1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.2Speak 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.3A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord[1]; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.[2]4Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.5And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’6A 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.7The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass.8The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures for ever.’9You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[3] lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’10See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.11He 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.12Who 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?13Who can fathom the Spirit[4] of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counsellor?14Whom 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?15Surely 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.16Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.17Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.18With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him?19As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it.20A 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.21Do 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?22He 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.23He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.24No 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‘To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One.26Lift 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.27Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God’?28Do 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.29He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.30Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;31but 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.
Isaiah 40
English Standard Version
Comfort for God’s People
1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. (Isa 51:12; Lu 2:25)2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare[1] is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. (2Ch 36:22; Jer 25:12; Ho 2:14)3A voice cries:[2] “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Ps 68:4; Isa 57:14; Mal 3:1; Mt 3:3; Mr 1:3; Lu 3:4; Joh 1:23)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. (Isa 49:11; Lu 3:5)5And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isa 1:20; Lu 3:6)
The Word of God Stands Forever
6A voice says, “Cry!” And I said,[3] “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty[4] is like the flower of the field. (Job 14:2; Ps 102:11; Ps 103:15; Jas 1:10; 1Pe 1:24)7The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass.8The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Jas 1:11)
The Greatness of God
9Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news;[5] lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news;[6] lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” (Isa 52:7)10Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. (Isa 59:16; Isa 62:11; Lu 11:22; Re 22:12)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. (Nu 11:12; Eze 34:23; Zec 11:7; Mt 18:12; Lu 15:5; Joh 10:11; Joh 21:15; Ac 20:28)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? (Pr 30:4)13Who has measured[7] the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? (Ro 11:34; 1Co 2:16)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? (Job 21:22)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. (Isa 29:5; Isa 41:1)16Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. (Ps 50:10)17All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. (Ps 62:9; Isa 41:12; Da 4:35)18To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? (Isa 40:25; Isa 46:5; Ho 13:2; Ac 17:29)19An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. (Isa 40:18)20He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood[8] that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move. (Isa 44:9; Isa 46:6; Jer 10:3)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? (Isa 40:28; Ac 14:17; Ro 1:19)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; (Nu 13:33; Job 9:8; Ps 104:2)23who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. (Job 12:21; Ps 107:40)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. (Ps 83:13; Isa 41:2)25To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. (Isa 40:18)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. (Ps 147:4)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”? (Isa 49:4; Isa 49:14)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. (Ps 121:4; Ps 147:5)29He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.30Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;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. (Ex 19:4; Ps 103:5)