The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 "All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You without money, come, buy, and eat! Yes, come! Buy wine and milk without money - it's free!
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Ho! everyone in need, come to the waters, and he who has no strength, let him get food: come, get bread without money; wine and milk without price.
2 Why spend money for what isn't food, your wages for what doesn't satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and you will eat well, you will enjoy the fat of the land.
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Why do you give your money for what is not bread, and the fruit of your work for what will not give you pleasure? Give ear to me, so that your food may be good, and you may have the best in full measure.
3 Open your ears, and come to me; listen well, and you will live - I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the grace I assured David.
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Give ear, and come to me, take note with care, so that your souls may have life: and I will make an eternal agreement with you, even the certain mercies of David.
4 I have given him as a witness to the peoples, a leader and lawgiver for the peoples.
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See, I have given him as a witness to the peoples, a ruler and a guide to the nations.
5 You will summon a nation you do not know, and a nation that doesn't know you will run to you, for the sake of ADONAI your God, the Holy One of Isra'el, who will glorify you."
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See, you will send for a nation of which you had no knowledge, and those who had no knowledge of you will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, and because of the Holy One of Israel, for he has given you glory.
6 Seek ADONAI while he is available, call on him while he is still nearby.
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Make search for the Lord while he is there, make prayer to him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked person abandon his way and the evil person his thoughts; let him return to ADONAI, and he will have mercy on him; let him return to our God, for he will freely forgive.
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Let the sinner give up his way, and the evil-doer his purpose: and let him come back to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for there is full forgiveness with him.
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways," says ADONAI.
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For my thoughts are not your thoughts, or your ways my ways, says the Lord.
9 "As high as the sky is above the earth are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
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For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For just as rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return there, but water the earth, causing it to bud and produce, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
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For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not go back again, but gives water to the earth, and makes it fertile, giving seed to the planter, and bread for food;
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth - it will not return to me unfulfilled; but it will accomplish what I intend, and cause to succeed what I sent it to do."
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So will my word be which goes out of my mouth: it will not come back to me with nothing done, but it will give effect to my purpose, and do that for which I have sent it.
12 Yes, you will go out with joy, you will be led forth in peace. As you come, the mountains and hills will burst out into song, and all the trees in the countryside will clap their hands.
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For you will go out with joy, and be guided in peace: the mountains and the hills will make melody before you, and all the trees of the fields will make sounds of joy.
13 Cypresses will grow in place of thorns, myrtles will grow instead of briars. This will bring fame to ADONAI as an eternal, imperishable sign.
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In place of the thorn will come up the fir-tree, and in place of the blackberry the myrtle: and it will be to the Lord for a name, for an eternal sign which will not be cut off.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.