English Standard Version

Christian Standard Bible

1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

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

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.

2"Speak 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."

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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!”

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!"

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

10See, the Lord GOD comes with strength, and his power establishes his rule. His wages are with him, and his reward accompanies him.

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.

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.

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?

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 on a balance and the hills on the scales?

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

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

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?

14Who did he consult? Who gave him understanding and taught him the paths of justice? Who taught him knowledge and showed him the way of understanding?

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.

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

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

16Lebanon's cedars are not enough for fuel, or its animals enough for a burnt offering.

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

17All the nations are as nothing before him; they are considered by him as empty nothingness.

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

18With whom will you compare God? What likeness will you set up for comparison with him?

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

19An idol?--something that a smelter casts and a metalworker plates with gold and makes silver chains for?

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.

20A poor person contributes wood for a pedestal that will not rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not fall over.

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?

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?

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;

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.

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

23He reduces princes to nothing and makes judges of the earth like a wasteland.

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.

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.

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

25"To whom will you compare me, or who is my equal?" asks the Holy One.

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.

26Look up and see! Who created these? He brings out the stars by number; he calls all of them by name. Because of his great power and strength, not one of them is missing.

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”?

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"?

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.