Isaiah 40:5-17

New American Standard Bible

^5 [a]Then the ^(A)glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And ^(B)all flesh will see it together;
For the ^(C)mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
⁶ A voice says, “Call out.”
Then ^[b]he answered, “What shall I call out?”
^(D)All flesh is grass, and all its ^[c]loveliness is like the flower of the field.
⁷ The ^(E)grass withers, the flower fades,
^[d]When the ^(F)breath of the Lord blows upon it;
The people are indeed grass!
⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades,
But ^(G)the word of our God stands forever.

⁹ Go up on a ^(H)high mountain,
Zion, messenger of ^(I)good news,
Raise your voice forcefully,
Jerusalem, messenger of good news;
Raise it up, do not fear.
Say to the ^(J)cities of Judah,
“^(K)Here is your God!”
¹⁰ Behold, the Lord ^[e]God will come ^(L)with might,
With His ^(M)arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His ^(N)compensation is with Him,
And His reward before Him.
¹¹ Like a shepherd He will ^(O)tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in the fold of His robe;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

¹² Who has ^(P)measured the ^[f]waters in the hollow of His hand,
And measured the heavens with a ^[g]span,
And ^[h]calculated the dust of the earth with a measure,
And weighed the mountains in a balance
And the hills in a pair of scales?
^13 (Q)Who has ^[i]directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or as His ^(R)counselor has informed Him?
^14 (S)With whom did He consult and who ^(T)gave Him understanding?
And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge,
And informed Him of the way of understanding?
¹⁵ Behold, the ^(U)nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of ^(V)dust on the scales;
Behold, He lifts up the ^[j]islands like fine dust.
¹⁶ Even Lebanon is not enough to ^[k]burn,
Nor its ^(W)animals enough for a burnt offering.
^17 (X)All the nations are as nothing before Him,
They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and ^[l]meaningless.