith the Lord.

English Revised Version
And of them also will I take for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y schal take of hem in to preestis and dekenes, seith the Lord.

Update Bible Version
And of them I will also take for priests [and] for Levites, says Yahweh.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I will also take of them for priests [and] for Levites, saith the LORD.

New English Translation
And I will choose some of them as priests and Levites," says the Lord .

New King James Version
And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites," says the LORD.

New Living Translation
"And I will appoint some of them to be my priests and Levites. I, the Lord , have spoken!

New Life Bible
I will take some of them for religious leaders and for Levites," says the Lord.

New Revised Standard
And I will also take some of them as priests and as Levites, says the Lord .

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And of them also, will I take for priests - for Levites, saith Yahweh,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will take of them to be priests, and Levites, saith the Lord.

Revised Standard Version
And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the LORD.

Young's Literal Translation
And also of them I take for priests, For Levites, said Jehovah.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites," says the LORD.

Contextual Overview

¹⁷ "All who enter the sacred groves for initiation in those unholy rituals that climaxed in that foul and obscene meal of pigs and mice will eat together and then die together." God 's Decree. ¹⁸"I know everything they've ever done or thought. I'm going to come and then gather everyone—all nations, all languages. They'll come and see my glory. I'll set up a station at the center. I'll send the survivors of judgment all over the world: Spain and Africa, Turkey and Greece, and the far-off islands that have never heard of me, who know nothing of what I've done nor who I am. I'll send them out as missionaries to preach my glory among the nations. They'll return with all your long-lost brothers and sisters from all over the world. They'll bring them back and offer them in living worship to God . They'll bring them on horses and wagons and carts, on mules and camels, straight to my holy mountain Jerusalem," says God . "They'll present them just as Israelites present their offerings in a ceremonial vessel in the Temple of God . I'll even take some of them and make them priests and Levites," says God . ²²"For just as the new heavens and new earth that I am making will stand firm before me" — God 's Decree— "So will your children and your reputation stand firm. Month after month and week by week, everyone will come to worship me," God says. ²⁴ "And then they'll go out and look at what happened to those who rebelled against me. Corpses! Maggots endlessly eating away on them, an endless supply of fuel for fires. Everyone who sees what's happened and smells the stench retches."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Isaiah 61:6, Exodus 19:6, Jeremiah 13:18-22, 1 Peter 2:5, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 20:6

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 26:19 - high above 1 Chronicles 15:2 - to minister Isaiah 60:10 - the sons Jeremiah 33:22 - the Levites Hebrews 7:12 - a change

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I will also take of them for priests,.... That is, of the Gentiles, the brethren brought as an offering to the Lord; and therefore must respect Gospel times, when the Aaronic priesthood would be changed and cease, which admitted not of Gentiles, nor any of any other tribe in Israel, but the tribe of Levi; nor is this to be understood of the spiritual priesthood common to all believers, 1 Peter 2:5 since of those converted Gentiles brought, not all, but only some of them, would be taken for priests; and therefore can only be interpreted of the ministers of the word, who, in Old Testament language, are called priests, though never in the New Testament; but elders, bishops, overseers, pastors, and teachers. The first preachers of the Gospel were Jews, as the twelve apostles, the seventy disciples, Paul and Barnabas, and others; but when the Gospel was preached, and churches planted in the Gentile world, then priests, or pastors, or elders, were taken out from among them, and ordained over the churches everywhere; and which have continued, more or less, ever since; and will be more abundant in the latter day; whose work and office is not to offer up slain beasts, as the priests of old; but to point to the sacrifice of Christ, to the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of men; and to teach the knowledge of crucified Christ, and the several doctrines and duties of the Christian religion, as the priests formerly taught the knowledge of the law, Malachi 2:7:

and for Levites, saith the Lord; this still more clearly shows that the prophecy belongs to the Gospel dispensation, and is to be understood figuratively and spiritually; for none but those of the tribe of Levi could be taken for Levites in a literal sense; but here Gentiles are said to be taken for such, and design men in Gospel churches. The Levites, as their name signifies, were such as were "joined" to others; they ministered to the priests, and assisted them, and had the charge of the temple, and the vessels of it, to whom deacons now answer; who are helps and assistants to the ministers of the word: their business is to serve tables, and to take care of the secular affairs of the church; so that this is a prophecy of the churches in the latter day being truly organized, and filled with proper officers, as well as with numerous members.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I will also take of them for priests - I will give to them an honorable place in my public service; that is, I will make them ministers of religion as if they were priests and Levites. This cannot be taken literally - because the priests and Levites among the Jews were determined by law, and by regular genealogical descent, and there was no provision for substituting any in their place. But it must mean that under the condition of things described here, those who should be brought from the distant pagan world would perform the same offices in the service of God which had been performed formerly by the priests and Levites that is, they would be ministers of religion. The services of God would no longer be performed by the descendants of Aaron, or be limited to them, but would be performed by others who should be called to this office from the pagan world.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 66:21. And for Levites — For ללוים laleviyim, fifty-nine MSS., (eight ancient,) have וללוים velaleviyim, adding the conjunction ו vau, which the sense seems necessarily to require: and so read all the ancient versions. See Joshua 3:3, and the various readings on that place in Kennicott's Bible.