Parallel Bible results for "isaiah 44"

Isaiah 44

Common English Bible w/ Apocrypha CEBA

1 But now hear this, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen.

2 The LORD your maker, who formed you in the womb and will help you, says: Don't fear, my servant Jacob, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

3 I will pour out water upon thirsty ground and streams upon dry land. I will pour out my spirit upon your descendants and my blessing upon your offspring.

4 They will spring up from among the reeds like willows by flowing streams.

5 This one will say, "I am the LORD's," and that one will be named after Jacob. Another will write on his hand, "The LORD's" and will take the name Israel.

6 The LORD, Israel's king and redeemer, the LORD of heavenly forces, says: I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there are no gods.

7 Who is like me? Let them speak up, explain it, and lay it out for me. Who announced long ago what is to be? Let them tell us what is to come.

8 Don't tremble; have no fear! Didn't I proclaim it? Didn't I inform you long ago? You are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no other rock; I know of none.

9 Idol-makers are all as nothing; their playthings do no good. Their promoters neither see nor know anything, so they ought to be ashamed.

10 Who would form a god or cast an idol that does no good?

11 All its worshippers will be ashamed, and its artisans, who are only human. They will all gather and stand, tremble and be ashamed together.

12 A blacksmith with his tools works it over coals, and shapes it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He even becomes hungry and weak. If he didn't drink water, he'd pass out.

13 A carpenter stretches out a string, marks it out with a stylus, fashions it with carving tools, and marks it with a compass. He makes it into a human form, like a splendid human, to live in a temple.

14 He cuts down cedars for himself, or chooses a cypress or oak, selecting from all the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain makes it grow.

15 It becomes suitable to burn for humans, so he takes some of the wood and warms himself. He kindles fire and bakes bread. He fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.

16 Half of it he burns in the fire; on that half he roasts and eats meat, and he is satisfied. He warms himself and says, "Ah, I'm warm, watching the fire!"

17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, into his idol, and he bows down, worships, and prays to it, saying, "Save me, for you are my god!"

18 They don't know or comprehend, for their eyes can't see and their minds can't comprehend.

19 He doesn't think, and has no knowledge or understanding to think: Half of it I burned in the fire, and I baked bread on its coals, and roasted meat and ate. Should I make the rest into something detestable? Should I bow down to a block of wood?

20 He's feeding on ashes; his deluded mind has led him astray. He can't save himself and say, "Isn't this thing in my hand a lie?"

21 Remember these things, Jacob; Israel, for you are my servant. I formed you; you are my servant! I won't forget you, Israel.

22 I swept away your rebellions like a cloud, and your sins like fog. Return to me, because I have redeemed you.

23 Sing, heavens, for the LORD has acted; shout, depths of the earth! Burst out with a ringing cry, you mountains, forest, and every tree in it. The LORD has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself through Israel.

24 The LORD your redeemer who formed you in the womb says: I am the LORD, the maker of all, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,

25 who frustrates the omens of diviners and makes a mockery of magicians, who turns back the wise and turns their knowledge into folly.

26 But who confirms the word of my servant, and fulfills the predictions of my messengers who say about Jerusalem, "It will be resettled"; and who say about the cities of Judah, "They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins";

27 who say to the ocean depths, "Dry up; I will dry your streams";

28 who say about Cyrus, "My shepherd— he will do all that I want"; who say about Jerusalem, "She will be rebuilt"; and who say about the temple, "You will be founded once again."

New International Version NIV

1 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen.

2 This is what the LORD says— he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

4 They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.

5 Some will say, ‘I belong to the LORD’; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name Israel.

6 “This is what the LORD says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.

7 Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come— yes, let them foretell what will come.

8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”

9 All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.

10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing?

11 People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame.

12 The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.

13 The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.

14 He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.

15 It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.

16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”

17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!”

18 They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand.

19 No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”

20 Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

21 “Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you.

22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

23 Sing for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.

24 “This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself,

25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense,

26 who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited,’ of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them,’

27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,’

28 who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,” and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.” ’