| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast. | 1Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary. |
| 2They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. | 2They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity. |
| 3Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: | 3"Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. |
| 4And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. | 4Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. |
| 5To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? | 5"With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared? |
| 6They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. | 6Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it. |
| 7They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. | 7They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer; it cannot save them from their troubles. |
| 8Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. | 8"Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. |
| 9Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, | 9Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. |
| 10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: | 10I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.' |
| 11Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. | 11From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. |
| 12Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: | 12Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness. |
| 13I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory. | 13I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel. |
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