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Isaiah 40:3-17
English Standard Version
Isaiah 40:3-17
English Standard Version
3 (A)A voice cries:[a]
(B)“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
(C)make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 (D)Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 (E)And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
(F)for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
The Word of God Stands Forever
6 A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said,[b] “What shall I cry?”
(G)All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty[c] is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
8 (H)The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
The Greatness of God
9 Go on up to a high mountain,
O Zion, (I)herald of good news;[d]
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;[e]
lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Behold your God!”
10 (J)Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
(K)behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11 (L)He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
(M)he will gather the lambs in his arms;
(N)he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
12 (O)Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure
and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
13 (P)Who has measured[f] the Spirit of the Lord,
or what man shows him his counsel?
14 Whom did he consult,
and who made him understand?
(Q)Who taught him the path of justice,
and taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted (R)as the dust on the scales;
behold, he takes up (S)the coastlands like fine dust.
16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel,
nor are (T)its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
17 (U)All the nations are as nothing before him,
they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one crying
- Isaiah 40:6 Revocalization based on Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Vulgate; Masoretic Text And someone says
- Isaiah 40:6 Or all its constancy
- Isaiah 40:9 Or O herald of good news to Zion
- Isaiah 40:9 Or O herald of good news to Jerusalem
- Isaiah 40:13 Or has directed
Isaiah 40:3-17
New International Version
Isaiah 40:3-17
New International Version
3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way(A) for the Lord[a];
make straight(B) in the desert
a highway for our God.[b](C)
4 Every valley shall be raised up,(D)
every mountain and hill(E) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,(F)
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory(G) of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.(H)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”(I)
6 A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,(J)
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers(K) and the flowers fall,
because the breath(L) of the Lord blows(M) on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers(N) fall,
but the word(O) of our God endures(P) forever.(Q)”
9 You who bring good news(R) to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c](S)
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”(T)
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes(U) with power,(V)
and he rules(W) with a mighty arm.(X)
See, his reward(Y) is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:(Z)
He gathers the lambs in his arms(AA)
and carries them close to his heart;(AB)
he gently leads(AC) those that have young.(AD)
12 Who has measured the waters(AE) in the hollow of his hand,(AF)
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?(AG)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?(AH)
13 Who can fathom the Spirit[d](AI) of the Lord,
or instruct the Lord as his counselor?(AJ)
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,(AK)
or showed him the path of understanding?(AL)
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;(AM)
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.(AN)
16 Lebanon(AO) is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals(AP) enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations(AQ) are as nothing;(AR)
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.(AS)
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
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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.