Invitation to the Thirsty

55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,(A)
    come to the waters;(B)
and you who have no money,
    come, buy(C) and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk(D)
    without money and without cost.(E)
Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?(F)
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,(G)
    and you will delight in the richest(H) of fare.
Give ear and come to me;
    listen,(I) that you may live.(J)
I will make an everlasting covenant(K) with you,
    my faithful love(L) promised to David.(M)
See, I have made him a witness(N) to the peoples,
    a ruler and commander(O) of the peoples.
Surely you will summon nations(P) you know not,
    and nations you do not know will come running to you,(Q)
because of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One(R) of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.”(S)

Seek(T) the Lord while he may be found;(U)
    call(V) on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake(W) their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.(X)
Let them turn(Y) to the Lord, and he will have mercy(Z) on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.(AA)

“For my thoughts(AB) are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”(AC)
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,(AD)
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.(AE)
10 As the rain(AF) and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,(AG)
    so that it yields seed(AH) for the sower and bread for the eater,(AI)
11 so is my word(AJ) that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,(AK)
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose(AL) for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy(AM)
    and be led forth in peace;(AN)
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song(AO) before you,
and all the trees(AP) of the field
    will clap their hands.(AQ)
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
    and instead of briers(AR) the myrtle(AS) will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,(AT)
    for an everlasting sign,
    that will endure forever.”

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.

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

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.

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

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, that it may give 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 field 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 the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Välsignelse för den som söker den

1-2 Säg, finns det några törstiga? Kom då och drick, även om ni är utan pengar! Kom och välj ut vad ni vill ha! Här finns både mjölk och vin! Allt är gratis! Varför lägger ni ut en massa pengar på sådant som inte ger näring och som inte är nyttigt? Lyssna nu, så ska jag berätta var ni kan få tag på det som verkligen är gott och nyttigt!

Kom till mig med öppna öron! Hör på mig, så ska ni få leva! Jag är beredd att upprätta ett evigt förbund med er och ge er all den nåd och kärlek som jag gav kung David.

Han bevisade min makt genom att besegra främmande folk.

Ni ska ge befallningar till folken runt omkring, och de ska omedelbart lyda er. Nej, inte på grund av er egen makt och förträfflighet, utan därför att jag, Herren, er Gud, ger er makt och ära.

Sök Herren, medan du kan finna honom! Be till honom nu, när han är nära! Se till att människorna slutar upp med sina onda gärningar.

Se till att de visar bort alla tankar på att göra sådant som är fel. Se till att de vänder sig till Herren, så att han kan få visa dem sin barmhärtighet, och att de vänder sig till vår Gud, för han vill förlåta allt!

Denna plan är inte något som ni kan fundera ut, och inte heller är mina tankar som era tankar.

Himlen är högre än jorden, och mina vägar är högre än era vägar och mina tankar större än era tankar.

10 Regn och snö kommer ner från himlen över jorden och återvänder inte förrän det har vattnat den, fått säden att gro och gett skörd åt lantbrukaren och bröd åt den hungrige.

11 Så är det också med mitt ord. Jag sänder ut det, och det bär alltid frukt. Det uträttar allt jag vill, och det har framgång vart jag än sänder det.

12 Ni ska få leva i glädje och frid. Bergen och höjderna, träden ute på fälten, hela världen runt omkring er, ska glädja sig.

13 Där det en gång fanns törnsnår, där ska nu cypresser växa. Där det växte nässlor ska det finnas myrtenträd. Detta under ska göra Herrens namn mycket stort, och det ska bli till ett evigt tecken på Guds makt och kärlek.

An Invitation to Abundant Life

55 “Ho! (A)Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
(B)Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
Why do you [a]spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and (C)come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
(D)And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The (E)sure mercies of David.
Indeed I have given him as (F)a witness to the people,
(G)A leader and commander for the people.
(H)Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,
(I)And nations who do not know you shall run to you,
Because of the Lord your God,
And the Holy One of Israel;
(J)For He has glorified you.”

(K)Seek the Lord while He may be (L)found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
(M)Let the [b]wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man (N)his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
(O)And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.

“For(P) My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For(Q) as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 “For (R)as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 (S)So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me [c]void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall (T)prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For(U) you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall (V)break forth into singing before you,
And (W)all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 (X)Instead of (Y)the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the Lord (Z)for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 55:2 Lit. weigh out silver
  2. Isaiah 55:7 Lit. man of iniquity
  3. Isaiah 55:11 empty, without fruit