Isaiah 55
American Standard Version
55 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Wherefore do ye [a]spend money for that which is not bread? and your [b]labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a [c]leader and commander to the peoples. 5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
6 Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near: 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree: and it shall be to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 55:2 Hebrew weigh.
- Isaiah 55:2 Or, earnings
- Isaiah 55:4 Or, prince
Isaiah 55
New American Standard Bible 1995
The Free Offer of Mercy
55 “Ho! Every one who (A)thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have (B)no [a]money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy (C)wine and milk
(D)Without money and without cost.
2 “Why do you [b]spend money for what is (E)not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and (F)eat what is good,
And (G)delight yourself in abundance.
3 “(H)Incline your ear and come to Me.
Listen, that [c]you may (I)live;
And I will make (J)an everlasting covenant with you,
According to the (K)faithful mercies [d]shown to David.
4 “Behold, I have made (L)him a witness to the peoples,
A (M)leader and commander for the peoples.
5 “Behold, you will call a (N)nation you do not know,
And a nation which knows you not will (O)run to you,
Because of the Lord your God, even the Holy One of Israel;
For He has (P)glorified you.”
6 (Q)Seek the Lord while He may be found;
(R)Call upon Him while He is near.
7 (S)Let the wicked forsake his way
And the unrighteous man his (T)thoughts;
And let him (U)return to the Lord,
And He will have (V)compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will (W)abundantly pardon.
8 “For My thoughts are not (X)your thoughts,
Nor are (Y)your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For (Z)as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the (AA)rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing (AB)seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 So will My (AC)word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will (AD)not return to Me empty,
Without (AE)accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
12 “For you will go out with (AF)joy
And be led forth with (AG)peace;
The (AH)mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,
And all the (AI)trees of the field will clap their hands.
13 “Instead of the (AJ)thorn bush the (AK)cypress will come up,
And instead of the (AL)nettle the myrtle will come up,
And [e]it will be a [f](AM)memorial to the Lord,
For an everlasting (AN)sign which (AO)will not be cut off.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 55:1 Lit silver
- Isaiah 55:2 Lit weigh out silver
- Isaiah 55:3 Lit your soul
- Isaiah 55:3 Lit of David
- Isaiah 55:13 I.e. the transformation of the desert
- Isaiah 55:13 Lit name
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
