Isaiah 40-43

New International Version

³ A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way^(G) for the Lord^[a];
make straight^(H) in the desert
    a highway for our God.^[b](I)
4 Every valley shall be raised up,^(J)
    every mountain and hill^(K) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,^(L)
    the rugged places a plain.
⁵ And the glory^(M) of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.^(N)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”^(O)

⁶ A voice says, “Cry out.”
    And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All people are like grass,^(P)
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
⁷ The grass withers^(Q) and the flowers fall,
    because the breath^(R) of the Lord blows^(S) on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
⁸ The grass withers and the flowers^(T) fall,
    but the word^(U) of our God endures^(V) forever.^(W)”

⁹ You who bring good news^(X) to Zion,
    go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,^[c](Y)
    lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
    say to the towns of Judah,
    “Here is your God!”^(Z)
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes^(AA) with power,^(AB)
    and he rules^(AC) with a mighty arm.^(AD)
See, his reward^(AE) is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd:^(AF)
    He gathers the lambs in his arms^(AG)
and carries them close to his heart;^(AH)
    he gently leads^(AI) those that have young.^(AJ)

¹² Who has measured the waters^(AK) in the hollow of his hand,^(AL)
    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?^(AM)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
    or weighed the mountains on the scales
    and the hills in a balance?^(AN)
13 Who can fathom the Spirit^[d](AO) of the Lord,
    or instruct the Lord as his counselor?^(AP)
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
    and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,^(AQ)
    or showed him the path of understanding?^(AR)

¹⁵ Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
    they are regarded as dust on the scales;^(AS)
    he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.^(AT)
16 Lebanon^(AU) is not sufficient for altar fires,
    nor its animals^(AV) enough for burnt offerings.
¹⁷ Before him all the nations^(AW) are as nothing;^(AX)
    they are regarded by him as worthless
    and less than nothing.^(AY)

¹⁸ With whom, then, will you compare God?^(AZ)
    To what image^(BA) will you liken him?
¹⁹ As for an idol,^(BB) a metalworker casts it,
    and a goldsmith^(BC) overlays it with gold^(BD)
    and fashions silver chains for it.
²⁰ A person too poor to present such an offering
    selects wood^(BE) that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
    to set up an idol^(BF) that will not topple.^(BG)

²¹ Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?^(BH)
Has it not been told^(BI) you from the beginning?^(BJ)
    Have you not understood^(BK) since the earth was founded?^(BL)
22 He sits enthroned^(BM) above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.^(BN)
He stretches out the heavens^(BO) like a canopy,^(BP)
    and spreads them out like a tent^(BQ) to live in.^(BR)
23 He brings princes^(BS) to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.^(BT)
24 No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root^(BU) in the ground,
than he blows^(BV) on them and they wither,^(BW)
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.^(BX)

²⁵ “To whom will you compare me?^(BY)
    Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.^(BZ)
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:^(CA)
    Who created^(CB) all these?
He who brings out the starry host^(CC) one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,^(CD)
    not one of them is missing.^(CE)

²⁷ Why do you complain, Jacob?
    Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
    my cause is disregarded by my God”?^(CF)
28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?^(CG)
The Lord is the everlasting^(CH) God,
    the Creator^(CI) of the ends of the earth.^(CJ)
He will not grow tired or weary,^(CK)
    and his understanding no one can fathom.^(CL)
29 He gives strength^(CM) to the weary^(CN)
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men^(CO) stumble and fall;^(CP)
31 but those who hope^(CQ) in the Lord
    will renew their strength.^(CR)
They will soar on wings like eagles;^(CS)
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.^(CT)

² “Who has stirred^(CZ) up one from the east,^(DA)
    calling him in righteousness^(DB) to his service^[e]?^(DC)
He hands nations over to him
    and subdues kings before him.
He turns them to dust^(DD) with his sword,
    to windblown chaff^(DE) with his bow.^(DF)
3 He pursues them and moves on unscathed,^(DG)
    by a path his feet have not traveled before.
⁴ Who has done this and carried it through,
    calling^(DH) forth the generations from the beginning?^(DI)
I, the Lord—with the first of them
    and with the last^(DJ)—I am he.^(DK)”

⁵ The islands^(DL) have seen it and fear;
    the ends of the earth^(DM) tremble.
They approach and come forward;
⁶     they help each other
    and say to their companions, “Be strong!^(DN)”
⁷ The metalworker^(DO) encourages the goldsmith,^(DP)
    and the one who smooths with the hammer
    spurs on the one who strikes the anvil.
One says of the welding, “It is good.”
    The other nails down the idol so it will not topple.^(DQ)

⁸ “But you, Israel, my servant,^(DR)
    Jacob, whom I have chosen,^(DS)
    you descendants of Abraham^(DT) my friend,^(DU)
9 I took you from the ends of the earth,^(DV)
    from its farthest corners I called^(DW) you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;^(DX)
    I have chosen^(DY) you and have not rejected you.
¹⁰ So do not fear,^(DZ) for I am with you;^(EA)
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen^(EB) you and help^(EC) you;
    I will uphold you^(ED) with my righteous right hand.^(EE)

¹¹ “All who rage^(EF) against you
    will surely be ashamed and disgraced;^(EG)
those who oppose^(EH) you
    will be as nothing and perish.^(EI)
12 Though you search for your enemies,
    you will not find them.^(EJ)
Those who wage war against you
    will be as nothing^(EK) at all.
¹³ For I am the Lord your God
    who takes hold of your right hand^(EL)
and says to you, Do not fear;
    I will help^(EM) you.
¹⁴ Do not be afraid,^(EN) you worm^(EO) Jacob,
    little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help^(EP) you,” declares the Lord,
    your Redeemer,^(EQ) the Holy One^(ER) of Israel.
¹⁵ “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,^(ES)
    new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains^(ET) and crush them,
    and reduce the hills to chaff.^(EU)
16 You will winnow^(EV) them, the wind will pick them up,
    and a gale^(EW) will blow them away.^(EX)
But you will rejoice^(EY) in the Lord
    and glory^(EZ) in the Holy One^(FA) of Israel.

¹⁷ “The poor and needy search for water,^(FB)
    but there is none;
    their tongues are parched with thirst.^(FC)
But I the Lord will answer^(FD) them;
    I, the God of Israel, will not forsake^(FE) them.
¹⁸ I will make rivers flow^(FF) on barren heights,
    and springs within the valleys.
I will turn the desert^(FG) into pools of water,^(FH)
    and the parched ground into springs.^(FI)
19 I will put in the desert^(FJ)
    the cedar and the acacia,^(FK) the myrtle and the olive.
I will set junipers^(FL) in the wasteland,
    the fir and the cypress^(FM) together,^(FN)
20 so that people may see and know,^(FO)
    may consider and understand,^(FP)
that the hand^(FQ) of the Lord has done this,
    that the Holy One^(FR) of Israel has created^(FS) it.

²¹ “Present your case,^(FT)” says the Lord.
    “Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.^(FU)
22 “Tell us, you idols,
    what is going to happen.^(FV)
Tell us what the former things^(FW) were,
    so that we may consider them
    and know their final outcome.
Or declare to us the things to come,^(FX)
23     tell us what the future holds,
    so we may know^(FY) that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,^(FZ)
    so that we will be dismayed^(GA) and filled with fear.
²⁴ But you are less than nothing^(GB)
    and your works are utterly worthless;^(GC)
    whoever chooses you is detestable.^(GD)

²⁵ “I have stirred^(GE) up one from the north,^(GF) and he comes—
    one from the rising sun who calls on my name.
He treads^(GG) on rulers as if they were mortar,
    as if he were a potter treading the clay.
²⁶ Who told of this from the beginning,^(GH) so we could know,
    or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’?
No one told of this,
    no one foretold^(GI) it,
    no one heard any words^(GJ) from you.
²⁷ I was the first to tell^(GK) Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’
    I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news.^(GL)
28 I look but there is no one^(GM)—
    no one among the gods to give counsel,^(GN)
    no one to give answer^(GO) when I ask them.
²⁹ See, they are all false!
    Their deeds amount to nothing;^(GP)
    their images^(GQ) are but wind^(GR) and confusion.

⁵ This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens,^(HH) who stretches them out,
    who spreads out the earth^(HI) with all that springs from it,^(HJ)
    who gives breath^(HK) to its people,
    and life to those who walk on it:
⁶ “I, the Lord, have called^(HL) you in righteousness;^(HM)
    I will take hold of your hand.^(HN)
I will keep^(HO) you and will make you
    to be a covenant^(HP) for the people
    and a light^(HQ) for the Gentiles,^(HR)
7 to open eyes that are blind,^(HS)
    to free^(HT) captives from prison^(HU)
    and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.^(HV)

⁸ “I am the Lord;^(HW) that is my name!^(HX)
    I will not yield my glory to another^(HY)
    or my praise to idols.^(HZ)
9 See, the former things^(IA) have taken place,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
    I announce^(IB) them to you.”

¹⁴ “For a long time I have kept silent,^(IU)
    I have been quiet and held myself back.^(IV)
But now, like a woman in childbirth,
    I cry out, I gasp and pant.^(IW)
15 I will lay waste^(IX) the mountains^(IY) and hills
    and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn rivers into islands
    and dry up^(IZ) the pools.
¹⁶ I will lead^(JA) the blind^(JB) by ways they have not known,
    along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light^(JC) before them
    and make the rough places smooth.^(JD)
These are the things I will do;
    I will not forsake^(JE) them.
¹⁷ But those who trust in idols,
    who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’^(JF)
    will be turned back in utter shame.^(JG)

²³ Which of you will listen to this
    or pay close attention^(JT) in time to come?
²⁴ Who handed Jacob over to become loot,
    and Israel to the plunderers?^(JU)
Was it not the Lord,^(JV)
    against whom we have sinned?
For they would not follow^(JW) his ways;
    they did not obey his law.^(JX)
25 So he poured out on them his burning anger,^(JY)
    the violence of war.
It enveloped them in flames,^(JZ) yet they did not understand;^(KA)
    it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.^(KB)

⁸ Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,^(LH)
    who have ears but are deaf.^(LI)
9 All the nations gather together^(LJ)
    and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold^(LK) this
    and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
    so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,^(LL)” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant^(LM) whom I have chosen,
so that you may know^(LN) and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god^(LO) was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.^(LP)
11 I, even I, am the Lord,^(LQ)
    and apart from me there is no savior.^(LR)
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god^(LS) among you.
You are my witnesses,^(LT)” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
¹³     Yes, and from ancient days^(LU) I am he.^(LV)
No one can deliver out of my hand.
    When I act, who can reverse it?”^(LW)

¹⁶ This is what the Lord says—
    he who made a way through the sea,
    a path through the mighty waters,^(ME)
17 who drew out^(MF) the chariots and horses,^(MG)
    the army and reinforcements together,^(MH)
and they lay^(MI) there, never to rise again,
    extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:^(MJ)
18 “Forget the former things;^(MK)
    do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!^(ML)
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness^(MM)
    and streams in the wasteland.^(MN)
20 The wild animals^(MO) honor me,
    the jackals^(MP) and the owls,
because I provide water^(MQ) in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
²¹     the people I formed^(MR) for myself^(MS)
    that they may proclaim my praise.^(MT)

²² “Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,
    you have not wearied^(MU) yourselves for^[h] me, Israel.^(MV)
23 You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,^(MW)
    nor honored^(MX) me with your sacrifices.^(MY)
I have not burdened^(MZ) you with grain offerings
    nor wearied you with demands^(NA) for incense.^(NB)
24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus^(NC) for me,
    or lavished on me the fat^(ND) of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins
    and wearied^(NE) me with your offenses.^(NF)

²⁵ “I, even I, am he who blots out
    your transgressions,^(NG) for my own sake,^(NH)
    and remembers your sins^(NI) no more.^(NJ)
26 Review the past for me,
    let us argue the matter together;^(NK)
    state the case^(NL) for your innocence.
²⁷ Your first father^(NM) sinned;
    those I sent to teach^(NN) you rebelled^(NO) against me.
²⁸ So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;
    I consigned Jacob to destruction^[i](NP)
    and Israel to scorn.^(NQ)