Isaiah 40 Parallel Bible Translations

Isaiah 40 ▼
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1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, will your God say. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak ye to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her that her war was filled up, her iniquity was paid off: that she received from the hand of Jehovah double for all her sins. Speak 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. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
3 The voice of him calling in the desert, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make straight in the sterile region a highway for our God. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the acclivity was for evenness, and the mountain ranges for a valley: Every 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. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of Jehovah was uncovered, and all flesh saw it together: for the mouth of Jehovah spake. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
6 The voice said, Call And he said, What shall I call? All flesh grass, and all its goodness as the flower of the field: A 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. A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass was dried up, the flower fell away: for the spirit of Jehovah blew upon it: surely the people grass. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass was dried up, the flower fell away: and the word of our God shall stand forever. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
9 Upon the high mountain come up for thee, O Zion: announcing the good news, lift up thy voice with strength, O Jerusalem; announcing the good news, lift up, thou shalt not be afraid; say to the cities, Behold your God! Go 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!” You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”
10 Behold the Lord Jehovah will come in strength, and his arm ruling for him: behold, his reward with him and his work before him. Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.
11 As a shepherd he will feed his flock: with his arm he will gather the lambs, and will lift up into his bosom, he will lead those coming up. He 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. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
12 Who measured the water in his palm, and measured the heavens with a span, and held the dust of the earth in a third, and weighed the mountains in a balance and the bills in scales? Who 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? Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?
13 Who measured the spirit of Jehovah? and will a man of his counsel make him to know? Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD, or instruct the LORD as his counselor?
14 With whom did he consult, and will he cause him to understand and teach him in the path of judgment, and teach him knowledge, and cause him to know the way of understanding? Whom 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? Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations as a drop from a bucket; they were reckoned as the fine dust of the scales: behold, he will cast down the isles as small dust. Behold, 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. Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
16 And Lebanon not enough to burn, and its beasts not enough for a burnt-offering. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
17 All the nations as nothing before him; they were reckoned to him from nothing, and vanity. All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.
18 And to whom will ye liken God? what likeness will ye compare to him? To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him?
19 The artificer cast the carved image, and the founder will spread it out with gold, and he smelted chains of silver. An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it.
20 And he being poor of oblation will choose wood that will not be rotten; he will seek to him a wise artificer to prepare a carved image that will not shake. He 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. A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple.
21 Will ye not know? will ye not hear? was it not announced to you from the beginning? did ye not understand from the foundations of the earth? Do 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? Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22 He sitting upon the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants as locusts; he stretching out the heavens as fine cloth, and he will extend them as a tent to dwell in: It 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; He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He gave princes to nothing; he made the judges of the earth as vanity. who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 Also they were not planted: also they were not sown: also their stock took not root in the earth: and he also blew upon them and they will be dried up, and the storm will lift them up as straw. Scarcely 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. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
25 And to whom will ye liken me, and shall I be equal? will say the Holy One. To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high, and see who created these, bringing forth their army by number: he will call to all of them by name, from the multitude of their strength; and he is strong of power; a man was not wanting. Lift 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. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
27 For what wilt thou say, O Jacob, and wilt thou speak, O Israel, My way was hid from Jehovah, and my judgment will pass over from my God. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”? Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God|?
28 Didst thou not know? heardest thou not the eternal God, Jehovah, creating the extremities of the earth, will not faint, and will not be weary? no searching to his understanding. Have 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. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gave power to the faint; and to the not strong he will increase strength. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 And the boys shall be faint and weary, and the young men faltering, shall become feeble. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 And they waiting for Jehovah shall change power; they shall go up on the wing as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall go and not faint. but 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. but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
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