Isaiah 40 NKJV ISV Parallel

◄ Isaiah 40 ►

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

1"Comfort! Yes, 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.”

2"Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her heavy service has been completed, that her penalty has been paid, 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 out: 'In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; and in the desert a straight 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 will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be lowered; the rough ground will become level, and the mountain ridges made 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.”

5Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity will see it at once; 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 out!" So I asked, "What am I to cry out?" "All humanity is grass, and all its loyalty is like the flowers of the field.

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

7Grass withers and flowers fade away when the LORD's breath blows on them; surely the people are like grass.

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

8Grass withers and flowers fade away, when the LORD's breath blows on them, 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!”

9"Climb up a high mountain, you messenger of good news to Zion! Lift up your voice with strength, you messenger to Jerusalem! Lift it up! Don't be afraid! Say to the towns of Judah, 'Here is 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.

10Look! The Lord GOD comes with strength, and his arm rules for him. Look! His reward is with him, and his payment accompanies 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.

11Like a shepherd, he tends his flock. He gathers the lambs in his arms, carries them close to his heart, and gently leads the mother sheep."

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?

12"Who has measured the waters of the sea in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens by the width of his hand? Who has enclosed the dust of the earth in a measuring bowl, or 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 fathomed the Spirit of the LORD, or as his counselor has taught him?

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?

14With whom did he consult to enlighten and instruct him on the path of justice? Or who taught him knowledge and showed him the way of wisdom?

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.

15"Look! The nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are reckoned as dust on the scales. Look! He even lifts up the islands like powder!

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

16Lebanon would not provide enough fuel, nor are its animals 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 reckoned by him as nothing and chaos.

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

18"To whom, then, will you compare me, the One who is God? Or to what image will you liken me?

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

19To an idol? A craftsman makes the image, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts 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.

20To the impoverished person? He prepares an offering— wood that won't rot— Or to the one who chooses a skilled craftsman and seeks to erect an idol that won't topple?"

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?

21"You know, don't you? You have heard, haven't you? Hasn't it been told you from the beginning? Haven't you 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.

22He's the one who sits above the disk of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He's the one who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in,

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

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

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.

24No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the earth, than he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest sweeps them away like stubble.

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

25"To whom, then, will you compare me, and to whom should I be equal?" asks 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.

26"Lift your eyes up to heaven and see who created all these— the one who leads out their vast array of stars by number, calling them all by name— because of his great might and his powerful strength — and 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”?

27"Jacob, why do you say— and Israel, why do you complain— 'My predicament is hidden from the LORD, and my cause is ignored 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.

28Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The LORD is the eternal God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary; and his understanding cannot be fathomed.

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

29He's the one who gives might to the faint, renewing strength for the powerless.

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

30Even boys grow tired and weary, and young men collapse and fall,

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 those who keep waiting for the LORD will renew their strength. Then they'll soar on wings like eagles; they'll run and not grow weary; they'll walk and not grow tired."

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