Isaiah 40 HCSB NIV Parallel

◄ Isaiah 40 ►

HCSB Parallel NIV [BSB CSB ESV HCS KJV ISV NAS NET NIV NLT HEB]

Holman Christian Standard Bible

New International Version

1Comfort, comfort My people," says your God."

1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and announce to her that her time of forced labor is over, her iniquity has been pardoned, and she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins."

2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

3A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.

3A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth and the rough places, a plain.

4Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

5And the glory of the LORD will appear, and all humanity together will see it, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

5And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

6A voice was saying, "Cry out!" Another said, "What should I cry out?"" All humanity is grass, and all its goodness is like the flower of the field.

6A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.

7The grass withers, the flowers fade when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.

7The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass.

8The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever."

8The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever."

9Zion, herald of good news, go up on a high mountain. Jerusalem, herald of good news, raise your voice loudly. Raise it, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah," Here is your God!"

9You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"

10See, the Lord GOD comes with strength, and His power establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His gifts accompany Him.

10See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.

11He protects His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in the fold of His garment. He gently leads those that are nursing.

11He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure or weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in the scales?

12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?

13Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or who gave Him His counsel?

13Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD, or instruct the LORD as his counselor?

14Who did He consult with? Who gave Him understanding and taught Him the paths of justice? Who taught Him knowledge and showed Him the way of understanding?

14Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?

15Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered as a speck of dust in the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

15Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.

16Lebanon is not enough for fuel, or its animals enough for a burnt offering.

16Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.

17All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are considered by Him as nothingness and emptiness.

17Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.

18Who will you compare God with? What likeness will you compare Him to?

18With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him?

19To an idol?--something that a smelter casts, and a metalworker plates with gold and makes silver welds for it?

19As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it.

20To one who shapes a pedestal, choosing wood that does not rot? He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not fall over.

20A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple.

21Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not considered the foundations of the earth?

21Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

22God is enthroned above the circle of the earth; its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

22He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

23He reduces princes to nothing and makes judges of the earth irrational.

23He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

24They are barely planted, barely sown, their stem hardly takes root in the ground when He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind carries them away like stubble."

24No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

25Who will you compare Me to, or who is My equal?" asks the Holy One.

25"To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.

26Look up and see: who created these? He brings out the starry host by number; He calls all of them by name. Because of His great power and strength, not one of them is missing.

26Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

27Jacob, why do you say, and Israel, why do you assert:" My way is hidden from the LORD, and my claim is ignored by my God"?

27Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God"?

28Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding.

28Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

29He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless.

29He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

30Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall,

30Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

31but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint."

31but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

New International Version (NIV)

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