Add parallel Print Page Options

55 “Hey! Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters!
    Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat!
    Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good,
    and let your soul delight itself in richness.
Turn your ear, and come to me.
    Hear, and your soul will live.
    I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander to the peoples.
Behold, you shall call a nation that you don’t know;
    and a nation that didn’t know you shall run to you,
    because of Yahweh your God,
    and for the Holy One of Israel;
    for he has glorified you.”

Seek Yahweh while he may be found.
    Call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
    and the unrighteous man his thoughts.
Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him,
    to our God, for he will freely pardon.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh.
“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 comes down and the snow from the sky,
    and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth,
    and makes it grow and bud,
    and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 so is my word that goes out of my mouth:
    it will not return to me void,
    but it will accomplish that which I please,
    and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.
12 For you shall go out with joy,
    and be led out with peace.
The mountains and the hills will break out before you into singing;
    and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn the cypress tree will come up;
    and instead of the brier the myrtle tree will come up.
It will make a name for Yahweh,
    for an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.”

Come to the Lord

55 “Come, everyone who is thirsty,(A)
come to the waters;
and you without money,
come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost!
Why do you spend money on what is not food,
and your wages on what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.[a]
Pay attention and come to Me;
listen, so that you will live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,(B)
the promises assured to David.(C)
Since I have made him a witness to the peoples,(D)
a leader and commander for the peoples,(E)
so you will summon a nation you do not know,(F)
and nations who do not know you will run to you.(G)
For the Lord your God,
even the Holy One of Israel,(H)
has glorified you.”(I)

Seek the Lord while He may be found;
call to Him while He is near.(J)
Let the wicked one abandon his way
and the sinful one his thoughts;(K)
let him return to the Lord,
so He may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for He will freely forgive.(L)

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not My ways.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
“For as heaven is higher than earth,(M)
so My ways are higher than your ways,
and My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven
and do not return there
without saturating the earth
and making it germinate and sprout,
and providing seed to sow
and food to eat,(N)
11 so My word that comes from My mouth
will not return to Me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please
and will prosper in what I send it to do.”(O)

12 You will indeed go out with joy
and be peacefully guided;
the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.(P)
13 Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will come up,
and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up;(Q)
it will make a name for Yahweh(R)
as an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 55:2 Lit enjoy fatness