New King James Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1"Comfort, O 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 kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of 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 is calling, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth 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;

4"Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

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 flesh will 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, "Call out." Then he answered, "What shall I call out?" All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness 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 upon 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 stands 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!”

9Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities 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.

10Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, With His arm ruling 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.

11Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

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 by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?

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

13Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed 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 and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of 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 regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

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

16Even Lebanon is not enough to burn, Nor 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 regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.

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 will you compare with Him?

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

19As for the idol, a craftsman casts it, A goldsmith plates it with gold, And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.

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 such an offering Selects a tree that does not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To prepare an idol that will not totter.

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? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to 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 out like a tent to dwell in.

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

23He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.

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 have they been planted, Scarcely have they been sown, Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither, And the storm carries 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 liken Me That I would be his equal?" 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 has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, 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 just claim is passed over by my God”?

27Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD, And the justice due me escapes the notice of 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.

28Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.

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

29He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.

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

30Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly,

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.

31Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

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

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org