Isaiah 55

The Voice

55 Eternal One: If you are thirsty, come here;
        come, there’s water for all.
    Whoever is poor and penniless can still
        come and buy the food I sell.
    There’s no cost—here, have some food, hearty and delicious,
        and beverages, pure and good.
²     I don’t understand why you spend your money for things that don’t nourish
        or work so hard for what leaves you empty.
    Attend to Me and eat what is good;
        enjoy the richest, most delectable of things.
³     Listen closely, and come even closer. My words will give life,
        for I will make a covenant with you that cannot be broken, a promise
    Of My enduring presence and support like I gave to David.^[a]
4     See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander among the nations.
⁵     Now you will issue a call to nations from all over the world—
        people whom you do not know and who do not know you.
    They will come running, because of Me, your God
        because the Eternal, the Holy One of Israel, has made you beautiful.

⁶ So turn your attention and seek the Eternal One while it is still possible;
    call on Him while He is nearby.
⁷ Let those who are busy plotting violence and doing wrong
    stop right now, turn, and do right.
Let them turn back to the Eternal so they can experience His compassion.
    God will excuse our past wrongs. Our God’s forgiveness is inexhaustible.

Eternal One: ⁸ My intentions are not always yours,
        and I do not go about things as you do.
⁹     My thoughts and My ways are above and beyond you,
        just as heaven is far from your reach here on earth.
¹⁰     For as rain and snow can’t go back once they’ve fallen,
        but soak into the ground
    And nourish the plants that grow,
        providing seed to the farmer and bread for the hungry,
¹¹     So it is when I declare something.
        My word will go out and not return to Me empty,
    But it will do what I wanted;
        it will accomplish what I determined.
¹²     For you will go out in joy, be led home in peace.
        And as you go the land itself will break out in cheers;
    The mountains and the hills will erupt in song,
        and the trees of the field will clap their hands.
¹³     Prickly thorns and nasty briers will give way
        to luxurious shade trees, sweet and good.
    And they’ll remind you of the Eternal One
        and how God can be trusted absolutely and forever.