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Isaiah 39-40
New King James Version
Isaiah 39-40
New King James Version
The Babylonian Envoys(A)
39 At (B)that time [a]Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 (C)And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.
3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?”
So Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a (D)far country, from Babylon.”
4 And he said, “What have they seen in your house?”
So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 ‘Behold, the days are coming (E)when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. 7 ‘And they shall take away some of your (F)sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ”
8 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, (G)“The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.”
God’s People Are Comforted(H)
40 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
Says your God.
2 “Speak [b]comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
That her warfare is ended,
That her iniquity is pardoned;
(I)For she has received from the Lord’s hand
Double for all her sins.”
3 (J)The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
(K)“Prepare the way of the Lord;
(L)Make straight [c]in the desert
A highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
(M)The crooked places shall be made [d]straight
And the rough places smooth;
5 The (N)glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 The voice said, “Cry out!”
And [e]he said, “What shall I cry?”
(O)“All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But (P)the word of our God stands forever.”
9 O Zion,
You who bring good tidings,
Get up into the high mountain;
O Jerusalem,
You who bring good tidings,
Lift up your voice with strength,
Lift it up, be not afraid;
Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord God shall come [f]with a strong hand,
And (Q)His arm shall rule for Him;
Behold, (R)His reward is with Him,
And His [g]work before Him.
11 He will (S)feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young.
12 (T)Who has measured the [h]waters in the hollow of His hand,
Measured heaven with a [i]span
And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure?
Weighed the mountains in scales
And the hills in a balance?
13 (U)Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or as His counselor has taught Him?
14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him,
And (V)taught Him in the path of justice?
Who taught Him knowledge,
And showed Him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket,
And are counted as the small dust on the scales;
Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn,
Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All nations before Him are as (W)nothing,
And (X)they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.
18 To whom then will you (Y)liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
19 (Z)The workman molds an image,
The goldsmith overspreads it with gold,
And the silversmith casts silver chains.
20 Whoever is too impoverished for such [j]a contribution
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks for himself a skillful workman
(AA)To prepare a carved image that will not totter.
21 (AB)Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who (AC)stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a (AD)tent to dwell in.
23 He [k]brings the (AE)princes to nothing;
He makes the judges of the earth useless.
24 Scarcely shall they be planted,
Scarcely shall they be sown,
Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth,
When He will also blow on them,
And they will wither,
And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.
25 “To(AF) whom then will you liken Me,
Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
(AG)He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.
27 (AH)Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
28 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
(AI)His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who (AJ)wait on the Lord
(AK)Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 39:1 Berodach-Baladan, 2 Kin. 20:12
- Isaiah 40:2 Lit. to the heart of
- Isaiah 40:3 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX omits in the desert
- Isaiah 40:4 Or a plain
- Isaiah 40:6 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Vg. I
- Isaiah 40:10 in strength
- Isaiah 40:10 recompense
- Isaiah 40:12 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; DSS adds of the sea; Tg. adds of the world
- Isaiah 40:12 A span .5 cubit, 9 inches; or the width of His hand
- Isaiah 40:20 an offering
- Isaiah 40:23 reduces
Isaiah 39-40
New International Version
Isaiah 39-40
New International Version
Envoys From Babylon(A)
39 At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon(B) sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. 2 Hezekiah received the envoys(C) gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold,(D) the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures.(E) There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”
“From a distant land,(F)” Hezekiah replied. “They came to me from Babylon.”
4 The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”
“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word(G) of the Lord Almighty: 6 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon.(H) Nothing will be left, says the Lord. 7 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.(I)”
8 “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,(J)” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.(K)”
Comfort for God’s People
40 Comfort, comfort(L) my people,
says your God.
2 Speak tenderly(M) to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service(N) has been completed,(O)
that her sin has been paid for,(P)
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double(Q) for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way(R) for the Lord[a];
make straight(S) in the desert
a highway for our God.[b](T)
4 Every valley shall be raised up,(U)
every mountain and hill(V) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,(W)
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory(X) of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.(Y)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”(Z)
6 A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,(AA)
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers(AB) and the flowers fall,
because the breath(AC) of the Lord blows(AD) on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers(AE) fall,
but the word(AF) of our God endures(AG) forever.(AH)”
9 You who bring good news(AI) to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c](AJ)
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”(AK)
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes(AL) with power,(AM)
and he rules(AN) with a mighty arm.(AO)
See, his reward(AP) is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:(AQ)
He gathers the lambs in his arms(AR)
and carries them close to his heart;(AS)
he gently leads(AT) those that have young.(AU)
12 Who has measured the waters(AV) in the hollow of his hand,(AW)
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?(AX)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?(AY)
13 Who can fathom the Spirit[d](AZ) of the Lord,
or instruct the Lord as his counselor?(BA)
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,(BB)
or showed him the path of understanding?(BC)
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;(BD)
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.(BE)
16 Lebanon(BF) is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals(BG) enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations(BH) are as nothing;(BI)
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.(BJ)
18 With whom, then, will you compare God?(BK)
To what image(BL) will you liken him?
19 As for an idol,(BM) a metalworker casts it,
and a goldsmith(BN) overlays it with gold(BO)
and fashions silver chains for it.
20 A person too poor to present such an offering
selects wood(BP) that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
to set up an idol(BQ) that will not topple.(BR)
21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?(BS)
Has it not been told(BT) you from the beginning?(BU)
Have you not understood(BV) since the earth was founded?(BW)
22 He sits enthroned(BX) above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.(BY)
He stretches out the heavens(BZ) like a canopy,(CA)
and spreads them out like a tent(CB) to live in.(CC)
23 He brings princes(CD) to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.(CE)
24 No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root(CF) in the ground,
than he blows(CG) on them and they wither,(CH)
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.(CI)
25 “To whom will you compare me?(CJ)
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.(CK)
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:(CL)
Who created(CM) all these?
He who brings out the starry host(CN) one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,(CO)
not one of them is missing.(CP)
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”?(CQ)
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?(CR)
The Lord is the everlasting(CS) God,
the Creator(CT) of the ends of the earth.(CU)
He will not grow tired or weary,(CV)
and his understanding no one can fathom.(CW)
29 He gives strength(CX) to the weary(CY)
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men(CZ) stumble and fall;(DA)
31 but those who hope(DB) in the Lord
will renew their strength.(DC)
They will soar on wings like eagles;(DD)
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.(DE)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one calling in the wilderness: / “Prepare the way for the Lord
- Isaiah 40:3 Hebrew; Septuagint make straight the paths of our God
- Isaiah 40:9 Or Zion, bringer of good news, / go up on a high mountain. / Jerusalem, bringer of good news
- Isaiah 40:13 Or mind
Romans 1:18-32
New King James Version
Romans 1:18-32
New King James Version
God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
18 (A)For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and (B)unrighteousness of men, who [a]suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because (C)what may be known of God is [b]manifest [c]in them, for (D)God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world (E)His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [d]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but (F)became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 (G)Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the (H)incorruptible (I)God into an image made like [e]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 (J)Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, (K)to dishonor their bodies (L)among themselves, 25 who exchanged (M)the truth of God (N)for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to (O)vile passions. For even their [f]women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the [g]men, leaving the natural use of the [h]woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things (P)which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, [i]sexual immorality, wickedness, [j]covetousness, [k]maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 [l]undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, [m]unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, (Q)knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things (R)are deserving of death, not only do the same but also (S)approve of those who practice them.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Romans 1:18 hold down
- Romans 1:19 evident
- Romans 1:19 among
- Romans 1:20 divine nature, deity
- Romans 1:23 perishable
- Romans 1:26 Lit. females
- Romans 1:27 Lit. males
- Romans 1:27 Lit. female
- Romans 1:29 NU omits sexual immorality
- Romans 1:29 greed
- Romans 1:29 malice
- Romans 1:31 without understanding
- Romans 1:31 NU omits unforgiving
Romans 1:18-32
New International Version
Romans 1:18-32
New International Version
God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity
18 The wrath of God(A) is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.(B) 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made,(C) so that people are without excuse.(D)
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.(E) 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools(F) 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images(G) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over(H) in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.(I) 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie,(J) and worshiped and served created things(K) rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.(L) Amen.(M)
26 Because of this, God gave them over(N) to shameful lusts.(O) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.(P) 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.(Q)
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over(R) to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,(S) 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;(T) 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love,(U) no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death,(V) they not only continue to do these very things but also approve(W) of those who practice them.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.