Isaiah 40:1-11

New American Standard Bible

The Greatness of God

40 “^(A)Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
²“^(B)Speak ^[a]kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her ^[b]^(C)warfare has ended,
That her ^[c]^(D)guilt has been removed,
That she has received of the Lord’s hand
^(E)Double for all her sins.”

³^(F)The voice of one calling out,
“^(G)Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make ^[d]straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the uneven ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
⁵^[e]Then the ^(H)glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And ^(I)all flesh will see it together;
For the ^(J)mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
⁶A voice says, “Call out.”
Then ^[f]he answered, “What shall I call out?”
^(K)All flesh is grass, and all its ^[g]loveliness is like the flower of the field.
⁷The ^(L)grass withers, the flower fades,
^[h]When the ^(M)breath of the Lord blows upon it;
The people are indeed grass!
⁸The grass withers, the flower fades,
But ^(N)the word of our God stands forever.

⁹Go up on a ^(O)high mountain,
Zion, messenger of ^(P)good news,
Raise your voice forcefully,
Jerusalem, messenger of good news;
Raise it up, do not fear.
Say to the ^(Q)cities of Judah,
“^(R)Here is your God!”
¹⁰Behold, the Lord ^[i]God will come ^(S)with might,
With His ^(T)arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His ^(U)compensation is with Him,
And His reward before Him.
¹¹Like a shepherd He will ^(V)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.