Parallel Bible results for "isaiah 40"

Isaiah 40

New Century Version NCV

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

2 Speak kindly to the people of Jerusalem and tell them that their time of service is finished, that they have paid for their sins, that the Lord has punished Jerusalem twice for every sin they did."

3 This is the voice of one who calls out: "Prepare in the desert the way for the Lord. Make a straight road in the dry lands for our God.

4 Every valley should be raised up, and every mountain and hill should be made flat. The rough ground should be made level, and the rugged ground should be made smooth.

5 Then the glory of the Lord will be shown, and all people together will see it. The Lord himself said these things."

6 A voice says, "Cry out!" Then I said, "What shall I cry out?" "Say all people are like the grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

7 The grass dies and the flowers fall when the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are like grass.

8 The grass dies and the flowers fall, but the word of our God will live forever."

9 Jerusalem, you have good news to tell. Go up on a high mountain. Jerusalem, you have good news to tell. Shout out loud the good news. Shout it out and don't be afraid. Say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God."

10 Look, the Lord God is coming with power to rule all the people. Look, he will bring reward for his people; he will have their payment with him.

11 He takes care of his people like a shepherd. He gathers them like lambs in his arms and carries them close to him. He gently leads the mothers of the lambs.

12 Who has measured the oceans in the palm of his hand? Who has used his hand to measure the sky? Who has used a bowl to measure all the dust of the earth and scales to weigh the mountains and hills?

13 Who has known the mind of the Lord or been able to give him advice?

14 Whom did he ask for help? Who taught him the right way? Who taught him knowledge and showed him the way to understanding?

15 The nations are like one small drop in a bucket; they are no more than the dust on his measuring scales. To him the islands are no more than fine dust on his scales.

16 All the trees in Lebanon are not enough for the altar fires, and all the animals in Lebanon are not enough for burnt offerings.

17 Compared to the Lord all the nations are worth nothing; to him they are less than nothing.

18 Can you compare God to anything? Can you compare him to an image of anything?

19 An idol is formed by a craftsman, and a goldsmith covers it with gold and makes silver chains for it.

20 A poor person cannot buy those expensive statues, so he finds a tree that will not rot. Then he finds a skilled craftsman to make it into an idol that will not fall over.

21 Surely you know. Surely you have heard. Surely from the beginning someone told you. Surely you understand how the earth was created.

22 God sits on his throne above the circle of the earth, and compared to him, people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the skies like a piece of cloth and spreads them out like a tent to sit under.

23 He makes rulers unimportant and the judges of this world worth nothing.

24 They are like plants that are placed in the ground, like seeds that are planted. As soon as they begin to grow strong, he blows on them and they die, and the wind blows them away like chaff.

25 God, the Holy One, says, "Can you compare me to anyone? Is anyone equal to me?"

26 Look up to the skies. Who created all these stars? He leads out the army of heaven one by one and calls all the stars by name. Because he is strong and powerful, not one of them is missing.

27 People of Jacob, why do you complain? People of Israel, why do you say, "The Lord does not see what happens to me; he does not care if I am treated fairly"?

28 Surely you know. Surely you have heard. The Lord is the God who lives forever, who created all the world. He does not become tired or need to rest. No one can understand how great his wisdom is.

29 He gives strength to those who are tired and more power to those who are weak.

30 Even children become tired and need to rest, and young people trip and fall.

31 But the people who trust the Lord will become strong again. They will rise up as an eagle in the sky; they will run and not need rest; they will walk and not become tired.

Good News Translation GNT

1 "Comfort my people," says our God. "Comfort them!

2 Encourage the people of Jerusalem. Tell them they have suffered long enough and their sins are now forgiven. I have punished them in full for all their sins."

3 A voice cries out, "Prepare in the wilderness a road for the Lord! Clear the way in the desert for our God!

4 Fill every valley; level every mountain. The hills will become a plain, and the rough country will be made smooth.

5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it. The Lord himself has promised this."

6 A voice cries out, "Proclaim a message!" "What message shall I proclaim?" I ask. "Proclaim that all human beings are like grass; they last no longer than wild flowers.

7 Grass withers and flowers fade when the Lord sends the wind blowing over them. People are no more enduring than grass.

8 Yes, grass withers and flowers fade, but the word of our God endures forever."

9 Jerusalem, go up on a high mountain and proclaim the good news! Call out with a loud voice, Zion; announce the good news! Speak out and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah that their God is coming!

10 The Sovereign Lord is coming to rule with power, bringing with him the people he has rescued.

11 He will take care of his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs together and carry them in his arms; he will gently lead their mothers.

12 Can anyone measure the ocean by handfuls or measure the sky with his hands? Can anyone hold the soil of the earth in a cup or weigh the mountains and hills on scales?

13 Can anyone tell the Lord what to do? Who can teach him or give him advice?

14 With whom does God consult in order to know and understand and to learn how things should be done?

15 To the Lord the nations are nothing, no more than a drop of water; the distant islands are as light as dust.

16 All the animals in the forests of Lebanon are not enough for a sacrifice to our God, and its trees are too few to kindle the fire.

17 The nations are nothing at all to him.

18 To whom can God be compared? How can you describe what he is like?

19 He is not like an idol that workers make, that metalworkers cover with gold and set in a base of silver.

20 Anyone who cannot afford silver or gold chooses wood that will not rot. He finds a skillful worker to make an image that won't fall down.

21 Do you not know? Were you not told long ago? Have you not heard how the world began?

22 It was made by the one who sits on his throne above the earth and beyond the sky; the people below look as tiny as ants. He stretched out the sky like a curtain, like a tent in which to live.

23 He brings down powerful rulers and reduces them to nothing.

24 They are like young plants, just set out and barely rooted. When the Lord sends a wind, they dry up and blow away like straw.

25 To whom can the holy God be compared? Is there anyone else like him?

26 Look up at the sky! Who created the stars you see? The one who leads them out like an army, he knows how many there are and calls each one by name! His power is so great - not one of them is ever missing!

27 Israel, why then do you complain that the Lord doesn't know your troubles or care if you suffer injustice?

28 Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary. No one understands his thoughts.

29 He strengthens those who are weak and tired.

30 Even those who are young grow weak; young people can fall exhausted.

31 But those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.