New King James Version

English Standard Version

1“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God.

1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2“Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the LORD’s hand Double for all her sins.”

2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.

3The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.

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

4Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth;

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

5The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

5And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

6The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

6A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

7The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.

7The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass.

8The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

8The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

9O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”

9Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”

10Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.

10Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

11He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.

11He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance?

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

13Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has taught Him?

13Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel?

14With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding?

14Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?

15Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.

15Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.

16And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.

16Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.

17All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.

17All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

18To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?

18To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?

19The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains.

19An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains.

20Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter.

20He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move.

21Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

21Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

22It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

22It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;

23He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless.

23who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

24Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.

24Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

25“To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.

25To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

26Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.

26Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.

27Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God”?

27Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”?

28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

29He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.

29He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,

30Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;

31But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

31but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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.