| English Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts. | 1Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the ground. They are being hauled away on ox carts. The poor beasts stagger under the weight. |
| 2They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. | 2Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off into captivity together. |
| 3“Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; | 3“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. |
| 4even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. | 4I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. |
| 5“To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike? | 5“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal? |
| 6Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship! | 6Some people pour out their silver and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god from it. Then they bow down and worship it! |
| 7They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble. | 7They carry it around on their shoulders, and when they set it down, it stays there. It can’t even move! And when someone prays to it, there is no answer. It can’t rescue anyone from trouble. |
| 8“Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, | 8“Do not forget this! Keep it in mind! Remember this, you guilty ones. |
| 9remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, | 9Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. |
| 10declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ | 10Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. |
| 11calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. | 11I will call a swift bird of prey from the east— a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding. I have said what I would do, and I will do it. |
| 12“Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness: | 12“Listen to me, you stubborn people who are so far from doing right. |
| 13I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.” | 13For I am ready to set things right, not in the distant future, but right now! I am ready to save Jerusalem and show my glory to Israel. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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