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Isaiah 46
New International Version
Isaiah 46
New International Version
Gods of Babylon
46 Bel(A) bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols(B) are borne by beasts of burden.[a]
The images that are carried(C) about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
2 They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.(D)
3 “Listen(E) to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant(F) of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,(G)
and have carried(H) since you were born.(I)
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs(J)
I am he,(K) I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain(L) you and I will rescue you.
5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?(M)
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith(N) to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.(O)
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry(P) it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.(Q)
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;(R)
it cannot save(S) them from their troubles.
8 “Remember(T) this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.(U)
9 Remember the former things,(V) those of long ago;(W)
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.(X)
10 I make known the end from the beginning,(Y)
from ancient times,(Z) what is still to come.(AA)
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,(AB)
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon(AC) a bird of prey;(AD)
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned,(AE) that I will do.(AF)
12 Listen(AG) to me, you stubborn-hearted,(AH)
you who are now far from my righteousness.(AI)
13 I am bringing my righteousness(AJ) near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation(AK) will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,(AL)
my splendor(AM) to Israel.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 46:1 Or are but beasts and cattle
Isaiah 46
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Isaiah 46
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
46 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;
their idols are on beasts and cattle;
these things you carry are loaded
as burdens on weary animals.(A)
2 They stoop; they bow down together;
they cannot save the burden
but themselves go into captivity.(B)
3 Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from your birth,
carried from the womb;(C)
4 even to your old age I am he;
even when you turn gray I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.(D)
5 To whom will you liken me and make me equal
and compare me, as though we were alike?(E)
6 Those who lavish gold from the purse
and weigh out silver in the scales—
they hire a goldsmith, who makes it into a god;
then they fall down and worship!(F)
7 They lift it to their shoulders; they carry it;
they set it in its place, and it stands there;
it cannot move from its place.
If one cries out to it, it does not answer
or save anyone from trouble.(G)
8 Remember this and consider;[a]
recall it to mind, you transgressors;(H)
9 remember the former things of old,
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like me,(I)
10 declaring the outcome from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, “My purpose shall stand,
and I will fulfill my intention,”(J)
11 calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man for my purpose from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have planned, and I will do it.(K)
12 Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,
you who are far from deliverance:(L)
13 I bring near my deliverance; it is not far off,
and my salvation will not tarry;
I will put salvation in Zion,
for Israel my glory.(M)
Footnotes
- 46.8 Meaning of Heb uncertain
Isaiah 46
The Message
Isaiah 46
The Message
This Is Serious Business, Rebels
46 1-2 The god Bel falls down, god Nebo slumps.
The no-god hunks of wood are loaded on mules
And have to be hauled off,
wearing out the poor mules—
Dead weight, burdens who can’t bear burdens,
hauled off to captivity.
3-4 “Listen to me, family of Jacob,
everyone that’s left of the family of Israel.
I’ve been carrying you on my back
from the day you were born,
And I’ll keep on carrying you when you’re old.
I’ll be there, bearing you when you’re old and gray.
I’ve done it and will keep on doing it,
carrying you on my back, saving you.
5-7 “So to whom will you compare me, the Incomparable?
Can you picture me without reducing me?
People with a lot of money
hire craftsmen to make them gods.
The artisan delivers the god,
and they kneel and worship it!
They carry it around in holy parades,
then take it home and put it on a shelf.
And there it sits, day in and day out,
a dependable god, always right where you put it.
Say anything you want to it, it never talks back.
Of course, it never does anything either!
8-11 “Think about this. Wrap your minds around it.
This is serious business, rebels. Take it to heart.
Remember your history,
your long and rich history.
I am God, the only God you’ve had or ever will have—
incomparable, irreplaceable—
From the very beginning
telling you what the ending will be,
All along letting you in
on what is going to happen,
Assuring you, ‘I’m in this for the long haul,
I’ll do exactly what I set out to do,’
Calling that eagle, Cyrus, out of the east,
from a far country the man I chose to help me.
I’ve said it, and I’ll most certainly do it.
I’ve planned it, so it’s as good as done.
12-13 “Now listen to me:
You’re a hardheaded bunch and hard to help.
I’m ready to help you right now.
Deliverance is not a long-range plan.
Salvation isn’t on hold.
I’m putting salvation to work in Zion now,
and glory in Israel.”
Isaiah 46
New Living Translation
Isaiah 46
New Living Translation
Babylon’s False Gods
46 Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon,
bow as they are lowered to the ground.
They are being hauled away on ox carts.
The poor beasts stagger under the weight.
2 Both the idols and their owners are bowed down.
The gods cannot protect the people,
and the people cannot protect the gods.
They go off into captivity together.
3 “Listen to me, descendants of Jacob,
all you who remain in Israel.
I have cared for you since you were born.
Yes, I carried you before you were born.
4 I will be your God throughout your lifetime—
until your hair is white with age.
I made you, and I will care for you.
I will carry you along and save you.
5 “To whom will you compare me?
Who is my equal?
6 Some people pour out their silver and gold
and hire a craftsman to make a god from it.
Then they bow down and worship it!
7 They carry it around on their shoulders,
and when they set it down, it stays there.
It can’t even move!
And when someone prays to it, there is no answer.
It can’t rescue anyone from trouble.
8 “Do not forget this! Keep it in mind!
Remember this, you guilty ones.
9 Remember the things I have done in the past.
For I alone am God!
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 Only I can tell you the future
before it even happens.
Everything I plan will come to pass,
for I do whatever I wish.
11 I will call a swift bird of prey from the east—
a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding.
I have said what I would do,
and I will do it.
12 “Listen to me, you stubborn people
who are so far from doing right.
13 For I am ready to set things right,
not in the distant future, but right now!
I am ready to save Jerusalem[a]
and show my glory to Israel.
Footnotes
- 46:13 Hebrew Zion.
Isaiah 46
Expanded Bible
Isaiah 46
Expanded Bible
False Gods Are Useless
46 Bel bows down and Nebo bends low [C important gods of Babylon].
Their ·idols [images] ·are carried by animals [L belong to beasts and cattle].
The statues are only heavy loads
carried by tired animals.
2 ·These gods will all ·bow [stoop and bow] down.
They cannot save themselves
but will all be carried away ·like prisoners [into captivity].
3 “·Family [L House] of Jacob, listen to me!
All ·you people from Israel who are still alive [the remnant of the house of Israel], listen!
I have carried you since you were born;
I have taken care of you from ·your birth [L the womb].
4 Even when you are old, I ·will be the same [L am he].
Even when your hair has turned gray, I will ·take care of [sustain; carry] you.
I made you and will carry you.
I will ·take care of [sustain; carry] and ·save [rescue] you.
5 “To whom can you compare me?
·No one [Who…?] is equal to me or ·like [comparable to] me.
6 Some people ·are rich with gold [L pour out gold from their bags]
and weigh their silver on the scales.
They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god.
Then they bow down and worship it.
7 They put it on their shoulders and carry it.
They set it in its place, and there it stands;
it cannot move from its place.
People may ·yell at [or cry out to] it, but it cannot answer.
It cannot save them from their troubles.
8 “Remember this, and ·do not forget it [be firm/steadfast]!
Think about these things, you ·who turn against God [rebels; transgressors].
9 Remember ·what happened long ago [L the former things of antiquity].
Remember that I am God, and there is no other God.
I am God, and there is no one like me.
10 From the beginning I told you what would happen in the end.
·A long time ago [From ancient times] I told you things that have not yet happened.
·When I plan something, it happens [L …saying, “My counsel will stand”].
What I want to do, I will do.
11 I am calling a man from the east to carry out my plan;
he will come like a ·hawk [bird of prey; eagle] from a country far away.
I will make what I have said come true;
I will do what I have planned.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn ·people [hearted],
who are far from ·what is right [righteousness].
13 I ·will soon do the things that are right [L am bringing my righteousness near].
·I will bring salvation soon[L It is not far away].
I will save ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]
·and bring glory to Israel [L Israel, my splendor/glory].”
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.