Isaiah 41 NLT ISV Parallel

◄ Isaiah 41 ►

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New Living Translation

International Standard Version

1“Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea. Bring your strongest arguments. Come now and speak. The court is ready for your case.

1"Be silent before me, you coastlands, and let the people renew their strength! Let them come forward, then let them speak together— let's draw near for a ruling.

2“Who has stirred up this king from the east, rightly calling him to God’s service? Who gives this man victory over many nations and permits him to trample their kings underfoot? With his sword, he reduces armies to dust. With his bow, he scatters them like chaff before the wind.

2Who has aroused victory from the east, and has summoned it to his service, and has handed over nations to him? Who brings down kings, and turns them into dust with his sword, into windblown stubble with his bow?

3He chases them away and goes on safely, though he is walking over unfamiliar ground.

3And who pursues them and moves on unscathed by a path that his feet don't know?

4Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last. I alone am he.”

4Who has performed and carried this out, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD—the first and will be with the last —I am the One!"

5The lands beyond the sea watch in fear. Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war.

5"The coastlands have looked and are afraid; the ends of the earth have drawn near together and come forward.

6The idol makers encourage one another, saying to each other, “Be strong!”

6Each helps his neighbor, saying to each other, 'Be strong!'

7The carver encourages the goldsmith, and the molder helps at the anvil. “Good,” they say. “It’s coming along fine.” Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over.

7The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and the hammersmith encourages the one who strikes the anvil. He says about the welding, 'It's good!' and he reinforces it with nails so that it won't topple."

8“But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend,

8"But as for you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I've chosen, the offspring of my friend Abraham—

9I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.

9you whom I encouraged from the ends of the earth and called from its farthest corners, and told you, 'You're my servant, I've chosen you and haven't cast you aside.'

10Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

10Don't be afraid, because I'm with you; don't be anxious, because I am your God. I keep on strengthening you; I'm truly helping you. I'm surely upholding you with my victorious right hand."

11“See, all your angry enemies lie there, confused and humiliated. Anyone who opposes you will die and come to nothing.

11"Look! All who are enraged at you will be put to shame and disgraced; those who contend with you will all die.

12You will look in vain for those who tried to conquer you. Those who attack you will come to nothing.

12Those who quarrel with you will be as nothing; those who fight you like nothing at all!"

13For I hold you by your right hand— I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.

13"For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand, who says to you, 'Don't be afraid. I'll help you.

14Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob, don’t be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the LORD, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.’

14Don't be afraid, you little worm Jacob, and you insects of Israel! I myself will help you,' declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

15You will be a new threshing instrument with many sharp teeth. You will tear your enemies apart, making chaff of mountains.

15"See, I'm making you into a new, sharp, and multi-tooth threshing sledge. You'll thresh and crush the mountains, and make the hills like chaff.

16You will toss them into the air, and the wind will blow them all away; a whirlwind will scatter them. Then you will rejoice in the LORD. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

16You'll winnow them, and the wind will lift them up, and a tempest will blow them away. Then you'll rejoice in the LORD, and you'll make your boast in the Holy One of Israel."

17“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.

17"As for the poor, the needy, those seeking water— when there is none and their tongues are parched from thirst— I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, won't abandon them.

18I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.

18I'll open up rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I'll turn the desert into a pool of water, and the parched land into springs of water.

19I will plant trees in the barren desert— cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine.

19I'll put cedar trees in the wilderness, along with acacia, myrtle, and olive trees. I'll plant cypresses in the desert— box trees, and pine trees together—

20I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means— that it is the LORD who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it.

20all so that people may see and recognize, perceive, consider, and comprehend at the same time, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and that the Holy One of Israel has created it."

21“Present the case for your idols,” says the LORD. “Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel.

21"Put forward your case!" says the LORD. "Submit your arguments!" says Jacob's King.

22“Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what’s going to happen.

22Let them approach and ask us, 'What will happen? As to the former things, what were they? Tell us, so that we may consider them and know. Or the latter things or the things to come— let us hear.

23Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods. In fact, do anything—good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us.

23Tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods! Yes, do something good or something bad, so we may hear and gaze at it together.'"

24But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Those who choose you pollute themselves.

24"Look! You and your work are less than nothing; whoever finds you pleasing is disgusting."

25“But I have stirred up a leader who will approach from the north. From the east he will call on my name. I will give him victory over kings and princes. He will trample them as a potter treads on clay.

25"You are stirring up one from the north, and they are coming from the rising of the sun; and he will be called by his name. Rulers will arrive like mud; just like a potter, he will trample the clay.

26“Who told you from the beginning that this would happen? Who predicted this, making you admit that he was right? No one said a word!

26Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know, or beforehand, so we could ask, 'Is it right?' Indeed, no one told of this, no one made an announcement, and no one heard your words:

27I was the first to tell Zion, ‘Look! Help is on the way!’ I will send Jerusalem a messenger with good news.

27First, to Zion: "There is slumber." And to Jerusalem: "I'll send a messenger with good news."

28Not one of your idols told you this. Not one gave any answer when I asked.

28But when I look, there is no one— among them there's no one to give counsel, no one to give an answer when I ask them.

29See, they are all foolish, worthless things. All your idols are as empty as the wind.

29See, none of them exist, and their deeds are nothing. Their metal images are only wind and confusion.'"

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